Yet another example of one part of the NHS shooting another in the foot. In this case, desperate for staff, many departments want or need to lure back retired doctors and nurses to fill the gaps. If they do return to work, however, their NHS pensions can be reduced, making it not worth their while. In the same way that doctors working extra hours and at weekends to man clinics and clear operating backlogs, have found themselves hammered with extra tax. Their pension contributions then break the incredibly complicated annual allowance rules making it, again, not worth their while. Luckily, many put patients above money. But they really shouldn’t have to make that choice.
“Why you should never retire”
On my 50th birthday, I will always remember, amongst the card or two I received was a letter from Saga’ who’d managed to find out my age through the wonder of the internet, and were pleased to tell me I now qualified to join my parents and go on holiday with them.
