In-employment frequently asked questions
University Students - please speak to your university to request for this information to be entered/updated for you. Please could you also email the COVID Recruitment Team: covid19recruitment@nes.scot.nhs.uk to make them aware so that they can arrange for the necessary payroll paperwork to be completed.
For all other staff groups: please email the 'Central Allocation Team': scotland@nhs.net to request for this information to be entered/updated for you. Please could you also email the COVID Recruitment Team: covid19recruitment@nes.scot.nhs.uk to make them aware so that they can arrange for the necessary payroll paperwork to be completed.
If you notice that you are recorded in Turas as being a COVID Nursing/ Midwifery Student but are an Allied Health Professional (AHP) student for example, please email the 'Central Allocation Team': scotland@nhs.net to request for this information updated for you.
The Proof of Employment is not available via TURAS People for those returning to work in NHS Scotland or social care, or for those students working during the Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
To avoid confusion, we will be removing this option from TURAS People.
You will receive a Placement Detail letter from your Employing Board in due course. This will include confirmation of your Key Worker Status.
Your contract will be issued as soon as possible after all of your pre-employment checks are complete and you have been matched to a post. The contract will be sent to you electronically via email, and you will be provided with instructions to log on to Turas People to confirm your acceptance.
Your fixed term contract will be issued with an initial end date of 30 September 2020.
If you are required to attend an induction prior to you starting work, details of this will be provided to you by your employer.
Details confirming your line manager will be issued to you by your employing Health Board.
Details confirming your pay date will be provided to you by your employing Health Board.
The holiday year runs from 1 April to 31 March.
Your annual leave entitlement is calculated based on your contracted hours and length of continued service with the NHS. Annual leave entitlement for Agenda for Change staff is as below (pro-rata for part time staff)
Length of service Annual Leave + Public Holidays
On appointment 202.5 + 60 hours (27 + 8 days)
After 5 years’ service 217.5 + 60 hours (29 + 8 days)
After 10 years’ service 247.5 + 60 hours (33 + 8 days)
Annual leave entitlement for staff on Medical and Dental terms and conditions is 30 days annual leave, plus 10 days public holidays.
All types of leave and overtime must be approved by your line manager.
For further guidance on how to request annual leave, please speak to your employing Health Board or line manager.
Students employed directly by NES can record annual leave here
Please see here for a letter confirming the Joint Statement on the application of Contractual Provisions for junior doctors and dentists in Scotland during the Covid-19 pandemic which provides more information on annual leave i.e. that you can carry this forward into your new rotation or take payment for the annual leave.
Individuals who have not retired but return to NHS service are automatically enrolled into the NHS Pension Scheme when they re-enter NHS employment with an NHS organisation. This is a statutory requirement.
Membership of the NHS Pension Scheme is voluntary, and you can opt out if you wish. If you opt out within the first pay period after starting NHS employment, you will be treated as having never joined the scheme.
High earners should keep in mind any potential pension tax implications of building up further pension, for example, you may have a protected lifetime allowance limit.
Further details on opting out of the pension can be found here.
If you have already taken your pension, the Coronavirus Act 2020 put in place by the UK Government has removed any restrictions on the amount of work you can do without losing any of your pension during the emergency.
If you retired from the 1995 NHS Pension Scheme, you will no longer be limited to having to work 16 hours a week in the first four weeks after retirement.
For staff who want to take partial retirement from the 2008 and 2015 pension schemes, you will not be required to reduce your pay in order to claim pension.
If you are a Special Class scheme member with the right to take you pension unreduced at age 55, you will no longer be subject to the current restrictions, called abatement, in the amount of work you are allowed to do before losing your pension between the ages 55 and 60. This new rule will apply to both retired staff returning to the NHS and those who have already returned to work.
Please see the Coronavirus Act 2020 – retired NHS staff returning to work page on the Scottish Public Pensions Agency website (www.pensions.gov.scot) for more information on the changes which have been made to pension rules in response to Covid-19.
All NES policies can be accessed on the Turas Hub.
Please report any absences from work in line with the relevant Attendance Policy for your health board.
