´óÏó´«Ã½

Consultants in England are ready to strike after a consultative ballot by the British Medical Association (BMA) showed support for industrial action.

The union says consultants have seen pay cuts of 35% since 2008 once inflation is taken into account.

The BMA is now warning it will proceed to a formal ballot unless the government acts before 3 April.

But formal pay talks are due to get under way on Tuesday with other health unions after their strikes were paused.

Walkouts by ambulance workers and nurses have been put on hold after the two sides agreed to re-enter talks.

Initially the Royal College of Nursing was the only union involved in those talks.

But they have now been joined by the unions representing 13 other health unions for everyone from physios and midwives to ambulance staff and porters and cleaners.

There are likely to be three days of talks this week with ministers and NHS bosses.

But while progress is being made with these unions, the dispute with doctors is escalating.

A 72-hour strike by junior doctors is planned next week in their dispute over pay.

They will walk out of both emergency and planned care, meaning consultants are being asked to provide cover in A&E units.

It threatens to have a major disruption to routine treatments, such as knee and hip operations.

The consultative ballot does not provide a legal mandate for strike action.

But the results do suggest the BMA is likely to get agreement from its members to strike if it does hold a formal ballot.

Some 86% of consultants voted in favour of industrial action on a turnout of 61%, which is well over the 50% threshold required.

Dr Vishal Sharma, chairman of the BMA consultants committee, said: "In my 25 years in the NHS, I have never seen consultants more demoralised, frustrated and in despair over this government's refusal to support the NHS workforce and the patients they serve."

Alongside pay, consultants are also objecting to the pension rules which mean they face high tax bills because they have reached the cap covering how much can be paid into a pension pot.

On average, consultants earned £122,000 last year.