§ 18. Mr. SpellarTo ask the Secretary for Health what guidelines his Department is giving regarding redundancy payments and retirement packages in the national health service. [2190]
§ Mr. MaloneArrangements for redundancy and premature retirement for national health service staff employed in health authorities and NHS trusts on national terms and conditions of service are set out in sections 45 and 46 of the General Whitley Council handbook. Guidance on severance payments for general and senior managers on short-term rolling contracts was issued in circulars HSG(94)18 and TEL(94)3. Staff employed on NHS trust terms and conditions of service will be covered by their trust's contractual terms.
Guidance on early retirement for NHS pension scheme members was issued in circular HSG(95)25. Additionally, a guide covering pension entitlement on redundancy and early retirement has been issued by the NHS Pensions Agency to all NHS pension scheme members. More specific information is available in the booklet "Early Retirement". Copies of all documents are available in the Library.