AMBULANCE care assistants at Epsom and St Helier NHS Trust have voted to take strike action over its withholding of back pay.

The GMB union members say their employer is “inexplicably” failing to pay each of them up to £1,300 to comply with the London Living Wage.

Almost 94 per cent voted in favour of taking action on a turnout of nearly 80 per cent, with strike dates to be set over the coming weeks.

GMB regional organiser Helen O’Connor warned: “Any strike action is likely to cause severe disruption to patient appointments and treatments.”

The staff have been forced into this situation despite GMB making “every effort to resolve this dispute in talks,” she added.

“Our efforts have fallen on deaf ears and nothing is being done to address this wage theft.

“Mistreating and demoralising NHS workers has a devastating impact on patient care, so we are calling on the trust to respect these valuable workers and pay up now.”

A spokeswoman for the trust said: “As of this month, all staff now receive the London Living Wage.”