NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE, ENGLAND AND WALES Citation and commencement 1 These Regulations may be cited as the National Health Service Pension Scheme (Amendment) Regulations 1997 and shall come into force on 1st September 1997. Amendment of the National Health Service Pension Scheme Regulations 1995 2 The National Health Service Pension Scheme Regulations 1995 shall be amended in accordance with regulations 3 to 7 below. Amendment to regulation A2—interpretation 3 1 After the definition of “the previous regulations” in regulation A2 insert the following definition— “the 1977 Act ” means the National Health Service Act 1977; . 2 In the definition of “employing authority”— a in sub-paragraph (c) delete “and” where it last appears; b in sub-paragraph (d) after “scheme” delete “;” and insert “, and”; c after sub-paragraph (d) insert the following sub-paragraph— e a registered medical practitioner whose name is included in a list kept pursuant to regulations made under section 29 of the 1977 Act, working either as a sole practitioner, or a group of such practitioners acting jointly, whether or not practising in a partnership, in respect of the employment of practice staff; . 3 After the definition of “personal pension scheme” insert the following definition— “practice staff” means persons (other than assistants, associates or trainee practitioners) employed by a registered medical practitioner whose name is included in a list kept pursuant to regulations made under section 29 of the 1977 Act, working as a sole practitioner, or by a group of such practitioners acting jointly, whether or not practising in a partnership, to assist with the provision of general medical services in accordance with arrangements made under section 29 of the 1977 Act; . Amendment to regulation E3—early retirement pension (redundancy etc ) 4 After regulation E3(2) insert the following paragraph— 3 This regulation shall not apply to practice staff. . Amendment to regulation E4—early retirement pension (employer’s consent) 5 After regulation E4(2) insert the following paragraph— 3 This regulation shall not apply to practice staff. . Amendment to regulation R5—part-time employment 6 After regulation R5(4) insert the following paragraph— 4A “A single comparable whole-time employment” in paragraph 4 means the number of hours, half-days or sessions which the Secretary of State determines would constitute a single comparable whole-time pensionable employment. . Amendment of Schedule 2 7 1 In the definition of “assistant practitioner” in paragraph 1 of Schedule 2, delete the words from “and” to “required” inclusive, and insert “or who is participating in the Doctors' Retainer Scheme”. 2 After the definition of “Dental Practice Board” in paragraph 1 of Schedule 2, insert the following definition— “Doctors' Retainer Scheme” has the same meaning as given at paragraph 39 of the Statement published in accordance with regulation 34 of the National Health Service (General Medical Services) Regulations 1992; . Signed by authority of the Secretary of State for Health. Alan Milburn Minister of State, Department of Health 28th July 1997 We consent to the making of these Regulations Jim Dowd Bob Ainsworth Lords Commissioners of Her Majesty’s Treasury 30th July 1997