Key Points
- Thousands of child health appointments in south Wales have been missed as a health visitor strike continues.
- Unite says the dispute involves around 100 health visitors employed by Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board.
- The union says the action is over pay banding, with workers arguing they should be paid as band seven rather than band six.
- Unite says nearly 24,000 appointments were due across March, April and May 2026, but only just over 900 visits were completed.
- The dispute has affected families in Rhondda Cynon Taf, Bridgend and Merthyr Tydfil.
- Health visitors are responsible for routine checks, support for new parents, and safeguarding work for young children.
- Welsh Conservatives have called for urgent action, warning that children and families are paying the price.
- The strike was originally due to end in March but was extended to mid-May, with wider concern that disruption has continued for months.
Wales (Wales Times) July 31, 2026 – Thousands of child health appointments in Wales are being missed because of an ongoing strike by health visitors in Cwm Taf Morgannwg, according to Unite. The union says the dispute has escalated over pay banding and has left routine checks and family support sessions heavily disrupted across parts of south Wales.
As reported by Unite, around 100 health visitors are taking industrial action in protest at what they describe as incorrect pay grading. The workers say they are being paid at band six level even though an internal job evaluation matched their roles to band seven, which the union says reflects their qualifications and responsibilities.
What did Unite say about the missed visits?
Unite has said the scale of disruption is significant, with nearly 24,000 health visitor appointments due across March, April and May 2026 and only just over 900 completed. That figure suggests that most families who should have been seen during that period were left without the planned contact.
The union says the appointments matter because health visitors do more than routine development checks. Their work includes supporting newborns and parents, identifying concerns early, and referring families on when more specialist help is needed.
Which families are affected?
The disruption is affecting families across Rhondda Cynon Taf, Bridgend and Merthyr Tydfil, where Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board provides services. Unite and local political figures have said the missed contacts are particularly worrying for families with young children, as those appointments often form part of the early years support system.
As reported by ITV News Wales in February, parents said cancelled baby groups and reduced access to support left them feeling vulnerable. One mother told the broadcaster that getting a GP appointment was already difficult, and that the strikes had added to family anxiety.
What is the dispute about?
The dispute centres on pay banding. Unite says health visitors are qualified to a level that should place them in band seven, but they are still being paid as band six workers.
Health visitors have said the difference is worth thousands of pounds a year, with the union previously saying the shortfall could be between £8,000 and £9,000 annually. Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board has said it has been in discussion with Unite and health visiting staff since the dispute was formally lodged.
What have politicians said?
Welsh Conservatives have urged urgent action to end the strike, arguing that frontline services have been severely affected. In a statement reported on 27 July 2026, the party said referrals from health visitors to social services had fallen sharply during the industrial action, while routine contacts also dropped steeply.
As reported by the Welsh Conservatives, the dispute has now lasted for months and is continuing to affect children and families who rely on regular visits, safeguarding checks and early support. Their criticism has focused on the impact of delay rather than the pay dispute itself.
What has the health board said?
Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board has said it has been working to keep services safe and accessible during the industrial action. In a March statement, the board said it was restricting some activities, including routine appointments, so it could focus on more complex and urgent needs.
The board also set up a single point of access for families to use while normal contact methods were disrupted. It advised parents to contact a GP or NHS 111 if a baby or child was unwell and they were concerned.
What happens next?
The dispute has already gone beyond the original strike timetable, with action extended from its initial end date in March to at least mid-May. Reporting in late July indicates the row remained unresolved and continued to affect services months after the first walkout.
If no settlement is reached, the knock-on effect could continue into the wider child health system in south Wales. That would mean more missed developmental checks, slower identification of family needs, and continued pressure on other NHS services that may have to absorb the demand.
Background of the development
What is the background to the strike?
Health visitors in Cwm Taf Morgannwg began industrial action on 23 February 2026 in a dispute over pay and job grading. Unite says the workers believed their role had been correctly assessed at band seven, but their pay had not been updated accordingly.
The issue matters because health visitors work with families from birth until a child is around three and a half years old. Their role is often one of the earliest points of professional contact for new parents, which is why unions and politicians have treated the disruption as more than a simple staffing disagreement.
Prediction
How could this affect families and the NHS?
If the dispute continues, families with babies and young children are likely to face further delays in routine checks and support visits. That could make it harder for health problems, developmental issues or safeguarding concerns to be identified early.
For the NHS, prolonged disruption may mean more pressure on GPs, social services and other community health teams as families look elsewhere for help. For parents in the affected areas, the main risk is continued uncertainty over when normal child health support will fully resume.
