Hundreds of dedicated staff to get payments by Christmas

MORE than 1,100 healthcare support workers in Swansea and Neath Port Talbot will receive payments they have long been campaigning for by Christmas.

- RICHARD YOULE

Some of them staged a protest last Tuesday about the pay band issue and handed in a petition signed by more than 2,000 people. They have previously voted to strike.

Swansea Bay University Health Board held a special meeting on Thursday and agreed to move 1,133 healthcare support workers from band two to band three and provide backdated pay and compensation payments.

Chairwoman Jan Williams said healthcare support workers were the "bedrock" of the organisation's 12,800-strong workforce and apologised for the distress caused by a decision last month to pause what were previously-agreed payments, acknowledging those affected had felt betrayed.

Healthcare support workers look after patients, carrying out duties such as personal care, but trade union Unison argued those employed by Swansea Bay University Health Board were undertaking more complex roles, such as monitoring blood and doing electrocardiogram tests, which warranted a higher pay band.

Strike action was averted in December 2024 when the health board agreed with Unison to move staff to band three via a validation process with payments due by the end of December 31 this year.