Glossary of terms: NHS jargon
A
Acute
Services (usually in-patient) which treat patients for a
certain condition for a short time.
Acute Rapid Onset
Severe symptoms and brief duration.
ADHD
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder
Advocacy
A dictionary definition of ‘advocacy’ tells us that an
advocate is:
Citizen advocacy: Means speaking up for someone else.
Unpaid volunteers who try to represent the interests and concerns of their
partner as if they were their own, but do not make decision for their partner.
They must be independent of people providing care or services for their partner.
Legal advocacy: Possibly a solicitor or a barrister or an advice worker.
They give advice so that people can speak up for themselves.
Collective
advocacy: A group of people working together to speak out for what they
want. Some organisations undertake collective advocacy - eg, MENCAP, Mind,
Cambridgeshire Independent Advocacy Service, trade unions.
Peer advocacy: Help
and support from people with a similar background or experience to your own.
Professional advocacy: Someone who is paid to provide support and advice,
independent of any services used. They will have professional skills and
knowledge and a good knowledge of local services.
AHP
Allied Health Professional
Alzheimer's disease
Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia,
which describes the loss of mental abilities, such as memory and reasoning.
Anorexia
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder and a mental health
condition. People who have anorexia have problems with eating. They are very
anxious about their weight. They keep it as low as possible, by strictly
controlling and limiting what they eat.
Anti-psychotic drugs
Drugs used to treat psychosis, including schizophrenia and
mania. They also have tranquillising effects reducing agitation.
Approved Mental Health Professional
Someone who has had specific training in the legal aspects
of mental health assessment and treatment. AMPHs are approved by their local
authority social services department to organise and carry out assessments under
the Mental Health Act 1983 (MHA).
Approved Social Workers (ASWs)
Social workers specifically approved and appointed under
Section 114 of the Mental Health Act 1983 by a local social services authority
‘for the purposes of discharging the functions conferred upon them by this Act’.
One of the most important is to carry out assessments under the Act and to
function as applicant in cases where compulsory admission is deemed necessary.
Before being appointed, social workers must undertake post-qualifying training
approved by the Central Council for Education and Training in Social Work
(CCETSW).
Area Child Protection Committee (ACPC)
Members from all local statutory agencies working with
children, with an independent chair who must ensure that all children are
protected from significant harm, including responsibility for establishing good
local policies and practices and ensuring they are adhered to.
Art therapy
Difficult feelings can often be more easily accessed
through using imagination and creativity rather than thinking and talking. In
art therapy sessions, you are encouraged to freely express your difficult
thoughts and feelings using a variety of materials. This can help you to
understand difficult feelings, and to change patterns of how you relate them to
yourself, and to others. Music therapists, drama therapists and dance and
movement therapists work in a similar way using other forms of expression.
Assertive outreach /assertive community treatment
/intensive case management
Ensuring those most in need of specialist mental health
care remain in touch with services.
Atypical (novel) antipsychotic drugs
Range of newer and more expensive antipsychotic drugs used
in the treatment of psychosis, most commonly schizophrenia.
Audit
A continuous process of assessment, evaluation and
adjustment
Audit Commission (AC)
Appoints and regulates the external auditors of statutory
authorities, including the NHS. Role to promote proper stewardship of public
finances and helping managers to achieve economy, effectiveness and efficiency.
Audit Committee
Trust’s own committee monitoring Trust’s performance,
probity and accountability.
Auditors
Undertake detailed examinations of all aspects of health
care performance, including financial performance.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)
Autism spectrum disorder is a behaviourally defined
syndrome characterised by communication impairments, social interaction problems
and unusual interest patterns and/or stereotyped behaviour. It occurs in about
1% of children and often gives rise to serious lifelong disabilities that cause
considerable suffering and distress to individuals and their families.
Accident and
Emergency
B
Baseline
The continuous
level of funding, year on year, before additional resources are taken into
account.
BAMM
British Association
of Medical Managers.
BC
British Continuity
BMA
British Medical
Association.
BME
Black and Ethnic
Minorities.
BTE
Behind the Ear
Hearing Aids
C
Caldicott Guardian
Each NHS organisation has a nominated ‘Caldicott Guardian’
responsible for ensuring the Trust complies with the Caldicott principles. These
aim to ensure the protection of patient’s right to privacy, dignity and
confidentiality.
CAMHS
Used as shorthand to describe Child and Adolescent Mental
Health Services. There are four different levels of services for children and
adolescents with mental health problems - these are described as Tiers 1, 2, 3
or 4.
Care co-ordinator/key worker
The person who is responsible for making sure that your
care is properly planned and you get the help you need. They will usually work
with a community mental health team and will be the person you see most often.
