Nurses BANNED from drinking booze at annual congress ‘to prevent any inappropriate behaviour’

Nurses are restricted from drinking mocktails and soft drinks at their annual convention after union leaders banned alcohol to prevent inappropriate behavior.

The Royal College of Nursing has banned the provision of free alcohol at all its events in the wake of an independent investigation that revealed a “boozy, sexualised culture” at previous gatherings.

It meant that the 2,700 delegates at the convention in Brighton this week were greeted with fruit juice cocktails instead of a traditional drink.

And the union’s usually convivial conference meeting was replaced on Wednesday night by a “two-course meal and a soft drink” at the DoubleTree by Hilton Metropole hotel in Brighton.

The RCN quietly introduced an alcohol-free event policy last month, following an independent review of the culture within the union and its management by Bruce Carr KC.

The union was previously rocked by an investigation that revealed cases of bullying, misogyny and inappropriate sexual behavior (photo RCN HQ)

His scathing report, published in October 2022, found that the annual convention “has been seen as a place where, at least for some attendees, there is an expectation of, or an opportunity for, sex to occur… There is also the possibility for alcohol and power-related exploitation of the vulnerable’.

The report also revealed that extramarital affairs were common, with the term “congresswoman (or husband)” in “common use” as a way of referring to affairs at the annual meeting.

The Carr review was commissioned in 2021 after the RCN received allegations of sexual harassment. That year, it moved its annual convention online to ensure the “safety” of the delegates.

At this week’s event — the first annual conference since the release of the Carr report — the delegate program included a two-page guide describing how the RCN “kept you safe.”

It said: ‘There is a zero tolerance approach and no verbal or physical abuse, coercion, sexual harassment, discrimination or any other form of inappropriate behavior will be tolerated.’

The guide warned attendees to ‘uphold the best image of nursing’ and that ‘Congress 2023 will be memorable for all the right reasons… Keeping us all safe in Brighton is everyone’s business’.

Nurses were given access to a ‘wellness centre’, with a ‘safe space’ where they were encouraged to talk to staff about ‘challenging situations’.

They also received a counseling room, staffed by a qualified counselor, and access to mental health first responders, and were directed to an online library of wellbeing video tutorials, covering topics such as “mindfulness” and “guided diaries.”

Other welfare events included a ‘Singing for Health – Singing in Solidarity’ session, where nurses were encouraged to join a ‘pop-up choir’ to discover the ‘benefits of singing’.

The new alcohol guideline is part of the union’s policy on safety and behavior at RCN Events, which was published less than a month before this year’s convention.

It states: ‘As part of our responsibility to provide a safe environment, it is RCN policy that the RCN does not purchase alcohol for participants. For example, the RCN will not provide alcoholic beverages at receptions or dinners.’

There was no ban on nurses buying their own alcoholic beverages outside of the event, but there was no alcohol for sale in the venue.

An RCN spokesperson said: ‘The RCN is committed to the safety and well-being of all its members and has learned from and acted on the findings of the assessment by Bruce Carr KC.

“As a result of the review, new safeguards and protocols have been put in place and we are modernizing our governance and rethinking our approach to equality and inclusiveness.

“This year’s conference in Brighton has shown the power of our members’ voices and our collective voice is louder and our professional image has been greatly improved.”