§ Mrs. Renée Shortasked the Secretary of State for Social Services how many senior staff retired under the current early retirement scheme; how many have been reappointed within the National Health Service; and what are their new total salaries.
§ Mr. Fowler[pursuant to his reply, 8 December 1983, c. 225]: Premature retirement following the 1982 restructuring was not restricted to senior staff, and it is not possible to provide information in respect of senior staff only.
Up to 31 October 1983, 2,580 staff in England had received awards of compensation for premature retirement 516W form before 1 April 1983. Figures are however available from that date to 25 October 1983—approximately eight months—and for the 12 months period 1 July 1980 to 30 June 1981.
arising from the 1982 reorganisation. At that time 115 officers were recorded as re-employed by health authorities, mostly in part-time and/or junior posts. The total of their new salaries was some £675,000. A further 20 former officers were working irregularly with earnings assessed for pension purposes on a quarterly basis. Of those re-employed, the majority have taken junior posts, including many former senior nurse managers doing part-time clinical nursing.
No individual who has received substantial benefits following premature retirement should be re-employed without specific justification. I am therefore asking regional health authorities to review all current cases to see whether there are adequate grounds for continuance of employment and to inform me of the results of their review.