They will usually be a Community Psychiatric Nurse, social worker or
occupational therapist.
Capital
Spending on land and premises and provision, adaptation,
renewal, replacement or demolition of buildings, equipment and vehicles.
Care pathway
Patient’s journey through primary care, specialist and
community services to discharge/continuing care.
Care plan
A plan for your care over the next few weeks or months. It
should be written down and you should have a copy. If you think it is wrong, or
something is missing, you can ask for it to be changed.
Care Programme Approach (CPA) / care management
The CPA provides a framework for care co-ordination. The
main elements are a care co-ordinator, a written care plan, and at higher levels
regular reviews by the multi-disciplinary team and integration with the care
management system. Involves assessment of need, care planning and the
organisation of care packages within available resources.
Care Quality Commission
The CQC is
the independent regulator of health and social care in England. It regulates
care provided by the NHS, local authorities, private companies and voluntary
organisations. It aims to make sure better care is provided for everyone - in
hospitals, care homes and people's own homes. It also seeks to protect the
interests of people whose rights are restricted under the Mental Health Act.
CAS
Contained Air Solutions - safety cabinets used to hold or
contain micobiological samples.
Caseload
A volume or list of patient referrals belonging to a
healthcare professional.
Carers
Relatives or friends who voluntarily look after individuals
who are sick, disabled, vulnerable or frail.
CCG
Clinical Commissioning Groups are groups of General
Practices that work together to plan and design local health services in
England. They do this by 'commissioning' or buying health and care services.
CCORT
Critical Care Outreach Team
CCU
Critical Care Unit
CDU
Clinical Decisions Unit
C-Diff
Clostridium Difficile - a type of bacterial infection that
can affect the digestive system.
CEO
Chief Executive Officer
Chaplain
The Trust’s chaplaincy service can help you to contact an
appropriate representative of your faith. There are chapels at some of our sites
that can be used for private prayer or religious services.
Choose and Book
Enabling patients to book appointments at point of referral
with a choice of time and date
Clinical governance
How we make sure we carry out treatments safely and
effectively and encourage a culture of excellence in our staff to continuously
improve quality of care.
Clinical trial
A research study to answer specific questions about new
therapies or new ways of using known treatments. Clinical trials are used to
determine whether new drugs or treatments are both safe and effective.
Clinician
A term which is used to describe someone who provides care
and treatment to patients, such as a nurse, psychiatrist or psychologist.
Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT)
A 'talking treatment' which helps you to see how early
relationships and experiences have affected how you see yourself, other people
and how you behave. It usually takes about 16 weekly sessions and focuses on a
problem that is important for you.
Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)
A form of psychological therapy based on learning theory
principles used mostly in depression but increasingly shown to be a useful part
of the treatment for schizophrenia.
Commissioning
Identifying health needs of local people, planning and
purchasing health services which respond to their needs. Primary Care Trusts are
responsible for deciding what services their local residents need from the NHS
and buy these services with public money from the most appropriate providers.
Commissioning for Quality and Innovation (CQUIN)
The CQUIN payment framework enables commissioners to reward excellence, by
linking a proportion of English healthcare providers' income to the achievement
of local quality improvement goals.
Community care
A network of services provided by the NHS, social services
and volunteers designed to keep people independent, and to support elderly
people or people with mental health problems or learning disabilities who might
previously have been in hospital.
Community mental health team
Multi-disciplinary team offering specialist assessment,
treatment and care to people in their own homes and the community.
Community Psychiatric Nurse (CPN)
A nurse who has been trained to help people with mental
health problems and who works in the community, instead of in a hospital.
Co-morbidity
The simultaneous presence of two or more disorders, often
refers to combination of severe mental illness, substance misuse, learning
disability and personality disorder. The term dual diagnosis or complex needs
may also be used.
Complementary therapies
A wide range of treatments which can add something to
conventional treatment - e.g., Reiki, Indian head massage, aromatherapy, dance
and movement etc.
Consultant Psychiatrist
The medical doctor with specialist experience and
qualifications in mental illness and emotional disorders that has overall
responsibility for your care. This includes your medication and other activities
you may take part in whilst in hospital.
Contacts
Patient contact details or contact times - eg, face-to-face
meetings, first assessment. Or details of family or friends who may provide a
point of reference in support of patient care.
CHD
Coronary Heart Disease
CIP
Cost Improvement Programme
Corporate governance
The system by which organisations are directed and
controlled. The principles of corporate governance are openness, integrity and
accountability.
CPD
Continuing Professional Development
CPR
Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation
CQUIN
Commissioning for Quality and Innovation - a framework
aiming to secure improvements in quality of services and better outcomes for
patients, whilst also maintaining strong financial management.
