Paul Vaughan is NHS England’s national deputy director, community nursing and primary care nursing. Previously, he was the organisation’s director of nursing, transformation and led the development and delivery of the GPN Ten Point Plan and the national initiative on the perception of nursing known as NextGen Nurse. He initiated and co-produced the national nursing sponsorship programme, an evidence-based framework that enables executive white leaders to promote the careers of aspiring global majority nurse leaders and midwives. While working as RCN regional director, West Midlands, Mr Vaughan devised the RCN’s Cultural Ambassador Programme.

Mr Vaughan completed a master’s in management with the University of Liverpool and his dissertation focused on the factors that enable nursing staff to raise concerns in their workplace.

Mr Vaughan is the Northern region’s elected member of the RCN’s governing body and is the current chair of RCN Council.