P31
ILL HEALTH RETIREMENT: A SINGLE CENTRE DECADE LONG DEMOGRAPHIC REVIEW
Newcastle OHS, The Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust, UK
Background
1.4 million people are employed by the NHS in England, 96% of whom are in the NHS Pension Scheme. This scheme allows early retirement because of ill health for employees “incapable of discharging efficiently the duties of their employment by reasons of permanent ill-health or infirmity of mind or body”. This study explores the demographic data across the last 10 years at our Tertiary NHS centre of those who have applied for ill health retirement.
Aims
- To identify trends within ill health retirement applications in terms of age, gender, illness class and role over the last decade
- To statistically analyse this change in demographic data over time
Methods
The data was collected from our internally held database of applications. From this information further data was extracted from our medical notes in terms of applicant age, gender, job role, banding, illness type and outcome of application.
Results
Across the ten years the numbers of applications have increased beyond that expected given the increase in employee levels at the trust. In total 159 individuals applied for Ill Health Retirement and the majority of these applications centred around a musculoskeletal condition (40) with cancer (35) and psychiatric (24) aetiologies following closely.
Conclusion
Rates of early retirement were higher in jobs likely to involve more manual labour and lower job banding. This may reflect a higher incidence of work related injuries in these jobs and lack of progression. Alternatively, musculoskeletal conditions leading to incapacity may preclude return to manual work or promotion.
References:
- Accessed 3rd February 2024 via https://www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/sites/default/files/2018-05/NHS%20Pensions%20Service%20Charter%20-%20%28V4%29%2005.2018%20.pdf
- Pattani S, Constantinovici N, Williams S. Who retires early from the NHS because of ill health and what does it cost? A national cross sectional study. BMJ. 2001 Jan 27;322(7280):208-9. doi: 10.1136/bmj.322.7280.208. PMID: 11159617; PMCID: PMC26586.
