RCN West Midlands

31/03/2026

There's still time to register for the first in our series of online events explaining the band 5 role review in the NHS in England. It's this Thursday at 5pm.

If you're a band 5 nurse, it will help you understand what the NHS has committed to do and how you can get involved.

The series throughout April will also cover how those in other bands can seek a review of their job description if it no longer matches their responsibilities.

Register now ⬇️

Join this session to understand in detail what commitments have been made to review band 5 roles in the NHS in England.

27/03/2026

Congratulations to our two winners from the West Midlands at last night's RCN Awards 2026 ceremony.

Anna Hancock won Forum Committee Member of the Year. Anna is vice chair of the RCN's Bladder and Bowel Forum and leads Coventry's NHS community nursing bladder and bowel care team.

Michael Lewis won Learning Representative of the Year. Michael is active in our RCN Bham West & Sandwell Branch and is a passionate advocate for men's health.

The awards ceremony, hosted by broadcaster and writer Susie Dent at the RCN's London headquarters, was opened by RCN President Bejoy Sebastian and RCN Chair of Council Carmel O’Boyle.

Award recipients reflect the breadth and diversity of the RCN membership, with awards presented to RCN reps, students, internationally educated nursing staff, forum members and nursing support workers.

23/03/2026

Congratulations to Vicky Sandy-Davis, the RCN's lead nurse for independent health and social care in the West Midlands, on winning a Gold Award from the Chief Nursing Officer for Adult Social Care.

Vicky was presented with the prestigious award by Patricia Marquis, RCN Director of England, and Deborah Sturdy, Chief Nursing Officer for Adult Social Care, in Birmingham today.

The Gold Award recognises exceptional service by nurses and care workers in the social care sector. Vicky's contribution to learning disability nursing and the advancement of equality and inclusion in the social care sector was praised by Ms Sturdy.

20/03/2026

How did the Black Country hospital trusts perform in the 2025 NHS staff survey when it comes to their nurses feeling valued?

You remember what these four trusts did, right?

Last year they decided to cut pay for nurses who work extra hours to cover staffing shortages, meaning the staff are now paid less than when they do a regular shift.

We've crunched their latest staff survey data – and here are the big declines since the previous results in 2024 in the proportion of their nurses and midwives who say they feel valued:

⬇️ Sandwell and West Birmingham - down to 33.1% from 41.9%
⬇️ Royal Wolverhampton - down to 34.8% from 41.5%
⬇️ Walsall Healthcare - down to 38.4% from 44.9%
⬇️ Dudley Group - down to 33.1% from 38.2%

Among hospital providers, the scores for Sandwell and West Birmingham and the Dudley Group are the lowest in the West Midlands.

The message to these employers couldn’t be clearer.

If you don’t pay nurses what they’re worth for the hours they put in over and above their working week, they don’t feel valued and they won’t feel their organisation is a good one to work for.

Read more ➡️ tinyurl.com/bdms2h8k

17/03/2026

Our new Regional Director for the West Midlands is Sarah Dodsworth.

Sarah joined the region today in an interim capacity to replace Lindsay Meeks, who has taken up an interim role as Associate Director of RCN England.

Sarah was previously Regional Director for the Northern and Yorkshire and Humber regions.

She has 25 years of experience in the RCN, having also been a senior officer and head of operations in the London and South East regions before relocating to the north of England to work in the care home sector and then the NHS.

11/03/2026

25/02/2026

We've carried out a survey that suggests cuts in the use of temporary staffing shifts and pay rates by four NHS trusts in the Black Country have worsened nursing shortages and damaged staff’s health and wellbeing.

More than nine in ten RCN members who responded to the survey at the end of last year said they believe staffing levels have deteriorated at the hospital and community trusts that form the Black Country Provider Collaborative since the curbs on bank shifts.

Almost 93% reported worsening staff health and wellbeing, with 84% saying patient care and safety has also deteriorated.

👉 https://tinyurl.com/2tybw27x

23/02/2026

Congratulations and good luck to the finalists in the Student Nursing Times Awards 2026.👏

No fewer than 23 of the shortlisted entrants this year - individuals and organisations alike - across the 25 award categories are from our West Midlands region.

The winners will be announced at an awards ceremony in London on 24 April.

Now in their 15th year, the Student Nursing Times Awards will return on Friday 24th April 2026 to celebrate the outstanding accomplishments of the next generation of nurses and the educators who support them. Whether you're a current student, a recent graduate, a practice supervisor who goes above a

19/02/2026

Our Chief Executive and General Secretary Prof Nicola Ranger visited County Hospital in Hereford today, meeting local nursing leaders and RCN reps and visiting the hospital's Emergency Department and Ashgrove and Garway frailty wards to see how patient care is being delivered against a backdrop of high demand on hospital services.

Thank you to staff at Wye Valley NHS Trust, which runs the hospital, for hosting Nicola during her visit.

12/02/2026

The RCN says the government's below-inflation 2026/27 NHS pay award is an insult

11/02/2026

After sustained RCN pressure, nursing staff will benefit from a package to tackle barriers to progression