The first forty hours of work per week are pensionable. This allows flexible trainees to use all hours worked for pension purposes.
Example: A LTFT trainee works at 60% (24 standard hours plus 16 on-call hours) per week. Thus the total number of hours is 40. Full pension contributions must be made and the trainee can expect the pension rights to be the same as those on a whole time contract.
Example: A LTFT trainee works 20 standard hours and 8 on-call hours per week. The total is 28 hours. The pension contributions and rights would be 28/40, which is 70% of a full-timers.
There is current concern as to how Trusts have dealt with pensions for LTFT trainees since the New Pay Deal in December 2000. Ms Rona Miller, BMA Industrial Relations Officer, West Midlands, has written to all Trusts asking them to review their practice.
All LTFT trainees should ensure that the average number of hours worked per week are clearly stated on their LTFT Training Programme forms as these will form the basis on which their pension will be calculated in the future.
If you have worked at Sandwell & West Birmingham Hospitals NHS Trust (including City Hospital) as a LTFT trainee at any point between 1 December 2000 and the current time, please note that a Pension Review is being undertaken. All trainees who have worked or been paid by City Hospital since 1 December 2000 should complete the Pensions form with hours worked for pension purposes and send it to Dr Helen Goodyear for her counter-signature. The Pensions form can be downloaded from here.
Alternatively, please contact Maddie.Meades@westmidlands.nhs.uk for more details.
Please note the following:
Hours cannot be averaged retrospectively, eg 44 hours worked week 1 and 28 hours in week 2: pension contributions are 40 week 1 and 28 week 2.
- From 1 August 2004 all hours spent in Hospital on call count as hours worked (Jaeger and SiMAP rulings)
Flexible trainees are encouraged to periodically check their pension contributions with the NHS Pensions Agency ( www.nhspa.gov.uk)