'I want to apologise' - health worker's message to families as strike rumbles on

"I want to apologise and say sorry that I'm not in work at the moment, I'm not there supporting them" - they are the words of a health visitor who has been on strike for more than two weeks. Gemma Emmanuel is a health visitor for Cwm Taf University Health Board.

Health visitors work with families for regular reviews from birth to three-and-a-half years. Ms Emmanuel works with 140 families in her patch, she said.

She is one of those who say they are being systematically underpaid for their role. Unite members have been on strike since February 23, with the strike to continue until March 20, but it could go longer.

The union say the health board has refused to acknowledge its own job descriptions and pay health visitors accordingly which, the union say, is costing health visitors between £8,000 and £9,000 per year dependent on where workers are on their pay scale.

Ms Emmanuel said: "My families have been so supportive, they're all behind me.

"I want to apologise and say sorry that I'm not in work at the moment, I'm not there supporting them like I am usually, five days a week, I've got such excellent relationship with my families, I am so lucky.

"So I do apologise to them but they're all behind and I do miss them and I can't wait to get back to work.

"Everybody who knows me, knows how much I love my job. I said to my son on first day of the strike 'do a job you love and you'll never work a day in your life' and that is how I feel about my job and it makes me feel quite emotional.

"I just want to get back to work but everyone's so supportive, all the families are supporting me, they came to Ponty Park on Friday, they came down on the train, they've turned up to play groups and have spoke on my behalf so I'm so lucky but we just need the health board now to come back around the table and get us all back doing what we love because we just all want to get back work," she said.

Being on strike was, she said, a last resort for her and her colleagues who worried for their families.

"This is not something we've taken lightly. This is the last resort and we've been pushed into this with no other option.

"We did action short of strike two years ago but unfortunately that hasn't got us anywhere, so we had no other options than to do a full strike this time and it wasn't a decision that was taken lightly.

"We've been so upset. The first Monday, on the 23rd of February. I didn't know what to do with myself, I was lost. I just wanted to go to work. But everyone is behind us and we will be back and it won't be long, hopefully, but it's time to contact now, to come forward and do the right thing."

She said she worries issues are being missed, in an area which has deprivation. 

"In the early days is when we build our relationship with the families and unfortunately we're not in work now to build those relationships.

"I drove through the community yesterday and could see balloons outside a window of a house that I know one of my mums have had a baby and that upset me.

"I should be there now visiting weekly supporting her, getting to know her and the baby and that isn't happening.

"But it's down to the health board now to recognise our value. They need to appreciate what we do day in, day out, supporting these families. Also as well we live in quite a vulnerable area so the deprivation is quite high and we definitely are being missed I know that I just hope that you know nothing catastrophic happens really and we all get back soon."

The striking workers walked across Cardiff Bay, protesting at the Senedd.

Hours later, the issue was brought up in the Senedd, with Plaid Cymru MS Heledd Fychan raising it with the First Minister.

Ms Fychan said "it cannot continue".

The First Minister said they had a "critical role" and they should be given the "honour and distinction they deserve".

"I want to see both parties finding a resolution to this dispute that is fair to health visitors, to patients and to the NHS," the First Minister said.

She was criticised for refusing to get involved in the dispute.

"I'll repeat that this is a local employer-led dispute. This is unilateral local rebanding, that would have system-wide consequences. I just want to be clear about what you are saying here, just so that the people of Wales understand that, if Plaid Cymru ever got into power, if ever there were a local issue, Plaid Cymru would step in. You would step in for health boards, for education, for all of the issues that they're responsible for. Have we all heard that? Let's just understand what you are saying and what you're committing to, because that is not how Government works."

A spokesperson for Cwm Taf Morgannwg University 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, at that time, 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. A Band 7 job description has not been agreed in partnership to date at CTMUHB, or on an All-Wales basis by NHS Wales Employers.’

“It is important to recognise that the pay banding for health visitors in Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board is the same banding for health visitors across England and Wales.

“It would therefore be inappropriate for CTMUHB, as an individual health board, to work in isolation to re-band its health visitor workforce.

"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 across the UK.

"The health board is committed to working through the implications of these changes in social partnership with trade unions, and an expert partnership group has been established in NHS Wales to take these discussions forward.

"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."