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The Trust recognises the long and loyal service of members of staff by the issuing of "Long Service Awards".   The Trust's Long Service (NHS) Policy was introduced on 1 April 2021 and replaced the previous policies in existence in the former South Tyneside NHSFT and City Hospitals Sunderland NHSFT.     A process to recognise length of service is undertaken twice a year (April and October) and staff will be contacted by Corporate Affairs Team who will be provided a list of eligible staff by the HR Team.    This page provides more detail regarding the awarding of long service recognition, the process that is undertaken and where queries should be directed.

Please take the time to read the full policy as well as the information contained on this page.

Awards

 

Length of Service

 

Recognition Award

 

20 years

 

Certificate from Chief Executive with £75 multi-store gift card

30 years

 

Certificate from Chief Executive with £150 multi-store gift card plus 1 week’s additional annual leave to be taken within 12 months of the award (leave will be pro-rata based on contracted hours)

or

ex gratia payment of £350 (normal tax and national insurance deductions will be made for this ex gratia payment).

40 years 

 

Certificate from Chief Executive with £200 multi-store gift card plus 1 week’s additional annual leave to be taken within 12 months of the award (leave will be pro-rata based on contracted hours)

or

ex gratia payment of £350 (normal tax and national insurance deductions will be made for this ex gratia payment).

50 years 

 

Certificate from Chief Executive with £300 multi-store gift card plus 1 week’s additional annual leave to be taken within 12 months of the award (leave will be pro-rata based on contracted hours)

or

ex gratia payment of £350 (normal tax and national insurance deductions will be made for this ex gratia payment).

 

Note - the policy indicates that recipients will be invited to a presentation event, however this has not been possible during the COVID-19 pandemic. 

Process

To be eligible for a long service award you must:

  • have completed the required continuous service within the NHS;
  • be employed by the Trust on a permanent contract of employment at the anniversary date; and
  • not have received recognition for the same length of service within another organisation.

Long service awards will not be backdated to those employees who may have joined the organisation from another Trust where length of service was not recognised and who may already have achieved or exceeded the length of service recognised by South Tyneside and Sunderland NHS Foundation Trust. 

 

We undertake the long service process twice a year:

 

  • April - for those who reach one of the long service milestones between 1 October and 31 March.
  • October - for those who reach of the long service milestones between 1 April and 30 September.

 

The Workforce Information Team will identify those members of staff who are eligible for receipt of a long service award and will verify their reckonable service record with the Trust.  This information will be shared with the Corporate Affairs Team who will contact the individuals.  You will not be contacted until after you have reached any of these milestones.

 

For more information on the process please read the full policy.

 

 

 

 

 

FAQs

Q. 

I believe I am eligible for an award but have not been contacted.  Who should I contact?

A.

All enquiries into eligibility for an award in the first instance should be sent to stsft.lengthofservicequeries@nhs.net

 

Q.

What do I receive for my award?

A

Length of

Service

Recognition Award

20 years

 

Certificate from Chief Executive with £75 multi-store gift card

 

30 years

 

Certificate from Chief Executive with £150 multi-store gift card plus 1 week’s additional annual leave to be taken within 12 months of the award (leave will be pro-rata based on contracted hours)

or

ex gratia payment of £350 (normal tax and national insurance deductions will be made for this ex gratia payment).

 

40 years

Certificate from Chief Executive with £200 multi-store gift card plus 1 week’s additional annual leave to be taken within 12 months of the award (leave will be pro-rata based on contracted hours)

or

ex gratia payment of £350 (normal tax and national insurance deductions will be made for this ex gratia payment).

 

50 years

 

Certificate from Chief Executive with £300 multi-store gift card plus 1 week’s additional annual leave to be taken within 12 months of the award (leave will be pro-rata based on contracted hours)

or

ex gratia payment of £350 (normal tax and national insurance deductions will be made for this ex gratia payment).

Q.

I see the Trust has introduced a 20 year award, am I eligible if I have, for example, 23 years’ service?

A.

Unfortunately no.  This award will only be given to those who reach 20 years’ service from 1 April 2021.  The same applies to the new 50 year award.

 

Q.

I want to opt for annual leave as part of my award - when can I take my leave – I work in an area where it needs to be rostered in.

A.

You will have 12 months to take the additional leave.

 

Q.

I have received my award but my extra leave isn’t showing in my ESR.

A.

It can take a couple of months for ESR to be updated.  If your record is not updated 3 months after receiving your certificate then please contact stsft.esrworkforceinformation@nhs.net   

 

Q.

I have received my award and have opted for the ex-gratia payment – when will it be paid.

A.

It can take a couple of months for ESR to be updated.  If your record is not updated 3 months after receiving your certificate then please contact stsft.esrworkforceinformation@nhs.net

 

Q.

I don’t have records to show all of my employment history - what if the Trust cannot verify my service?

A.

The Trust will consider other evidence that you are able to offer, such as: Pension Statements showing membership years, payroll Information, or other contracts of employment.

 

However if there are breaks of 3 months or more, when your NHS service cannot be evidenced, or there was a period  when you left and returned to NHS employment, then the Trust will total up the time that can be evidenced and base any awards on that figure (as per Section 15.106 of A4C Handbook).

 

Unfortunately, if the relevant service cannot be evidenced, then the Trust will not be able to proceed with your request

 

Q.

Is my nurse training counted as service?

A.

Where historically a bursary was awarded (pre 1989/90), then NHS service is counted.

 

Project 2000 nurses who commenced after 1989/90 will not have been employed by the NHS and as such the training cannot be counted towards service.

 

Newer nurses will have been directly contracted to the NHS and their service will be linked to their NHS Continuous Service Date on ESR

 

Q.

I missed the April round of awards – will I have to wait until the October round before I can receive my award?

A.

Yes.

 

Q.

I missed the October round of awards – will I have to wait until the April round before I can receive my award?

A.

Yes.

 

Q.

I have retired and returned – do I still qualify for a long service award.

A.

Yes – as per the definition in the policy all NHS service will count as reckonable service towards your long service award.  In some cases your Continuous Service Date is reset, however ESR records will vary if the period of break was for the following: 1 week or 3 months or 12 months.

 

Q.

I am due to retire a month after I reach my long service date.  I will have left the Trust before the award is formally issued.  Do I still qualify for my long award?  Will my award be given early?

 

A.

Yes you will be eligible.  If you are due to leave the Trust, let the Corporate Affairs team know how to get in touch with you after retirement.  Only in exceptional circumstances will awards be given early outside the presentation timetable.

Contact us

If you feel you are eligible for a long service award and have not been contacted by June and December each year, please email the Workforce Information Team (stsft.lengthofservicequeries@nhs.net) with details of your length of service and they will look into whether you are eligible to be added to the next long service process list.

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