If you are unfit for work due to Covid-19, this should be recorded as either “Special Leave – Coronavirus Self isolating” or “Special Leave – COVID-19 Positive”.
As recently set out by the Scottish Government, if you become unwell with Covid-19 and need to be absent from work, you will be treated as though you have five or more years’ service, and will therefore have access to up to six months sick leave on full pay.
The need for this measure will be kept under review and will be withdrawn at the point at which it is considered to no longer be required.
The supply and availability of PPE is a key concern for health and social care staff as we respond to the Covid-19 pandemic. It is essential that all staff are aware of what PPE is available to them and who to contact locally if they need to raise any concerns or issues relating to PPE.
Revised PPE guidance is now available which outlines what PPE frontline health and social care workers should be wearing in different settings and scenarios, and can be found here;
If employees have any questions or concerns relating to the accessibility of appropriate PPE these should be raised locally via normal processes in the first instance.
Staff who are employed by NES but working in clinical placements are advised to raise their concerns or questions with their placement Board.
If you were unable to find the answer to your question on these pages regarding your employment, please contact the Covid-19 recruitment team (Covid19recruitment@nes.scot.nhs.uk).
Additional HR guidance in relation to Covid-19 can be found here:
Temporary NHS Scotland Life Assurance Scheme
Scottish Ministers have introduced an NHS Scotland temporary life assurance scheme. The Scheme Rules and details of the applications process have now been published on the Scottish Public Pensions Agency website.
Are you an NHS staff member experiencing financial hardship during COVID-19?
If you are experiencing financial hardship then you can get support from Scotland's Citizen Advice helpline. You can find out information about accessing your local money advice service through the local authority in which you reside by checking out your council website.
Key Worker Status Letter
Please download this letter as confirmation of your status as undertaking a key duty. You should carry this letter with you at all times when undertaking duties and produce it on request
NES understands that Covid-19 may be a cause of anxiety for some and will do all it can to support colleagues.
NES provides an Employee Assistance Programme (ICAS) with access to a 24-hour telephone counselling service – Freephone 24 hours a day, 365 days a year 0800 072 7 072, or visit: www.axabesupported.co.uk and enter:
- Username: educationscotland
- Password: supported
In addition, there are online resources available that might be of use to colleagues who are feeling anxious about coronavirus, including:
- Coronavirus and your wellbeing
- Coronavirus anxiety: How to cope if you are feeling anxious about the outbreak
For those who may have caring responsibilities, Carers Scotland/Carers UK have provided the following useful links:
NES understands that isolation can increase tension in the home and escalate a domestic violence situation. NES has a Gender-Based Violence Policy, which details how staff can disclose instances of domestic abuse to their line manager and/or their HR Business Partner to access support within the workplace.
Any member of staff experiencing domestic abuse during the Covid-19 lockdown can also access immediate help through the following organisations;
Helpline for women experiencing domestic abuse
Support available 24 hours on: 0800 027 1234
Live online chat also available via website
Helpline for men experiencing domestic abuse
Freephone: 0808 8010 327
Monday: 9am – 8pm
Tuesday: 9am – 5pm
Wednesday: 9am – 8pm
Thursday: 9am – 5pm
Friday: 9am – 5pm
Live online chat also available via website
Helpline for LGBT people experiencing domestic abuse
Support available on 0800 999 5428
Monday: 10am – 5pm
Tuesday: 10am – 5pm (1pm – 5pm is trans specific service)
Wednesday: 10am – 8pm
Thursday: 10am – 8pm
Friday: 10am – 5pm
Sexual violence helpline
Freephone 08088 01 03 02
Open 7 days a week 6pm – midnight
In addition, staff and their family can access the free confidential counselling service provided by our Employee Assistance Programme (ICAS) detailed above.
Your employing board will confirm the process for submitting your timesheet
For nursing students employed by NES and working in a Non NHS placement, you can access the timesheet and guidance here. An overview of the process and payroll deadlines can be found here.
For details of how to create an account the first time you contact the NES Finance Service Desk please see here.