Cleaners and catering hospital workers could be going on strike following an ongoing row over "lost" wages.

NHS Lanarkshire facilities management contractor ISS have introduced a new payroll system which has led to staff paid fortnightly having to wait an extra week for their wages.

Around 300 workers at Hairmyres Hospital in East Kilbride say their pay packets are a total of £72,000 short because of the new system.

The GMB union, who are balloting members over a potential strike, argue this is to the detriment of fortnightly paid staff who have only received two weeks of pay for three weeks of work.

Strike action would affect services like catering, cleaning, maintenance and porterage at the East Kilbride hospital. The ballot will close at noon on Thursday, June 27.

GMB Scotland organiser Karen Leonard said: "This should not be happening in our NHS. The employer's imposition forced families to re-shuffle their already hard-pressed finances while others have been forced into debt.

"It would cost ISS a five-figure sum to return the monies owed to all the staff affected - a negligible amount for a company that generates billions - but the employer ignored our union's warnings about the impact and then tried to paper over the cracks by offering staff short-term loans."

A spokesperson for ISS said: ""Changing any payroll system and process has its challenges.

"This change affects every ISS employee nationally and we have implemented a focused and comprehensive communications plan to ensure that all our people are aware of the change, understand how it will impact them personally, and that they seek the support ISS is offering to help them through the change.

"ISS will not withhold any money that is payable to any employee."