THOUSANDS of hospital doctors are threatening to go it alone with a Scotland-only strike that will see them break ranks with colleagues south of the Border.

In a surprise escalation of the ongoing UK-wide pensions dispute, medical staff are to be balloted in November on taking strike action in Scotland.

The move follows frustration among consultants, specialists and junior doctors at the lack of progress in talks with the Scottish Government. So far, the talks have failed to yield any improvements for them on pension schemes that are being imposed across the UK.

It comes only three months after the profession took UK-wide industrial action for the first time in nearly 40 years in a show of anger at the reforms.

In Scotland more than 3600 patients had hospital appointments cancelled in June, including 450 operations, and 60% of GP surgeries closed. Hospital doctors went to their place of work but boycotted non-urgent care.

Now, three days have been pencilled in for industrial action in mid-winter. If the proposed boycott goes ahead, it would leave only emergency cover in hospitals typical of a weekend or bank holiday.

BMA Scotland had warned that unless genuine progress was made in discussions over alternatives to pension changes, it would ballot hospital medical staff in November.

There is anger over increases in pension contributions and a later retirement age for doctors.

The BMA has suspended action in England and Wales, even though members appeared to be in favour of further protest. About 12,000 hospital doctors work in Scotland, but not all will be BMA members.

Dr Lewis Morrison, chairman of the BMA's Scottish Consultants Committee, said: "It is disappointing that we are considering further, stronger industrial action on the issue of pensions, but we believe that this is the only way we can get the Scottish Government to listen to us.

"They agree the increase in NHS staff contributions to their pensions is unjust and describe it as a 'short-term cash-grab' yet offer no alternative ... This is a Government that is talking up its opposition, but failing to deliver on these words."

Scottish GPs are being excluded as research suggested a lukewarm response to the plan. However, it is understood support for industrial action has been particularly strong among BMA members working in secondary care.

In July, Dr Brian Keighley, chairman of the BMA in Scotland, said they had weighed up the consequences of further industrial action, and found the price of raising the level of action was "presently too dangerous for patient care".

Dr Jean Turner, executive director of the Scotland Patients Association, said patients would be anxious about the strike and it may mean people waiting longer for scans, unless their case was urgent.

However, she added: "I can understand doctors and nurses feeling they are not valued when they are trying to make things work when they do not have the beds and the staffing."

The first strike could go ahead on December 12, followed by others on January 8 and 17.

Jackson Carlaw, health spokesman for the Scottish Conservatives, said: "Have they [doctors] learned nothing from the previous industrial action, which achieved absolutely nothing?

"All they have done is prejudice patients against them, and once that trust in doctors is lost, it is very hard to get back.

"The timing could not be worse, at a time when seasonal flu and norovirus – alongside other challenges – mean hospitals are far busier than normal."

Dr Morrison said NHS boards were being given plenty of notice about the action so staff rotas and theatre operating lists could be organised accordingly. GPs will work as normal.

A Scottish Government spokesman said: "It is disappointing that the BMA in Scotland is balloting for further and more serious industrial action when they are actively involved in ongoing discussions on this issue. The Scottish Government has demonstrated willingness to work in partnership with NHS trade unions to find a way forward on pensions issues within the ever-tighter constraints imposed on us by Westminster."

Health Secretary Alex Neil told a Unison nursing conference in Glasgow he would "roll up his sleeves" and hear the views of frontline workers.

He said: "I am absolutely clear that what we must do better is to listen to the people delivering healthcare services across NHS Scotland. That is why I am announcing today my personal commitment to talk to practitioners on the ground."

Gordon McKay, chairman of nursing for UNISON Scotland, said discussions with Mr Neil had been "honest and fruitful".

Meanwhile, Scotland's largest teaching union has postponed its proposals to ballot on industrial action over public sector pension reforms.