Explanatory Note
(This note is not part of the Regulations)
These Regulations further amend the Health and Personal Social Services (Superannuation) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1995, (the “principal Regulations”) which provide for the superannuation of persons engaged in the Health and Personal Social Services in Northern Ireland.
The Regulations shall have retrospective effect as authorised by Article 14(1) of the Superannuation (Northern Ireland) Order 1972.
Regulations 1 and 2 provide for the citation, commencement, retrospective effect and interpretation of the Regulations.
Regulation 3 amends regulation 2 of the principal Regulations (Interpretation) by inserting new definitions including definitions for “practitioner”, medical performers list, out of hours services.
Regulation 4 amends Schedule 2 of the principal Regulations (Medical and dental practitioners). These amendments are mostly connected with admission of locums to the scheme. New definitions are inserted, including a definition of “locum practitioner” and “employing authority” for such practitioners.
Procedures for locums to apply for membership of the scheme are also introduced including arrangements for retrospective access to the scheme in certain cases. Provision is made for time limits for applications for access to the Scheme and for retrospective access.
The definitions of “superannuable earnings” and “superannuable earnings in relation to other practitioners” are amended and provision is made for locums to count short breaks in employment as qualifying service.