Home / Health / Health visitor strike leaves babies at risk, charity warns
Health visitor strike leaves babies at risk, charity warns
15 Aug
Summary
- Thousands of children missed vital appointments due to strike action.
- Mothers Matter charity reports demand has doubled or tripled.
- Home visits dropped dramatically between March-May 2025 and 2026.
Thousands of infants and young children are reportedly missing essential appointments as health visitors continue their industrial action, raising significant safety concerns. A mental health charity for new mothers has indicated that demand for their services has doubled, potentially even tripled, since the strike began.
The dispute centers on job grading, with health visitors arguing for appropriate pay reflecting their skills and experience. This has led to a sharp decrease in home visits. Between March and May of 2025, over 6,000 visits were conducted, plummeting to just 909 in the same period of 2026.
The impact extends to charities like Mothers Matter, which are struggling to cope with the increased demand, making it difficult to retain staff and volunteers. Concerns about child safeguarding are raised weekly, adding stress to families already facing numerous challenges.
Health visitors acknowledge the risks to families but place the responsibility on the health board to resolve the dispute. The Welsh government has acknowledged the situation and urged both parties to return to negotiations. The health board maintains that a single point of access has been established to manage urgent needs and provide advice, typically within two hours.
