NHS staff will hold a two-day strike in York later this month.

More than 200 members of union Unite were balloted over whether to hold action due to an ongoing dispute.

The ballot was set up after disputes over the trust’s move to form a Limited Liability Partnership (LLP), wholly owned by the NHS, which the union said would allow the trust to avoid paying tax, could affect workers’ pensions, and was a step towards privatisation.

The 48 hour strike will run from 6am on Thursday, September 27, to 5.59am on Saturday, September 29, after members voted by 92 per cent for strike action and by 91 per cent for industrial action short of a strike.

Chris Daly, Unite lead officer for health in Yorkshire, said: "We have received a very impressive mandate from our members for industrial action and, as a result, they will strike for 48 hours.

"The vote showed that our members wish to remain delivering vital public services – they are not prepared to let that public sector ethos slip away. If there is an emergency during the week of industrial action, our members will, of course, respond in a responsible fashion and put patient safety first."

A spokesperson for York Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust said on Thursday: "We recognise that staff have the right to voice their concerns in this way.

"We will be working with our staff to ensure we continue to provide safe care for our patients during industrial action."

Protesters from Unite and Unison were seen outside the Hospital on Wednesday, handing out flyers to staff and patients, and Mr Daly said they had received "lots of support" over their complaint.