CRS
Central Resource Service
Crisis resolution/home treatment service (CRHT)
New models of care for people with severe and enduring
mental illness
D
DAAT
Drug and Alcohol Action Teams (multi-agency)
Dementia
Dementia is a syndrome (a group of related symptoms) that
is associated with an ongoing decline of the brain and its abilities.
Depression
When you're depressed, you may have feelings of extreme
sadness that can last for a long time. These feelings are severe enough to
interfere with your daily life, and can last for weeks or months, rather than
days. Depression is quite common, and about 15% of people will have a bout of
severe depression at some point in their lives.
DGH
District General Hospital
DoH
Department of Health
Diagnostic Tests
Tests which help determine the nature of a disorder or
illness, for example x-rays, laboratory tests.
DiP
Drug Intervention Programme (multi-agency)
Disengagement
Loss of contact with services by the service user.
DNA
Did not attend. Used to indicate if a person did not attend
a scheduled meeting, activity or engagement.
DNAR
Do Not Attempt Resuscitation
DQ
Data quality.
ECG
Heart Tracing
ENT
Ear, Nose and Throat
EPAU
Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit
Equal opportunity
Aims to ensure the workforce is representative of the local
community.
ERAS
Enhanced Recovery Programme after Surgery
ESR
Electronic Staff Record
ETD
Education, Training and Development
Elective Surgery
An operation which is planned ahead and for which the
patient will be given a date to be admitted to hospital.
FDT
First Definitive Treatment - the first clinical
intervention intended to manage a service user's disease, condition or injury
and avoid further clinical interventions.
FCE
Finished Consultants Episode
FOI
Freedom of Information
Forensic Service
Specialist health services for offenders with mental health
problems.
Foundation Trust status
A new kind of public service organisation. Based on mutual
traditions, they are established as ‘public benefit corporations’ with new
freedoms to innovate and forge partnerships in the public interest and
governance arrangements designed to help trusts better reflect the needs of the
communities they serve.
GDC
General Dental
Council
General Practitioner (GP)
Your local doctor - or family doctor - who will usually be
the first person you see if you have a physical illness or emotional problem.
They can help you directly but can also refer you on for specialist care or
assessment. Many GPs have a community psychiatric nurse, psychiatrist or
counsellor who works at the GP surgery.
GMC
General Medical Council
GMS
General Medical Services
Grade 3-4 pressure ulcers
Classification of pressure ulcer severity as defined by the
European Pressure Ulcer Advisory Panel and recommended for use by the National
Institute for Health and Care Excellence
Health and Social Care (HASC) Scrutiny Committees
Local Authority scrutiny committees made up of councillors
and members – responsible for reviewing local services. Specifically health
overview and scrutiny committee reviews performance of local health services.
HCC
Health Care Commission
HDA
Health Development Agency
HDU
High Dependency Unit
Healthcare Associated Infections
These are infections that occur in a health care setting
that were not present before the patient entered the care setting.
Healthcare professional
Generic identification of CPFT staff who are qualified to
administer mental health or community health care services.
Health of the Nation Outcome Score (HoNOS)
A way of measuring how well someone is doing in their
treatment and recovery.
Health promotion
Giving people and communities the resources and information
they need to make choices about their help and to make their environment safer.
Healthcare governance
How we make sure we carry out treatments safely and
effectively and encourage a culture of excellence in our staff to continuously
improve quality of care
HES
Health Episode Statistics
HIA
Health Impact Assessment
Home treatment
Home treatment (sometimes called crisis resolution) is a
way of helping people at home rather than in hospital. This can help to avoid
the stress, anxiety and upheaval that can happen with a hospital admission. This
can include daily or twice daily visits, and help with medication and sorting
out practical matters such as accommodation and shopping.
HPA
Health Protection Agency
HSC
Health Service Circular (House of Commons) Health Select
Committee
HSE
Health and Safety Executive
IC
Information
Commissioner
ICAS
Independent
Complaints Advocacy Service
ICT
Information, Communication and Technology.
ICU
Intensive Care Unit
IG
Information Governance
IGT
Information Governance Toolkit - an online system that
allows NHS organisations and partners to assess themselves against Department of
Health information governance policies and standards.
Improving Working Lives (IWL)
An NHS accolade recognising achievement of a set of
national standards focusing on implementation of modern employment practices and
providing staff with a flexible work/life balance.
Incidence
The number of people who get a particular illness or suffer
a particular disability.
Inpatient
Someone who stays in hospital to receive care and
treatment.
Independent sector
Voluntary sector, charitable and private care providers.
Intermediate care
Care provided as an alternative to in-patient carer. Also
allows patients to be safely discharged from hospital and complete their
recovery at home or other suitable place.
