Rhondda Cynon Taf councillors have written to Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board and the Welsh Government expressing concern over the ongoing industrial action by health visitors, which has been running since February.
The letter, signed by the leader of the council and all political group leaders, calls for a fair and sustainable resolution to the dispute. Health visitors in the region, who support families from birth until children reach three-and-a-half years, say they are paid as band six workers despite an internal job grading that now matches them at band seven — a difference of up to £9,000.
Although the Welsh Government has instructed the health board to honour the job evaluation process, it has not yet done so.
Council letter outlines concerns
The letter from council leader Ann Crimmings, signed by all group leaders, states: “Rhondda Cynon Taf Council recognises the important role that Health Visitors play in supporting babies, children and families, and notes the ongoing dispute involving Health Visitors represented by Unite the Union.”
It adds: “Health Visiting is a vital preventative public health service. Health Visitors play a crucial role in early intervention, identifying health and developmental needs, supporting parents and families, safeguarding children, and helping to reduce health inequalities.”
The council is concerned about the potential impact of the dispute and wider workforce pressures on health visiting services across the Cwm Taf Morgannwg area, which covers Bridgend, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Merthyr Tydfil.
Drop in completed contacts
In March, April and May 2025, 6,140 Healthy Child Wales contacts were completed. In the same three months of 2026, 909 contacts were recorded as completed by band six health visitors, against 23,592 contacts identified as due during that period.
The council recognises that a range of factors may contribute to this position and does not attribute causation without full evidence, but says the scale of the gap highlights the importance of understanding how health visiting functions are being delivered and how unmet need is identified and addressed.
The letter says reduced health visiting provision could have significant consequences, as it forms part of the preventative health and social care system and contributes to early identification of health and developmental needs, safeguarding, prevention, early intervention, support for families, tackling health inequalities and partnership working with social services.
Requests to health board and Welsh Government
The council calls on Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board to provide assurance to Bridgend, Rhondda Cynon Taf and Merthyr Tydfil councils on how health visiting functions are being discharged. It also requests that the health board sets out how children and families who may have missed scheduled contacts are being identified, assessed and followed up.
The council calls on the chief executive of the health board to continue efforts to resolve the dispute and ensure sufficient workforce capacity, and on the Welsh Government cabinet secretary for health and social care to work with the health board and partners towards a timely resolution.
The council encourages continued engagement between the health board and the three local authorities to address any impact on safeguarding, early intervention, social care demand and health inequalities. It also requests that the council leader writes to the cabinet secretary and the health board chief executive setting out concerns and seeking a response.
The council has formally invited the chair and chief executive of the health board to attend a future meeting of full council to address the matters raised and respond to questions from members.
At an extraordinary meeting of full council, members from all political groups expressed support for the letter and requested their names be added as signatories, demonstrating a united cross-party position.
The letter states: “This Council believes that Health Visiting is a fundamental part of the preventative public health system. Where concerns arise regarding service capacity and delivery, it is essential that partner organisations work together to protect services, support the workforce and ensure that children, families and communities receive the support they need.”
A spokesperson for Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board said: “We have received this letter and will respond directly to the council on the matters raised. We share the concerns expressed by councillors about the significant impact of the industrial action, and recognise the importance of the health board and Unite working together to restore services and secure a resolution as soon as possible.”
The Welsh Government said: “We recognise the concerns of the affected staff, who would not have taken the decision to strike lightly. From the outset, the Cabinet Minister for Health and Care has placed clear expectations on the health board to bring forward a resolution to this long-running dispute. An offer to this end was made last month, which, while ultimately rejected by Unite, does represent progress compared to the prolonged deadlock that existed prior to the election. We continue to urge both parties to get back round the table to find a solution in the interests of staff and families alike as soon as possible.”
