The board has confirmed it will provide back pay to staff who had been paid at the wrong grade for their increasingly complex roles. The staff had been carrying out clinical duties for many years, which would normally be associated with a higher grade, including patient observations, blood monitoring and ECG tests.

Unison says the news is ‘a major victory' for healthcare support workers and a direct result of their determined campaign.

Tanya Bull, Unison Cymru head of health, said: ‘Healthcare support workers represented by UNISON in Swansea Bay have fought hard to be recognised and rewarded properly. They should be proud of this win and of forcing their employer to change course.

‘This outcome was only possible thanks to significant intervention from the Welsh government, without which it's unclear whether Swansea Bay would have done the right thing by these staff.'

In response, Swansea Bay University Health Board, said: ‘Staff will now receive their compensatory payments, salary arrears and new Band 3 salaries in the December pay run, in time for Christmas.

‘We fully acknowledge, and apologise for the distress caused by our decision last month to pause the implementation of the agreement. This was never our intention - we wanted to ensure that our local agreement was in parity with their colleagues across the rest of NHS Wales.'

The health board added: ‘Health board and Welsh Government colleagues have worked relentlessly over the past few weeks ensuring our local agreement is in line with the latest draft of the national agreement.'