PARLIAMENTARY WRITTEN QUESTION
NHS: Conditions of Employment (4 May 2020)

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether staff that are (a) newly recruited and (b) returning to work in NHS frontline settings during the covid-19 outbreak have (i) standard NHS terms and conditions of employment, (ii) access to NHS pensions and (iii) access to other associated benefits.

Asked by:
Judith Cummins (Labour)

Both newly recruited staff, and staff returning to the National Health Service during the COVID-19 outbeak, where they take up employment alongside existing NHS staff, will be employed on standard NHS terms and conditions of service. Staff will also have access to the NHS Pension Scheme subject to them satisfying scheme eligibility criteria. Many of those who have retired are not permitted by the rules of the NHS Pension Scheme to re-join on their return to work.

In relation to other associated benefits, the Government is in the process of setting up a life assurance scheme for frontline health and social care staff in England who contract COVID-19 during the course of their work.

Answered by:
Helen Whately (Conservative)
12 May 2020