Radiographers are to strike for 48 hours later this month over pay.

The Society of Radiographers (SoR) announced that its members at 43 NHS trusts had voted to walk out between 8am on Tuesday July 25 and 8am on Thursday July 27.

Bank holiday levels of “life and limb” emergency cover will be provided while the industrial action takes place, the union added.

The announcement comes after union members voted to reject the Government’s pay offer of 5 per cent plus a non-consolidated lump sum for 2022-23 in an indicative ballot.

Affected trusts include University College London Hospitals, the Royal Marsden, Liverpool University Hospitals, Nottingham University Hospitals and University Hospitals Bristol.

A majority of members were in favour of striking at more than 150 trusts but the required turnout threshold was not reached in many instances.

The union informed affected trusts of the strike by letter on Thursday.

It urged the Government to discuss “urgent improvements” to radiographers’ pay and conditions to avoid the walkout.

Dean Rogers, the union’s executive director of industrial strategy and member relations, said two meetings with the Government had been unsuccessful, and that radiographers were working long hours for low pay.

He added that the Government had indicated it would not talk to the SoR any further while industrial action is proposed.

Mr Rogers said: “Voting for strike action is never easy. Going out on strike will be even more difficult for our members, who care above all about the safety and wellbeing of their patients.

“Strike action is a last resort. But our members believe they have no alternative, because the Government won’t take the action needed to address their concerns.”

The union said radiographers, who carry out scans including x-rays and MRIs as well as radiotherapy for people with cancer, helped nine out of 10 NHS patients but “too few” were being recruited and retained.

This means one million patients are waiting to be seen by a radiographer, the SoR claimed.

The union said the Government’s long-awaited workforce plan, unveiled last week, was a “plan for the future” which would not plug immediate staff shortages.

Mr Rogers added: “If the Government wants to reduce NHS waiting lists and ensure that patients receive the treatment they need, when they need it, then it must urgently prioritise the recruitment and retention of radiography professionals.

“Our members deserve better. Our patients deserve better.”