Ambulance workers are to be balloted on whether they want to take industrial action over pay.

Unions accused the Government of failing to honour promises made a year ago to improve pay and conditions in England.

Unison general secretary Dave Prentis told his union’s health conference in Brighton: “From car crashes to cardiac arrests, ambulance workers deserve respect for always being there and caring for the public.

“But this Government has failed utterly to respect and honour its promises to ambulance staff. A year ago commitments were made on pay – those promises have been broken.”

Unions said Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt made a pay offer to NHS staff in England last year containing additional proposals for ambulance workers which had not been honoured.

A consultative ballot of ambulance workers will be launched to gauge support for industrial action.

Rehana Azam, GMB national officer for the NHS, said: “An overworked, underpaid and overstretched ambulance workforce cannot be expected to keep responding to 999 emergency calls whilst their Government sits back and does nothing.

“The Government promised to recognise the valuable skill set of ambulance staff.

"They promised to invest in the ambulance staff and service. The Government has failed to live up to their promises. ‘’