We have a new survey for our members. As if it’s not already complicated enough, paying your superannuation contributions might be getting harder. We’ve been getting some reports from members recently that their local PCT has been told from up high to strictly apply the 10 week LocumA form rule:
“You cannot apply to your PCT/LHB for Scheme membership for any GMS / PMS / APMS period of locum GP work that ended more than 10 weeks before the date they receive the application.”
and the 7 day LocumB form rule:
“You must complete and send a monthly form GP Locum B to your host PCT / LHB within 7 days of the end of the calendar month. For example, you should complete a July 2009 form to show all the NHS locum pay you receive from GP Practices between 1st and 31st July 2009, regardless of when the work was done, and send it to your host PCT / LHB”
Why is this such a problem? Firstly, some employing practices (with PCTs being the worst culprits) can take weeks and weeks to pay their locums and complete Form A, thus locums receive their cheques after the Locum A 10-week rule. If one then sends the Form A in late, often with other Form A’s that are within their date, the entire cheque/payment is returned and thus further jeapordising the rest of that month’s contribution.
Secondly, our Form B’s and corresponding cheque have to arrive at the PCT by the 7th of every month. PCTs bless ‘em can ONLY accept a cheque. This means that we can’t go on holiday from the 1st to the 7th on any given month. Or be ill, or be away on a course or visit granny or live in a country that celebrates religious/national festivals that last more than a day and don’t fall midweek.
The NHS superannuation people have as usual been very supportive, but unfortunately it’s the Department of Health who are in charge of the rules. As it’s the BMA who are responsible for negotiating with the Dept of Health, we’ve asked them for their advice. So far, apparently, this has not been flagged up as a problem by any BMA members, so therefore we’re conducting a short survey to find out just how widespread the problem is. Once we’ve got some more information we’ll present this to the BMA who would then like to “work closely with the NASGP” to help resolve this issue. We’d be most grateful if you could spend a minute completing the survey, and the more replies we get the more we’ll be able to do to resolve this issue.
