MORE than 270 medical secretaries are taking industrial action for higher pay in a walk-out which could spread to hospitals throughout the region.

The secretarial staff, who play a key role in running the NHS, will strike for three days beginning next Tuesday, and then work to rule.

It follows overwhelming votes in favour of strike action by staff at the City Hospitals Sunderland Trust and the Northumbria Health Care Trust.

It is believed to be the first strike by one of the least militant groups of workers in the NHS and the disruption is likely to spread to other North-East hospitals.

Ballots of medical secretaries are due to be held at Newcastle Hospitals Trust - which includes Newcastle Royal Infirmary, Newcastle General Hospital and the Freeman Hospital - and at South Tyneside Health Care Trust.

Next to be balloted will be medical secretaries working at North Durham Health Care Trust, South Durham Health Care Trust and South Tees Hospitals Trust.

Liz Twist, Unison's regional head of health, said: "They are sick of carrying huge levels of responsibility for poor pay and are determined to make their employers see sense."

More than 3,000 medical secretaries work in the region's hospitals, providing a link between patients, GPs and consultants.

Medical secretaries in the region are paid between £11,037 and £12,815, while colleagues in Scotland and the South-East are being paid up to £2,700 more for the same work.