The Health and Social Care (Pension Scheme) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2008

Meaning of “qualifying service”

141.—(1) In this Part, references to a member’s qualifying service, are references to the aggregate of the following periods—

(a) the member’s pensionable service under this Part other than such pensionable service as is referred to in regulation 139(1)(c) (transferred-in service);

(b) in the case of a person in respect of whom a transfer value in respect of his rights under another pension arrangement has been accepted under Chapter 6 (transfers), a period equal to the person’s period as an active member in any occupational pension scheme in respect of which the rights accrued;

(c) any period treated as qualifying service under paragraph (3) or under regulation 142;

(d) where the member ceased to be an active member under Part 2 not more than 12 months before becoming a member under this Part, any period of qualifying service under Part 2.

(2) Paragraph (3) applies if the member is a locum practitioner who—

(a) ceases to be engaged as such a practitioner and so ceases to be treated as being in pensionable service; and

(b) is re-engaged as a locum practitioner before the expiry of a period not exceeding three months from the date of such cessation.

(3) Where this paragraph applies—

(a) a locum practitioner is treated as continuing to be in qualifying service during the period of non-engagement as such a practitioner and is not required to re-join the Scheme on being re-engaged as a locum practitioner; and

(b) that period does not count as practitioner service.