Health visitor team leaders in part of Scotland have given formal notice of industrial action in a dispute with NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde (NHSGGC) over job evaluation processes, three trade unions said.
Unions say agreed procedures ignored
The Royal College of Nursing (RCN Scotland), Unison and Unite informed the health board on Friday that their members will undertake action short of strike as a result of what the unions describe as a failure by NHSGGC to follow nationally agreed job evaluation procedures.
Union spokespeople framed the move as a last resort after what they say was prolonged engagement with employers. The action comes amid a wider pattern of unrest within the same health board, where other staff groups have previously taken industrial action over banding and pay.
"Our members are extremely disappointed that they have been forced to take this course of action, it is the last thing they want to do," said James O’Connell, regional officer for Unite.
Philip Coghill, RCN Scotland’s head of pay, terms and conditions, added that members do not wish to take industrial action but feel undervalued and demoralised, and criticised the health board’s approach as repeating the problems seen in disputes with district nurses in the prior year.
Scope and context of the dispute
The unions say the job evaluation disagreement follows around 12 months of unrest among multiple staff groups employed by NHSGGC. The dispute is specifically about the application of job evaluation processes that, the unions contend, are nationally agreed and followed elsewhere in Scotland.
At this stage the unions have not moved to full strike action for the health visitor team leaders; they have issued formal notice of industrial action that stops short of withdrawing labour. The move comes after other sections of the health board’s workforce have recently engaged in strike action over fair pay and banding.
| Represented staff | Unions | Action signalled |
|---|---|---|
| Health visitor team leaders (part of NHSGGC) | RCN Scotland, Unison, Unite | Action short of strike (formal notice served) |
- Key unions: RCN Scotland, Unison, Unite
- Employer: NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde
- Nature of action: Formal notice of action short of strike over job evaluation
Potential consequences and limits of the available information
Industrial action by health visitors carries potential implications for community care delivery, particularly support for families and children, but the unions have emphasised their members’ commitment to delivering safe and effective care. The information available does not detail specific planned tactics or the precise services that may be affected, nor does it record any response from NHSGGC in the source material.
Because the unions have framed their action as short of strike, essential services may be preserved, but disruption cannot be ruled out until further detail is provided. The dispute sits within a broader national context of workforce grievances about pay, banding and the application of job evaluation frameworks — matters that have previously prompted industrial action in other health boards.
Union statements in the material supplied describe frustration that agreed national processes are not being followed locally and warn of further escalation if the board does not change course. The source does not include an employer statement, independent verification of the unions’ procedural claims, or detail on remedial steps sought by staff beyond following the nationally agreed evaluation process.
Given those gaps, conclusions about the final impact on patient care or services should be drawn cautiously. The unions’ warnings of further action add a note of urgency: without progress in talks or an employer response, the situation could evolve and affect other staff groups already unsettled by previous disputes.
The coming days are likely to be important in determining whether the dispute is settled through negotiation or escalates further.
