The CSP was among six unions to meet health secretary Steve Barclay in Westminster this morning to discuss the workforce crisis and NHS pay.
During the meeting, CSP and the other unions made clear that without urgent government action on wages, experienced health workers would continue to quit their jobs, and the NHS would struggle to attract new staff in sufficient numbers.
Mr Barclay heard that waiting times for patients to receive treatment would continue to worsen, unless the government took action to tackle the dangerously low staffing levels that are affecting every part of the NHS.
He was also told that decent wages were crucial, to both stopping employees leaving and to turning the NHS into an attractive employer for potential recruits.
In addition, threats to cap wages next year would do nothing to fill the 132,000 vacancies across the NHS in England alone, and would instead make a desperate staffing situation significantly worse.
Along with the other unions CSP urged the government to act now, by investing in staff and healthcare services with an inflation-proofed wage rise, otherwise they would be responsible for disputes across the NHS this winter.
CSP believes a strong mandate for industrial action is the only way to keep the pressure on government. Every vote counts, and CSP Council is advising members to vote 'Yes' for industrial action.
Elaine Sparkes, CSP assistant director and secretary of the NHS group of unions, said: 'This is the first time that physiotherapy staff have been balloted over pay. This demonstrates how fearful they are about their ability to continue delivering high-quality patient care if the government does not take urgent steps to address the workforce crisis.
Those steps must start with improving pay and putting an urgent retention package in place because we cannot afford to lose more staff if the NHS is to meet its enormous challenges
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