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The RCN has today announced Bejoy Sebastian (pictured) as its new President and Professor Alison Leary MBE FRCN as Deputy President.

Bejoy is a senior nurse working in critical care at University College London Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust. Hailing from Kerala, he arrived in the UK in March 2011 after finishing his nursing studies at Kottayam Medical College. In his role as Chair of the International Nursing and Midwifery Association Forum network UK, he has raised the profile of internationally educated nursing staff, helping them thrive in their careers and identifying the barriers they face in the workplace.

Bejoy said: “It is a true honour to be elected RCN President. I have great aspirations for this role, and together we can make the nursing profession more valued and respected. I want to ensure all members are engaging with the College so we have a stronger, united voice.”

Alison is a senior consultant at the World Health Organization and a Professor of Healthcare Modelling at London Southbank University, researching the relationship between workforce and safety. She’s recently retired from clinical practice and has been involved with the RCN in various ways, including as a member of the College’s Professional Nursing Committee.

Alison said: “I’m excited to take on the position of Deputy President and to work closely with the President. There are so many issues affecting the nursing profession, from poor working conditions to pay injustice, and I believe we can continue to use our collective strength to drive improvements for our members. Nursing staff are safety critical and our unique contribution to the delivery of patient care must be valued.”

Members elected to all 12 country and regional Council seats have also been announced. The results of these are:

• Neil Thompson for East Midlands
• Natalie Brooks for Eastern 
• Jennifer Caguioa for London 
• Andrea Walters for Northern (elected unopposed) 
• Carmel O’Boyle for North West 
• Anne Campbell for Northern Ireland 
• Leanne Patrick for Scotland 
• Sally Bassett for South East 
• Ashleigh Taylor for South West 
• Nicola Milligan for Wales 
• Sian Grbin for Yorkshire and the Humber 
• Olga Leach-Walters for West Midlands.

Mark Jarnell has been elected to represent nursing support workers and Ademola Adesanya will represent student members.

The RCN President and Deputy President are ambassadors for nursing in the UK and internationally, and, along with the Chair of RCN Congress, form part of our governing Council. The remaining 14 seats on RCN Council are directly elected from our 9 England regions, Northern Ireland, Scotland, Wales and by our student and nursing support worker members.

RCN Council provides rigorous oversight to make sure we operate effectively and meet our legal and statutory requirements. The RCN members who have been elected to these roles will take up office on 1 January 2025.

Professor Nicola Ranger, RCN General Secretary and Chief Executive, said: “Congratulations to all those who have been successfully elected.

“As the world’s largest nursing union and professional body, being at the top of our game in decision-making is crucial. And that requires dynamic, experienced nursing leaders who care deeply about our profession and who represent every one of our members, at every career stage.

“We set out this year to radically increase our diversity and inclusivity as an organisation – it’s what members need and deserve. The people elected today and who will be our lead members for the coming years are another big step towards that brighter future.

“I look forward to working together with a clear vision to build on the strengths of our great College.”

Voting for contested seats opened on 14 October with members receiving their ballot papers in the post. Members had until 11 November to cast their votes by returning their ballot papers to an independent scrutineer for counting and verifying.