HOSPITAL workers have 'no choice' but to pick up a pension- and go back to work.

Figures show that dozens people who retired from Dorset County Hospital in the last four years have been re-employed.

Unions say inadequate pay has led to inadequate pensions and in many cases employees have 'no choice' but to continue working in to old age.

UNion members say they have been forced totake industrial action last year in an ongoing pay dispute.

Helen Eccles, Unison South West head of health, said there may be more walkouts because the Government refuses to negotiate.

As pension is based on final salary, inadequate pay leads to inadequate pension and former NHS workers can't live on what's being offered, she said.

“These are quite physically demanding roles and there is a fear the staff are no longer capable when they are working in to old age,” said Helen.

“The health service pension is based on final salary and the fact is there has not been a real term pay increase for years.

“This year, 40 percent had a one percent increase, but in real terms everyone has had a pay cut.

“Pay does have an impact on pension. The pension is declining and the situation is getting worse.”

The NHS typically pays one percent below the national average. Similar employers pay six percent above national average.

Under the NHS Business Services Authority's HR policy, employees 'have the option to retire from service and take all their pension benefits before returning to NHS employment.'

Dorset County Hospital is unable to provide the jobs or pay scale of the individuals who came back to work due to data protection.

Eighteen of the re-employed workers returned on a different pay scale, although the hospital can not say whether it was higher or lower than their original wage.

Gabby Dowds-Quinn, Royal College of Midwives regional officer, said: “It is a really big concern. Can a midwife be delivering babies at the age of 68? That is the age midwives in their 20s and 30s will now work to.

“There are a lot of people who are retiring and coming back across the whole of the NHS.

“Despite the public's perception that the NHS pension is a gravy train, some really serious and significant changes have been made. It is significantly less than it was.”

Figures obtained by the Dorset Echo show that 52 people returned to work at Dorset County Hospital in the past four years after retiring and drawing a pension.

They worked for a variety of departments but unions said that they were skilled people who did invaluable work and were simply not paid well enough to accrue a pension they could live on in old age.

New pension arrangements are to be introduced into all public sector pension schemes including the NHS Scheme from April 1.

The main features of the new NHS Scheme include: • A Career Average Revalued Earnings (CARE) scheme, with benefits based on a proportion of pensionable earnings each year during an employee’s career

• A build up rate of 1/54th of each year’s pensionable earnings with no limit on the number of years that can be taken into account. This is a higher build up rate than both the 1995 and 2008 sections of the NHS Scheme

• Revaluation of active members’ benefits in line with inflation, currently the Consumer Price Index (CPI), plus 1.5 per cent per annum

• A normal pension age at which benefits can be claimed without reduction for early payment linked to the same age staff are entitled to claim the State Pension.