DOCTORS in Bolton are being asked to resign due to "catastrophic under-funding" of the NHS.

The British Medical Council has sent out voting papers to GPs today asking them if they are prepared to resign from their NHS contract.

Bolton doctors will be receiving their ballot papers on their doorsteps today.

Dr John Chisholm, chairman of the General Practitioners Committee, said doctors were in crisis. He added: "Morale has never been lower, workload and expectation never higher and there has been persistent failure to provide the level of resources required at practice level to enable doctors to treat their patients properly or quickly."