Author: Becky Gammon, Deputy Executive Director of Nursing & Hayleigh Jones, Deputy Director for People
Executive Sponsors: Richard Hughes, Executive Director of Nursing, Midwifery and Patient Care & Hywel Daniel, Executive Director for People/ Deputy Chief Executive
Date: 4 August 2026
Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board (CTMUHB) is consulting on two options to align 12.5-hour shift patterns for affected nursing, midwifery and healthcare support worker roles, with the aim of supporting fairness, consistency, staff wellbeing and safe, sustainable services.
The two options are Option 2, which would align affected staff to the current Princess of Wales (POW) model, and Option 8 which keeps a long-shift structure but reduces the frequency of additional long shifts, introduces protected CPD time and strengthens handover arrangements. Although the Board has identified Option 8 as its preferred option, no final decision has been made.
This consultation is your opportunity to discuss how each option would affect you, any concerns you may have, and whether there are any other issues or mitigations we should consider before a recommendation is made to the Board.
We recognise that rest breaks and shift pattern arrangements affect people’s working lives, home lives, caring responsibilities and wellbeing.
We are asking for your views on two possible ways to introduce a consistent 12.5-hour shift pattern across CTMUHB for affected nursing, midwifery and healthcare support worker roles.
Currently, different shift arrangements apply in different parts of the Health Board. This variance originated from the boundary change of Bridgend staff from Abertawe Bro Morgannwg (now Swansea Bay) UHB in 2019 and has resulted in discrepancies in the frequency of shifts and rest break entitlements and difficulties in managing cross-site staffing.
Although colleagues are paid the same contractual rates, differences in break arrangements mean that staff currently work different paid hours within their shifts. Many colleagues have told us that this can feel unfair.
|
‘Former CT’ shift pattern |
'POW' shift pattern |
|---|---|
|
Shift lengths 7.00am/pm - 7.30pm/am allowing for 30 minutes handover |
Shift lengths 7.00am/pm - 7.30pm/am allowing for 30 minutes handover |
|
Staff are in work for 12.5-hours with 1 x 30-mintue unpaid break, so work 12 paid hours |
Staff are in work for 12.5-hours with 2 x 30-minute unpaid breaks, so work 11.5 paid hours |
|
3 x 12-hour shifts = 36 hours per week |
3 x 11.5 shifts = 34.5 hours per week |
|
Staff work 36 hours a week - so owe 1.5 hours a week (if full-time 37.5 hours) |
Staff work 34.5 hours a week - so owe 3 hours a week (if full-time 37.5 hours) |
|
As a result, every 4 weeks they work a 6-hour shift (or a 12.5-hour shift every 8 weeks) |
As a result, every 2 weeks they work a 6-hour shift (or a 12.5 hour shift every 4 weeks) |
These issues intensified during the critical incident at POW and the subsequent staff movements across sites. This highlighted the importance of consistent working arrangements that enable seamless teamwork across hospitals.
This proposal is an opportunity to respond to these concerns and work together to develop a more sustainable and consistent approach that meets our changing service needs.
Ongoing working group discussions have been held with Trade Unions since December 2024.
In May 2025, the Board agreed in principle to consult on Option 2.
Between June and September 2025, staff and trade union partners shared feedback through briefings, discussions, a mailbox and a feedback form.
This feedback helped shape a revised proposal- Option 8, which includes fewer additional long shifts, embeds protected CPD time and enables dedicated handover time within both long and short shifts.
On balance and considering staff and Trade Union feedback, the Board expressed a preference for Option 8 in December 2025, subject to ongoing consultation.
Collective consultation with Trade Unions concluded in April 2026.
Individual consultation with affected staff will now take place between 4 August and 30 September 2026.
Option 2 would align all affected staff to the current Princess of Wales (POW) shift pattern, with three 12.5-hour (12-hours, 30-minutes) shifts each week and an additional 12.5-hour shift once every four weeks for full-time colleagues.
Option 8 would keep three 12.5-hour shifts each week, but would change the additional shift requirement to one 6.3-hour (6-hour 20-minutes) shift in week four and one 12.5-hour shift in week eight for full-time colleagues, alongside 42 hours of protected CPD time each year, pro-rated for part-time staff. More information about the CPD offer can be found in the accompanying FAQs.
|
Feature |
Option 2 |
Option 8 |
|---|---|---|
|
Long shifts |
Three 12.5-hour shifts each week |
Three 12.5-hour shifts each week |
|
Breaks |
Two unpaid 30-minute breaks per long shift |
Two unpaid 30-minute breaks per long shift |
|
Additional shift requirement |
One 12.5-hour shift every four weeks |
One 6.3 shift in week four (with a 20-minute break) and one 12.5-hour shift in week eight (with 2 x 30-minute breaks) |
|
Handover time |
Current arrangements |
Handover time and rest break provision built into both long and short shifts |
|
CPD time |
Current arrangements |
42 hours protected CPD per year for registrants and non-registrants, pro-rated |
|
Board preference |
No |
Yes, subject to consultation |
Under Option 2, you would move from one unpaid 30-minute break to two unpaid 30-minute breaks per long shift. You would work a 12.5-hour make-up shift every four weeks, instead of a 6-hour make-up shift.
