A SPECIALIST health union is set to ballot on whether to establish a political fund for the first time in its 95-year history.

The Society of Radiographers (SoR) represents 28,000 people, mainly in the NHS, who work in diagnostic imaging and radiotherapy for the treatment of cancer.

They play a key role in the service — nine out of 10 hospital patients are seen by a radiographer.

The decision to ballot was prompted by the passing of the controversial Lobbying Act last year, which imposes limits on what organisations can spend promoting their views before a general election.

The Act was seen as a coalition government bid to gag critics such as trade unions and charities.

SoR industrial relations manager Paul Moloney said: “Throughout its history, the society has not been affiliated to a political party, but we recognise that if we want to continue to campaign for or against public policy and NHS issues we will need to establish a political fund to comply with trade union legislation.

“If our members agree to this change, we will join the 28 other TUC-affiliated trade unions which currently have political funds. “In the SoR it is our members, not auditors, who determine our activities.

“If members vote for this, we will continue to be able to challenge politicians of all parties and to question the consequences of decisions that affect the radiography workforce and patients.”

The society will ballot members later this year.