SCORES of health visitors in Lincolnshire are to strike today over low pay and an erosion of professional standards that could affect the vulnerable families they support.

The 58 employees of Lincolnshire County Council will strike for 48 hours.

Unite has calculated that the health visitors have lost more than £2,000 a year since they were transferred from the NHS to the county council in October 2017.

The union’s regional officer Steve Syson said: “It is a sad indictment of the council bosses that they have allowed the situation to reach this stage.

“However, we are faced with a local authority more concerned with giving its former chief executive Keith Ireland a scandalous £292,000 pay-off for a mere six months’ work than paying its own health visitors the rate for the job.

“Unite’s door remains open for constructive talks at any time to settle this dispute.”

A demonstration will start at 8.30am near the gates of the county offices in Lincoln.

Two 24-hour strikes are also planned for Friday and next Monday, followed by a 48-hour stoppage on July 25.