Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what (a) restrictions and (b) prohibitions are in place on (i) engaging with and (ii) selling to the NHS for senior staff who leave NHS England and move to work for private companies.

The standard contract of employment that NHS England Executive and Senior Manager staff are issued with includes the following:

“20. Post-termination restrictions

20.1 You agree that, following the termination of your employment for any reason you will not directly or indirectly, either alone or jointly with or on behalf of any person, firm or company and whether on your own account or as principal, shareholder, partner, employee, agent or otherwise:

20.1.1 for a period of six months lobby the UK government in relation to any aspect of national or regional health policy with a view to promoting or advancing your own business interests or those of any third party

20.1.2 for a period of six months solicit the employment or engagement of any person who immediately prior to termination of your employment was a senior employee in a managerial, executive or technical capacity of NHS England with whom you worked or with whom you had contact or whose work you were aware of in the 12 months prior to such termination.”