New FOI data highlights impact of strikes at Cwm Taf Health Board as they continue to refuse pay increase. Strikes continue until October.

Thousands of children across south Wales are missing vital appointments with health visitors as a strike by workers escalates.

Health visitors at the Cwm Taf health board have been on strike since February over the refusal of the board to honour their own job evaluation and grading that has seen every health visitor lose up to £9000 a year in pay.

New FoI data obtained by Unite now shows the critical impact the strikes are having on families in south Wales. The data shows that nearly 24,000 health visitor appointments were due across March, April and May 2026. Only just over 900 of those visits were completed. Meanwhile, across Bridgend council area, health visitor safeguarding referrals are at just 17 per cent of the level they were at last year.

Unite general secretary Sharon Graham said:

"The longer Cwm Taf health board refuse to honour the pay banding our health visitors deserve, the greater the effect this strike is having on the health care of children in Wales.

"Our members are demanding what is right and what is fair and they will have the full backing of Unite in their fight to be paid at the appropriate level for their skills and experience."

Health visitors who do vital community outreach work for new mothers and families, are furious that they are only being paid as band 6 workers. This is despite internal job grading now matching them as a band 7 acknowledging a masters qualification. The CTM University Health Board has refused to acknowledge its own job descriptions and pay health visitors accordingly.

Health visitors are rallying in Pontypridd tomorrow (Friday) where high levels of community support for striking workers will be on display. Health visitors have been on strike for 23 weeks with further strike dates issued until the end of October, and the potential of extending further. Strike action will take place on:

27-31 July; 3-7 August; 10-14 August; 17-21 August; 24-28 August; 31 August-4 September; 7-11 September; 14-18 September; 21-25 September; 28 September-2 October; 5-9 October; 12-16 October; 19-23 October; 26-30 October.

Unite regional officer Paul Seppman added:

"Unite is calling on the new Plaid Cymru government in Wales to step in and end this strike, just as they promised to do in opposition. They need to tell Cwm Taf health board to pay the proper salary to our members and get them back to the homes of south Wales, ensuring children and young families across the region are being seen when they need to be.

"These FoI requests show the real-world impact the strikes are having but this is a dispute entirely the making of the health board. When their own internal review shows that health visitors should be a band 7 it is a scandal they continue to refuse to honour this."