Under Option 8, you would move from one unpaid 30-minute break to two unpaid 30-minute breaks per long shift. You would work one 6.3-hour shift in week four and one 12.5-hour shift in week eight. You would also receive protected CPD time, to support professional development, statutory and mandatory learning, role development and ongoing competence. A 20-minute break and dedicated handover time would be built into the short shifts.
Under Option 2, your shift pattern would remain the same as now.
Under Option 8, your make-up shift would reduce in frequency. You would work one 6.3-hour shift in week four and one 12.5-hour shift in week eight. You would also receive protected CPD time outside of your clinical shifts, to support professional development, statutory and mandatory learning, role development and ongoing competence. A 20-minute break and dedicated handover time would be built into the short shifts.
The impact will depend on your contracted hours and working pattern. More information is available in the FAQs and via the cost impact scenarios available on the shift pattern hub. If your shift pattern is not covered in the current scenarios, then please contact the consultation mailbox @ CTM.ShiftConsult25@wales.nhs.uk for more information.
Our aim is to develop a consistent shift pattern for nursing, midwifery and healthcare support workers across the Health Board which, taking account of the best available evidence:
allows us to provide high quality, safe services to our patients
allows us to improve the health and well-being of our people
increases our overall workforce availability
delivers improved financial efficiency – more specifically, does not cost us more, and delivers a reduction in reliance on agency.
We know that some colleagues provided previous feedback suggesting a preference for alignment to the ‘former CT’ model of 12.5-hour shifts with one 30-minute break. Evaluation demonstrated that the ‘former CT’ model did not sufficiently meet the agreed design principles relating to staff wellbeing, workforce availability and financial sustainability. Supporting sustainable staffing arrangements and reducing avoidable expenditure on temporary staffing allows resources to be invested in frontline services and staff development. Further information about the options appraisal is included within the FAQs.
We recognise that there is no easy or perfect answer here. Some colleagues, particularly those who are currently on the former CT pattern, may see the additional shift commitment as a disadvantage, while others may value the move toward greater consistency, protected CPD time, improved handover arrangements and increased guaranteed break provision.
The purpose of this consultation is to understand the individual impact of both options before any final recommendation is made. We are committed to using this consultation process as an opportunity to listen, learn and improve.
To reiterate, no final decisions have been made at this stage.
Consultation opens on 4 August 2026.
Consultation closes on 30 September 2026.
The Board is expected to review the outcome of individual consultation during the Autumn.
If an aligned shift pattern is subsequently approved by Board, staff would receive reasonable notice before any changes are implemented.
Any implementation is not therefore expected to take place during this calendar year.
Reflect: join a team discussion or briefing session to understand more about the options and ask questions. Initial staff briefing sessions have been scheduled in person and online.
Monday 10 August 2026, 12:00 - 13:30 - Join Teams session
Thursday 13 August 2026, 09:00 - 10:30 - The Lecture Theatre, Princess of Wales Hospital or join via Teams
Friday 14 August 2026, 10:00 - 11:30 - Meeting Room 1, Ysbyty Cwm Cynon Hospital or join via Teams
Monday 17 August 2026, 15:30 - 17:00 - The Lecture Theatre, Royal Glamorgan Hospital or join via Teams
Friday 21 August 2026, 12:00 - 13:30 - The Boardroom, Ysbyty Cwm Rhondda Hospital (no functionality for Teams)
Monday 24 August 2026, 11:00 - 12:30 - The Lecture Theatre, Prince Charles Hospital or join via Teams
Tuesday 25 August 2026, 15:00 - 16:30 - Join Teams session
Resolve: speak to your ward manager if you have individual questions or concerns. If your ward manager cannot resolve your query, they will request a group conversation for you both with a member of the people directorate. You can also request support from a trade union colleague during any 1:1 and/or group conversation if you wish. The group conversations can be arranged from 7 September 2026.
Respond: You can provide feedback by:
Attending a briefing session.
Speaking with your manager.
Discussing with your Trade Union representative.
Emailing the consultation mailbox @ CTM.ShiftConsult25@wales.nhs.uk
Completing the consultation feedback form, available on our Consultation Hub from September. All colleagues are encouraged to complete this form once, to ensure that we have meaningful data on which to evaluate the consultation process.
We know that any proposed change to shift patterns can feel significant. Our case for change is driven by a collective desire for fairness, patient safety, staff wellbeing and support. We want to build a model that reflects the realities of shift work, that gives you the rest you need and deserve, and that makes it easier to plan, resource and deliver excellent care.
Your feedback will help us understand what each option would mean in practice and support fair, balanced decision-making before any final recommendation is made so please have your say.