Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of the effect of the introduction of the (a) new NHS pension scheme in 2015, (b) reduction of the annual allowance for pension growth, (c) subsequent tapering of that allowance and (d) other cumulative changes in recent years to the NHS pension scheme on the (i) level of hours worked by practitioners and (ii) level of practitioner morale.

The 2015 NHS Pension Scheme is valuable part of staff reward packages and remains one of the best schemes available. The reforms to public service pensions ensured that schemes are sustainable and the costs are fair to both staff and the taxpayer.

Data is not collected on the impact of the new National Health Service pension scheme, other cumulative changes, or the annual allowance on the level of hours worked by practitioners, or practitioner morale.

The Department recognises that the tapered annual allowance may contribute to decisions by NHS staff to retire early or limit their NHS commitments. The Government is listening carefully to concerns raised by senior doctors and NHS employers about the impact of tapered annual allowance.

The Department has sought to make available to NHS Pension Scheme members all possible flexibility under Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs legislation and the current fiscal framework for public sector pension schemes. The Chancellor is considering the case for further flexibility in the NHS Pension Scheme.