NHS trusts lost employee details. Is anyone able to advise on who to contact

sugarbabe84

I used to work for the NHS and last year I was trying to track down some details from my employee records. It turns out two of the trusts have lost my employment details.


There were literally no records of my employment. I emailed them to request this information and got no response from both trusts.


It means, even if I wanted a reference or any other record I wouldn't be able to get my details. In this instance I wanted to get my payroll number from both employments.


Given that they ignored my email requesting this information. I am wondering which body I would need to contact for help with this.

da_rule

You could do a subject access request, requesting all information they hold on you.

Other options:
1) Old payslips/P60's/P45's?
2) If you know (or can find out) what tax office they use they may still have some information on file including your unique payroll ID.

Savvy_Sue

sugarbabe84 wrote: »

I used to work for the NHS and last year I was trying to track down some details from my employee records. It turns out two of the trusts have lost my employment details.

There were literally no records of my employment. I emailed them to request this information and got no response from both trusts.

It means, even if I wanted a reference or any other record I wouldn't be able to get my details. In this instance I wanted to get my payroll number from both employments.

Given that they ignored my email requesting this information. I am wondering which body I would need to contact for help with this.

There's a difference between not responding to an email, and losing your records so that there's no trace of you having worked there. Have you phoned and been told this?

agrinnall

I agree with sue that as written there's no evidence that the records have been lost. But assuming they have, one question for you is how long ago is it that you worked for the two trusts? I'm not sure how long staff records have to be kept by law but I doubt if it's more than 6 years.

sugarbabe84

da_rule wrote: »

You could do a subject access request, requesting all information they hold on you.

Other options:
1) Old payslips/P60's/P45's?
2) If you know (or can find out) what tax office they use they may still have some information on file including your unique payroll ID.

Thanks for responding, that's really useful. I've lost all the P60s and P45s.


I'll try option II


Thank you.

sugarbabe84

Savvy_Sue wrote: »

There's a difference between not responding to an email, and losing your records so that there's no trace of you having worked there. Have you phoned and been told this?

I spoke to them on the phone in real time and they were not able to trace my records. In the end I had to email them to request this information and they never responded.

sugarbabe84

agrinnall wrote: »

I agree with sue that as written there's no evidence that the records have been lost. But assuming they have, one question for you is how long ago is it that you worked for the two trusts? I'm not sure how long staff records have to be kept by law but I doubt if it's more than 6 years.

I left one of them in 2008


and left the other one in 2009.


Interestingly, the first trust I ever worked for in 2007 still has my records and they were able to give me all the information I needed.

bap98189

sugarbabe84 wrote: »

I left one of them in 2008


and left the other one in 2009.


Interestingly, the first trust I ever worked for in 2007 still has my records and they were able to give me all the information I needed.

So you left 8 years ago. In that case, it is unlikely they even have your records. They will only keep them for a certain period of time after you cease to be employed.

They actually have an obligation to destroy them as the Data Protection Act says that "data and records should only be stored for as long as they are useful". It is up to the organisation to determine how long they keep them, but the usual recommended period for keeping employee records is 5 years.

polgara

Why do you need your original payroll ID - its only useful for that organisation.

sugarbabe84

polgara wrote: »

Why do you need your original payroll ID - its only useful for that organisation.

It turns out the student loans company has no records of me ever having paid my student loan prior to 2011 and yet it used to come out of my salary when I was in the NHS as I was already past the threshold.


They say the only way they can find out is through the payroll number.

sugarbabe84

da_rule wrote: »

You could do a subject access request, requesting all information they hold on you.

Other options:
1) Old payslips/P60's/P45's?
2) If you know (or can find out) what tax office they use they may still have some information on file including your unique payroll ID.

I've just spoken to HMRC and they have been helpful with some information.


thanks again.