Transferred staff to get pension option

Hertfordshire Council has delayed transferring its mental health
staff to the NHS following a proposed change to the local
government pension scheme.

Most of the 250 mental health workers were due to transfer to
Hertfordshire Partnership NHS Trust by 1 January next year, with
the 65 approved social workers following later (news, page 6, 6
November).

However, the transfer of the non-ASW staff has now also been
postponed in order to coincide with a draft amendment to the local
government pension scheme, due to come into force on 1 April.

The amendment will allow staff who are transferred to the trust to
have the option of continuing to contribute to the local government
pension scheme.

Employees had previously been concerned about their pensions,
particularly staff over the age of 60 who had been under the
impression they would not be able to transfer their pensions to the
NHS scheme.