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Posted: Wed 19th Nov 2025
Updated: Wed 19th Nov
Thousands of health care support workers across Wales are set to receive a pay rise after a national agreement was reached between trade unions, NHS employers and the Welsh Government.
The agreement, negotiated through the Welsh Partnership Forum, follows long standing concerns that many Band 2 support workers have been carrying out duties beyond their job descriptions without appropriate pay.
Under the new framework, eligible Band 2 staff will be assessed and re banded to Band 3 where their duties match the national profile.
Staff who have already been working at Band 3 level will receive backdated pay and recognition payments.
The Welsh Government has committed funding to support the changes across NHS Wales.
Helen Whyley, RCN Wales Executive Director, said: “This agreement is a testament to the power of persistent, evidence-based advocacy, I’m proud that RCN has led their voice collaboratively to this effort. Our members have been clear for years that the system was relying on their advanced skills without proper recognition.”
“This is not just a pay uplift; it’s a long overdue correction of value, respect and fairness for a workforce that is crucial to safe and effective patient care. We will continue to hold employers to account to ensure this agreement is delivered swiftly and consistently across Wales. “
Jackie Davies, RCN Wales Board Chair and Vice Chair of the RCN Trade Union Committee, said: “Our health care support workers have carried the weight of this injustice. Now it’s on the health boards to deliver this quickly. No delay, no excuses. Staff must get clear guidance, fair assessments and the pay they are owed.”
“We welcome this agreement and are pleased that the Welsh government have stepped in to make sure that our members who have fought tirelessly for fair pay are finally recognised.”
The Welsh Government confirmed the national deal affects around 6,000 staff employed by health boards and NHS trusts.
Cabinet Secretary for Health and Social Care Jeremy Miles said: “This national approach demonstrates our shared commitment to supporting the NHS workforce and ensuring staff are properly and fairly rewarded for the work they do.
“This will help ensure job roles align with the appropriate pay bands, supporting fair working conditions for all NHS Wales staff.”
The framework will ensure updated job descriptions are in place for Band 2 and 3 roles.
UNISON Cymru said an agreement with employers and the Welsh Government means staff on the lowest Agenda for Change band will be moved to Band 3 and paid for carrying out clinical duties that should have attracted the higher rate.
The union said the workforce, which is predominantly female and low paid, had routinely been performing responsibilities beyond their job descriptions.
UNISON encouraged staff to submit formal grievances to their health boards, setting out the work they had undertaken that would normally be graded higher.
Healthcare support workers in Swansea Bay voted overwhelmingly for strike action, adding pressure on employers and helping secure a local pay settlement before a national deal was agreed.
Betsi Cadwaladr University Health Board support worker Evie Fox Byrne said: “Our work is vital in supporting patients and helping them recover. Health boards shouldn’t be taking advantage of staff to save a few quid. This is money we were owed, dating back years.
“Healthcare assistants have gone above and beyond for many years, so receiving this recognition brings much-needed relief and support to everyone involved. This will make such a difference to me and my family, especially my little daughter. I’m over the moon.”
Cardiff and Vale University Health Board support worker Caitlyn Utting said: “It felt energising to know that healthcare assistants in hospitals right across Wales were standing together against an employer that wasn’t paying us correctly.
“UNISON backed us, we won and it feels great.”
UNISON Cymru head of health Tanya Bull said: “Thousands of low-paid healthcare support workers will savour this moment. They stood up for their right to be paid at the appropriate level for the job they’ve been doing for years.
“They’ve taken on their health boards and won. This is a triumph for people power.”
The national agreement was finalised at the Welsh Partnership Forum, today Wednesday 19 November.
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