Health visitors in Wales to strike for four weeks over pay bands

Health visitors working in South Wales are planning to strike for four weeks over concerns they are being paid at the ‘wrong’ banding level.

Unite the union, which is supporting around 100 health visitors at Cwm Taf Morgannwg (CTM) University Health Board to take industrial action, claimed they were being incorrectly paid at a Band 6, when their job roles are equivalent to a Band 7 position.

According to the union, health visitors at the health board have lost between £8,000 to £9,000 per year because of the issue. The union said that following changes to standards for post-registration programmes in 2022 – that mean the minimum academic level for Specialist Community Public Health Nurse (SCPHN) and community nursing specialist qualifications (SPQs) is at a postgraduate master’s level – SCHPN members should review their banding and ensure they are being paid correctly.

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A spokesperson for CTM Health Board said the job description for health visitors had recently been evaluated but that it remains at a Band 6.

Health visitors at the health board will now take strike action from 23 February to 20 March, Unite has stated.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said: ‘This is an outrageous ploy from a health board to try and avoid paying its essential staff the money they are worth.

‘This is a significant pay difference that has left our members undervalued and underpaid. They have been left with little choice but to take strike action and will have the full support of Unite in this dispute.’ The current dispute is also linked to the previous dispute with the CTM Health Board back in 2024.

Unite regional officer Paul Seppman added: ‘This is not a position our members want to be in but are now left with no choice when they are being underpaid thousands of pounds a year.’

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A spokesperson for CTM Health Board said: ‘The health board has been in discussion with Unite and health visiting staff since a formal dispute was lodged in February 2024.

‘The dispute asked for the Band 6 health visitor job description to be updated to reflect the duties of the role, and to re-evaluate the job. A process to review and agree the revised job description took place, facilitated by NHS Wales Employers.

‘The job description, which was agreed in social partnership, was re-evaluated, and came out at the same band, Band 6. The job description was issued to health visiting staff and remains in effect.’

They added: ‘The health board is aware that over recent years, there have been changes made to education requirements for health visitors as a result of decisions taken by the Nursing and Midwifery Council, which have more recently impacted national profiles for health visitor roles.

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‘The health board is committed to working through the implications of these changes in social partnership, as part of national discussions with trade unions.

‘We respect the rights of colleagues to take industrial action and will work with teams to minimise disruption to families across our communities as required.’