Catherine Hall

Career

Hall began her career as a ward sister at Leeds General Infirmary, later rising to Night Superintendent and Assistant Matron. In 1954, she was appointed to the position of Assistant Matron at Middlesex Hospital, London. In 1960, Hall supported lifting the constitutional ban on male nurses joining the RCN. She also had difficulties with Labour governments, commenting at one point to then-Secretary of State Barbara Castle"s proposals: "Secretary.. if you do that, I can guarantee that you will not have a single nurse left in the National Health Service." In 1977, the RCN registered as a trade union.

lieutenant eventually grew to be the largest single union outside the Trades Union Congress.

Assistant Matron, Middlesex Hospital, London (1954-1956) General Secretary, Royal College of Nursing (1957-1982) Member, Commission on Industrial Relations (1971-1974) Member, General Medical Council (1979-1989) Chairman, United Kingdom Central Council for Nursing, Midwifery and Health Visiting (1980-1985) The Dame Catherine Hall Room, 23 Portland Place, Nursing and Midwifery Council.

Achievements

• Commander of the Order of the British Empire, 1967 Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire, 1982 FRCN 1976.

Views

Four years later she publicly criticised as too small a proposed 2.5% salary hike for nurses although she opposed the notion of striking, although some nurses did go on strike, which caused the Conservative Minister of Health (Enoch Powell) to complain about the "controversy which caused widespread embarrassment", which she rebutted, defending the nurses.