The fight for the vote: suffragettes and nursing
A hybrid event online and at the Royal College of Nursing HQ Scotland – 20 Aug 2026, 17:30 – 20:00
Online talks start from 6-7:30pm.
In the early 1900s, conditions in prisons were thrown into the spotlight by the wider battle for women’s rights.
In the early 1900s, many suffragettes were imprisoned and many experienced brutal force feeding. Nurses were amongst those who joined the public outcry, both as suffragettes and pointing out that there were often no nursing staff onsite to help suffragettes recover after this ordeal. Join our speakers to explore nurses who were suffragettes, arrested and imprisoned.
This event will be chaired by Pam Smith, Professor Emerita, and former head of Nursing Studies (2010-13) at the University of Edinburgh.
The speakers include:
Jenny Noble from Glasgow Women’s Library, who will give an introduction to GWL followed by a “show and tell” of key suffrage materials in their collections
Vari Drennan MBE and Dr Alison O’Donnell speaking on Deeds Not Words : the Scottish Nurse Suffragettes Arrested 1906-1914. Between 1906 and 1914 over 1000 women were arrested for acts in support of the campaign for female suffrage in the United Kingdom. We know nurses were involved in supporting the Women’s Social and Political Union campaign for Votes for Women in many ways, such as marching in the great processions in their indoor nurses’ uniform, but were they also arrested for more militant acts?
13th Health and Justice Summit Interconnecting Health and Justice
Thursday 8th & Friday 9th October 2026 at The Midland, 16 Peter Street, Manchester
Over two days, we will explore how health needs shape justice outcomes and justice systems shape health outcomes. With a solution-focused goal, we will examine learning from the UK and international systems and give a platform to the latest research aligned with the key themes of the Summit, which are:
- Addressing structural inequalities, severe multiple disadvantage, and wider determinants of health.
- Health as a determinant of justice involvement
- Justice involvement as a determinant of health
- Health as a pathway to diversion, rehabilitation, and desistance
- Legal frameworks that protect health rights
- Public health and criminal justice partnerships
Prison Nursing Unlocked: A history of care and justice
Exhibition runs at RCN Scotland February – 30th September 2026
Today, nurses play a vital role in prison health care. At the heart of their work is ‘equitable care’ – ensuring that people in prison receive the same quality of health care as those in the community.
However, as recently as 30 years ago, many prisoners would never have encountered a registered nurse.
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. Discover the experience of suffragettes, force-fed in Scottish prisons, the formation of secure hospitals like The State Hospital in Carstairs, and artwork created by prisoners at HMP Eastwood Park and HMP Warren Hill.
If visiting in person, the exhibition is open Monday to Thursday from 10am until 4pm.
If you can’t visit the exhibition in person, check out the online exhibition
Past events
Read about past events delivered by Health and Justice UK.
12th Health and Justice Summit
16th-17th October 2025
Over the two days in October 2025, we explored the essential components of a holistic approach to improving health and equitable access to care for people in contact with the justice system.
We examined current barriers and enablers of access, effective drug and alcohol treatment, evidence-based best practice for mental health care and personalised care, gender-specific approaches, and reasonable adjustments.
11th Health and Justice Summit
17th-18th October 2024
Over the two days in October 2024, we explored how excellent care can be championed and patient safety maintained when teams are empowered and enabled to embrace reflection, learning and improvement as part of daily care provision, within a culture of psychological safety.
10th Health and Justice Summit
9th-10th October 2023
Held at the incredible Titanic Belfast, the 10th summit explored how building bridges between teams, organisations, and systems facilitates better access to safe, equitable health and social care for people in contact with the justice system, living both inside secure settings and in the community.