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Public health doctors who transfer to local councils can keep NHS pension

Authors: Helen Jaques 

Publication date:  30 May 2012

Public health doctors who will transfer to local authorities once councils take over responsibility for public health in April 2013 will be allowed to stay in the NHS pension scheme.

In an agreement struck between the Department of Health and the Local Government Association, staff who work in public health functions at primary care trusts and have access to the NHS pension scheme on 31 March 2013 will be able to retain access to the scheme on transfer to local government.

“It is longstanding Department of Health policy that staff should receive pension protection when they are compulsorily transferred, based on the [agreement’s] Fair Deal principles,” the department has said. “This decision provides reassurance for staff transferring, is the simplest to administer, and bears the least burden on the public purse, as transfer costs to the Local Government Pension Scheme will not be necessary.”

The government has yet to decide on the pension arrangements for new starters, staff who move posts after 1 April 2013, and staff who move post again within the local authority to work on a public health function.

Helen Jaques news reporter BMJ Careers

 hjaques@bmj.com

Cite this as BMJ Careers ; doi: 

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