title: HCA Voices Make Council Debut.
abstract: I have been an RCN member since 2002 when healthcare assistants (HCAs) had to have an NVQ level 3 to join - so I got one. Soon after, with encouragement from the general secretary and chair of congress, I was the first HCA to vote and speak at RCN congress - in a speech in favour of nursery nurses joining the RCN with an NVQ level 2 qualification.
authors.affiliation: Weston General Hospital.
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Cardwell