NHS Employment Question - any HR advisors around?

[riddles26]

Asking for a relative as I am not under AfC myself.

When taking a career break, AfC guidance states the break is not regarded as a break in service but the break does not count towards reckonable service.

Am I correct in interpreting that the NHS continuous service then would be from the date that the person started at the trust and not from when they returned from career break.

For context, SIL moving NHS trusts. Took a 2 year break from current role under Career Break policy, returned to work in 2013 and new trust is saying the continuous service starts from date of return from break (2013) although she has been employed by them since 2007.
She is saying it would start with date of employment to trust as career break is continuous service. (Knows and understands the 2 years do not count towards sick leave, redundancy or AL entitlements). I think she is right but wondering if any HR advisor in NHS could confirm please

Call for ACAS

I'm not in HR, but I am in the NHS, and I agree with your relative.

Even when I moved trusts (having had 9.5 years break, so NOT continuous service as not on 'career break' ), I was asked to get my old trust to verify my years of service so I could keep my entitlement to extra annual leave.

When your relative has had an agreed career break within the same trust, then they have had uninterrupted employment with that trust.

At least that's how I understand the contract.

Your relative is right. Wasn’t a break in employment.

(Asst Dir HR for a NHS trust)

Thank you for replies, I will get her to make sure contract is amended before signing.
She was tempted to give up because they are taking ages to get back to each email and she really wants to hand her notice in from current role.