South Wales Central Conservative MS Andrew RT Davies has said Senedd ministers must take responsibility for a health visitors’ strike in Cwm Taf Health Board.
Many of Mr Davies’ Vale of Glamorgan constituents have contacted him to express concerns about the dispute, which is impacting vital services.
Mr Davies pointed out that the Board carries out functions delegated by Senedd ministers.
Speaking in the Senedd, he called on ministers to intervene.
He warned a failure to do so would represent an “abdication of responsibility”.
Mr Davies said:
Health visitors play an important role in our communities – often helping people when they’re at their most vulnerable.
This dispute is deeply concerning and Cwm Taf Health Board has failed to resolve it.
The Health Board’s functions are delegated to it by Senedd ministers – so they must intervene.
Senedd ministers’ failure to prioritise health while diverting resources towards Plaid Cymru separatist and Labour plans for 36 more Senedd members and a Nation of Sanctuary for asylum seekers is the reason services are in this state.
Senedd ministers must take responsibility and ensure the dispute is resolved.
ENDS
Notes to editors:
- Please find below the Senedd’s Record of Proceedings from Tuesday 24 February.
Andrew R.T. Davies
15:10:41
Thank you, Deputy Presiding Officer. Leader of the house, is it possible to have a statement from the health Minister in relation to the strike that’s going on at the moment in the Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board area with health visitors? I appreciate the Cwm Taf health board is the employer of the health visitors, but the Welsh Government clearly has skin in the game here. Health visitors provide an important service to some of the most vulnerable in the community just having young children born, babies, and, obviously, doing those important first visits and making sure that the progress of the little ones is being developed within the family context and the community context. It is a fact that to be a health visitor you need to, obviously, have a Master’s degree, and, ultimately, from the evidence provided in this campaign, the health visitors in the Cwm Taf health board area believe that they are being underpaid to the tune of £8,000 to £9,000. So, it is vital that a third party in the shape of the Welsh Government get involved, resolve this dispute and, ultimately, get health visitors back to the vitally important role that they play within our communities.
Jane Hutt
15:10:14
Thank you very much for your question. It’s really important that this is resolved in the spirit of social partnership, and that message, I’m sure, has been very clearly conveyed to Cwm Taf health board.
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