Nurses and therapists providing community services are to be given a "right to request" to opt out of direct NHS employment and sell their services back to the NHS through non-profit organisations and social enterprises, writes Nicholas Timmins .

The move will be recommended by Lord Darzi in his next stage NHS review on Monday. Such staff will be allowed to remain part of the NHS pension scheme. Uncertainty over whether they could do so has until now meant that few have made the move.