The Award of Merit
The pride of the RCN
The RCN Award of Merit is presented to those who have made an exceptional contribution to the Royal College of Nursing. Our activists are crucial to the work of the RCN, and this award honours those who have gone above and beyond to support our members.
If you know someone who has dedicated their time and energy to the RCN, and has made an impact on their branch, workplace, forum or the RCN as a whole, we need you to let us know about them so that we can recognise their achievements. Please nominate them today.
What do the awards mean?
The Award of Merit is the highest honour the RCN bestows for service. Each year they are given out at a special ceremony at RCN Congress to those who have made an exceptional contribution to the RCN far beyond the important contribution made by every activist to the work of the College. The Award of Merit is not purely a long service award.
How can you nominate someone?
To submit a nomination, please complete the form below and send it to . If you return the form by 1 March 2017 the nomination will be considered in time for presentation at the awards ceremony on 13 May 2017 at Congress in Liverpool.
Please note that you can only make one nomination per year.
Any RCN member, except those employed by the RCN, can make a nomination. In addition, country or regional boards, branches and forums can also submit group nominations.
You will need three other people to support a nomination. They do not have to be RCN members but again must not be RCN staff. It is recommended that they come from a range of backgrounds so as to demonstrate the reach of the nominee’s work. Each must submit a testimonial showing why they think the individual has made an exceptional contribution to the RCN.
We recommend that you do not tell the nominee about the nomination, so as to avoid disappointment should the nomination be unsuccessful.
Posthumous nominations cannot be accepted.
What should you write on the nomination form?
The nominator and supporters are asked to write testimonials about the nominee and submit these with the form. These should show how the nominee has made an exceptional contribution to the RCN. How have they supported members? What innovations have they introduced? How have they inspired you?
You also need to submit contact details and brief details of the nominee’s history of involvement within the RCN.We understand that it is hard to find out details about another person (especially while keeping it a secret) so just provide as much information as you can. We can, for example, find the person’s RCN membership number for you.
Who decides?
Each nomination is considered by an awards panel, which then makes recommendations to RCN Council. The panel meets a few times a year and is made up of the President, Deputy President, Chair and Vice Chair of RCN Council, the Chief Executive & General Secretary, and other Council members.
When you submit a nomination, it will be considered at the panel’s next meeting. If it is successful, then the award will be given out at the following Congress. The next panel meeting will take place in mid-March 2017, so nominations need to reach us by 1 March 2017 in order to be taken to this meeting for presentation at Congress 2017.
Need help completing the form?
If you have any questions or need help and advice on completing the form, or would prefer it in a different format, please contact or 020 7647 3640. More information is available online at .
The Award of Merit
Nomination form
Section 1: Details of the nominee
Name:
Address:
Telephone:
Email address:
RCN membership number:
Nominee’s current post:
Professional qualifications and/or awards and honours (including scholarships):
RCN offices held (if applicable):
Section 2: Details of nominator
Name:
Address:
Telephone:
Email address:
RCN membership number:
Nominator’s current post:
In what capacity do you know the nominee?:
Section 3: Nominator testimonial
The nominator and three supporters should each submit a testimonial about the nominee and why they should receive the RCN Award of Merit. These should demonstrate how the nominee has made an exceptional contribution to the RCN. You may expand upon the space given below as required.
Nominator testimonial:
Section 4: Details of supporters and supporters’ testimonials
Supporter one
Name:
Position:
Address:
Telephone:
Email address:
Supporter one’s testimonial:
Supporter two
Name:
Position:
Address:
Telephone:
Email address:
Supporter two’s testimonial:
Supporter three
Name:
Position:
Address:
Telephone:
Email address:
Supporter three’s testimonial:
Section 5: Declaration
I certify that, to the best of my knowledge, the nominee is of such professional and personal standing as to uphold the honour of the Award of Merit of the Royal College of Nursing of the United Kingdom.
Signed (nominator):
Date:
Submitting the nomination
Please send this nomination form to or to:
Jane Clarke – RCN Awards 2017
RCN Group Secretary
Royal College of Nursing
20 Cavendish Square
London W1G 0RN
Make sure that you have included:
- this form, filled out in full and with a signed declaration
- testimonials from the nominator and three supporters
We will acknowledge that we have received your nomination within seven days. If you have not heard from us after that time, please contact or 020 7647 3640.
Where did you hear about this award?
Please mark all those relevant:
Activate magazine / Regional communicationsBulletin magazine / RCN representative
RCN event or conference / RCN staff member
Facebook / RCN space (staff intranet)
Twitter / Poster
RCN email / Flyer
RCN website / Letter
Other (please explain):