Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ

Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ Representing nurses and nursing, promoting excellence in practice, shaping health policies

Your web browser is outdated and may be insecure

The RCN recommends using an updated browser such as or

Events

  • Prison Nursing Unlocked Exhibition 27 Feb 2026 - 30 Sep 2026 Edinburgh

    Prison Nursing Unlocked: A history of care and justice: exhibition

    This exhibition explores the fascinating history of healthcare in prisons, from the work of early reformers like Elizabeth Fry to the vital contribution that nurses make to prisoner health today.

  • 01 May 2026 - 31 Dec 2026 London

    Managing Long-Term Conditions in the Prison Setting

    A 2 day face-to-face workshop for newly qualified nurses, those new to prison nursing and those working in long-term conditions roles.

  • Prison Nursing Unlocked Exhibition 28 May 2026 Edinburgh

    Care in custody: In conversation with nursing teams working in justice (Hybrid)

    What is it like working as nurse in justice settings? What makes the role attractive? How do nursing teams overcome the unique challenges the sector presents? Join our panel of Nurse of the Year finalists who will share their experiences of working in justice settings, and how they innovate, develop and deliver person centred care.

  • 12 Jun 2026 London

    The RCN Forums and Nursing Activism Conference 2026

    If you want to organise, influence and strengthen the professional voice of nursing, this is your space.

  • Prison Nursing Unlocked Exhibition 20 Aug 2026 Edinburgh

    The fight for the vote: suffragettes and nursing (Hybrid)

    Conditions in prisons were thrown into the spotlight by the wider battle for women’s rights. Join our speakers to explore nurses who were suffragettes, arrested and imprisoned.

  • Abstract purple circles 08 Oct 2026 - 09 Oct 2026 Manchester

    13th Health and Justice Summit

    This event is relevant to all members of the multi-disciplinary team involved in health and justice. It is an opportunity to explore how to work together to improve outcomes for the people in our care.

Past events

Broadmoor and Beyond: The history of high security hospitals


A talk on the history of high security hospitals, from Broadmoor to modern secure units.

In this talk, historian Jade Shepherd looks at the history of Broadmoor Hospital and nurse and historian Chris Hart outlines the more recent experiences of nurses in secure mental health settings.

This event was recorded at the Âé¶¹ÊÓÆµ in October 2025.

Biz in the Pris: A history of drug use in prisons

An online talk on the history of drug use in prisons and creative interventions to explain its dangers.

Substance misuse is widespread in prison settings. Find out about the history of drug misuse in the nineteenth and twentieth centuries, alongside recent creative interventions to explain the dangers of drug abuse to young offenders and beyond. Speakers include Janet Weston and Denise Lyons.

This event was held online in September 2025.

Care in Custody: From police matrons to forensics

An online talk on the history of women in the police service and the role of nursing in forensics.

In this online talk, Louise Jackson outlines the history of these nurses (and others) in the police service, while Gethin Rees explains the recent development of Forensic Nurse Examiners in Britain and Karen Swinson explores the introduction of custody nursing from 1999. The event was chaired by Claire Chatterton.

This event was held online in June 2025.

Hunger Strikes and Baby Units: Women and prison health

An online talk on the history of maternal health and women campaigners in the prison system.

It was the poor standards of maternity care in women’s prisons that led to the introduction of the first trained nurses to Holloway Prison in 1919. In this talk, Rachel Bennett outlines the history of maternal health in the prison system, while Ian Miller explores another side of women’s health: the experience of women’s rights campaigners and others on hunger strike in prisons.

This was an online event held in May 2025.

Prison Nursing Unlocked: Exhibition Launch

This panel discussion was part of the launch event for our new exhibition on the history of prison nursing, from the early nineteenth century to the present day.

It features chair Liz Walsh and speakers Ann Norman, Sobanan Narenthiren and Donna Goddard who discuss the past, present and future of prison health.

This event was held in-person and online in April 2025.

Page last updated - 02/05/2026