NHS Pensions - Request for retention Mental Health
Officer (MHO) and Special Class (SC) status
Completion guidance for form SMR
Retention of Mental Health Officer (MHO) and or Special Class (SC) status is only relevant to nurse
grades that move to a more managerial role.
Please read the factsheets for a detailed explanation regarding eligibility criteria which are available
on our website at: www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/nhs-pensions
Retention of MHO/SC status cannot be considered for:

any membership of the 2008 Section or 2015 Scheme

members of the 1995 Section who have never held MHO/SC status prior to 6 March 1995

members holding MHO/SC status but who have a break in pensionable employment of any
one period of five years or more after 6 March 1995

Medical and Dental Practitioner employment.

any member moving to non MHO/SC duties or where the status was not held in the job
immediately prior to the period being queried for retention.
(This list is not exhaustive and other exclusions may apply)
This form should not be used for MHO queries relating to the following grades:
 Trainee / qualified Clinical Psychologists – refer to the SM215.
 Automatic grades nursing (non managerial) and doctors – refer to the SM333.
 All other grades – refer to the SM1.
SMR form submission
Option 1 – Complete if you (the employer) have made a decision regarding retention.
Option 2 – Complete if you require help from NHS Pensions with decision making and remember to
enclose the relevant job descriptions.
NHS Pensions will reply back to the enquirer to confirm if retention of SC and or MHO status is
accepted and amend the capacity code and MHO status where applicable.
The form must not be passed to the employee to complete.
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Employer Address
NHS Pensions
PO Box 2269
Bolton
BL6 9JS
EA Code:
EA Ref:
Date:
NHS Pensions – Request for Retention MHO/SC status on promotion to a
manager (SMR)
Member’s full name
SD number
Employment start date
NI number
End date / last update
Job title
Place of work
Retention claimed from
Retention of Mental Health Officer (MHO) and/or Special Class (SC) status on promotion to a
manager is only relevant to nurses.
Note - This form must not be used for MHO queries relating to the following grades:
 Trainee / qualified Clinical Psychologists – refer to the SM215.
 Automatic grades nursing (non managerial) and doctors – refer to the SM333.
 All other grades – refer to the SM1.
The form must not be passed to the employee to complete.
Please read the SC and/or MHO factsheets for a detailed explanation regarding retention. These
are available on our website at: www.nhsbsa.nhs.uk/nhs-pensions.
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SD No.
Important – Retention for managers at the grade of Nursing Director or above must be passed to
NHS Pensions for a decision.
Option 1:
As the employer, we have made the decision regarding retention and only require confirmation of
eligibility from NHS Pensions where being accepted.
Retention accepted
Tick as appropriate
Retention rejected
SC status
MHO status
Option 2:
As the employer we require NHS Pensions help with the decision to grant retention.
Decision help required
Tick as appropriate
Job descriptions attached
SC status
MHO status
I certify the above is correct
Signature
Official position
Date
/
/
The member should not be notified of any decision to grant retention until you receive confirmation
from NHS Pensions that this has been accepted.
Remember to enclose a copy of the current, and where possible the previous job description and
person specification for the job when completing option 2.
Yours sincerely
Service Team
NHS Pensions
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