Investor in People (IIP)
Recognition of commitment to training with objectives and
personal development plans for all staff.
IPR
Individual Performance Review
ITE
In the Ear hearing aids
KPI
Key Performance
Indicator
L
LA’s
Learning
Authorities
Learning disabilities
If someone has a learning disability, it means that they
may find it more difficult to learn, understand and communicate. Learning
disabilities are not a "mental illness", but can be caused by many illness or
problems before or during birth, or that develop during childhood or as the
result of an illness.
Learning Disability Partnerships (LDPs)
Responsible for commissioning and providing health and
social care services for all adults with a learning disability. The LDP Boards
in Peterborough and Cambridgeshire were set up in 2001. They bring together a
range of partners, including people with a learning disability and their family
carers, with a responsibility for implementing the programme of developments
from the White Paper Valuing People.
LMC
Local Medical Committee
Local Involvement Networks (LINks)
The aim of LINKs is to give people an opportunity to
communicate their views about how their health and social care services are
delivered. LINks are created and run by local people to monitor local services.
Local Strategic Partnerships
A single body bringing together at local level the
different parts of the public sector, private, business, community and voluntary
sectors to support each other and work together to improve the economic, social
and environmental well-being of the local population.
Looked After Children (LAC)
Looked After Children are provided with somewhere to live
by social services for more than 24 hours, as a result of a court order, or
after agreement with their parents. Children become 'looked after' when their
birth parents are unable to provide ongoing, temporary or permanent, care.
LSP
Local Service Provider
MAPPA
Multi-Agency Public Protection (Panel) Arrangements
MDA
Medical Device Agency
Mental health
An individual’s ability to manage and cope with the
stresses and challenges of life.
Mental Health Act 1983
Concerns the reception, care and treatment of mentally
disordered persons, the management of their property and other related matters.
Mental Health Act Committee
This body ensures the compliance with the Mental Health Act
1983 throughout the Trust encompassing advice on policies and procedures.
Mental health organisations
Health and social care commissioners and providers of
specialist mental health care, including independent sector providers.
Mental Health Minimum Data Set
The Mental Health Minimum Data Set (MHMDS) contains
record-level data about the care of adults and older people using secondary
mental health services.
MHAC
Mental Health Act Commission
MHRA
Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency
MMC
Modernising Medical Careers
MMR
Mumbles, Measles, Rubella
Modern Matron
The Modern Matron role is a new nursing role that was
announced in the NHS Plan. A Modern Matron is a skilled, clinically experienced
nurse who is empowered to bring about improvements to the patient experience in
inpatient settings. The Modern Matron role provides nursing and
multi-disciplinary leadership to a ward or a small group of wards and will build
on the strengths and good practice within inpatient nursing care. Modern Matrons
will be visible, accessible and focused on improving the experience of service
users.
Morbidity
Illness or disability
Monitor
The independent regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts.
MRI
Magnetic Resonance Imaging
MRSA
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus - a type of
bacterial infection that is resistant to a number of widely used antibiotics.
Multi-disciplinary team
A team of health and social care staff. It includes
professionals such as nurses, doctors, social workers, psychologists and
benefits workers. It can also include service users and non-professionals in
certain jobs.
Named nurse
The nurse with special responsibility for you when you are
in hospital. He/she will work closely with you and your consultant to design
your care plan and review its progress. Also known as a primary nurse.
NAO
National Audit Office
NED
Non-Executive Director
Never event
Never events are serious, largely preventable patient
safety incidents that should not occur if the available preventative measures
have been implemented.
NHS
Nations Health Service
NHS CFH
NHS Connecting for Health
NHS LA
NHS Litigation Authority
NHSP
New-born Hearing Screening Programme
NHS Trusts
Provide most NHS services, through annual agreements with
Primary Care Trusts.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
NICE is
responsible for promoting clinical excellence and cost-effectiveness and
producing and issuing clinical guidelines to ensure that every NHS patient gets
fair access to quality treatment.
NMC
Nursing and Midwifery Council
NNUH
Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital
NPP
Norfolk Provider Partnership
National Service Frameworks (NSFs)
Bring together the best clinical and cost-effective
evidence to determine the best ways of providing particular services. They set
national standards and define service models for a specific service or care
group, support implementation of the standards and establish timescales for
development.
NVQ
National Vocational Qualifications
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a chronic mental
health condition that is usually associated with both obsessive thoughts and
compulsive behaviour.
Occupational Therapist (OT)
The person who will work with you to develop your skills
and confidence in everyday life - including work, social and leisure activities
and personal care.
OP
Outpatient
OSC
Overview and Scrutiny Committee
Outpatient
Provided on an appointment basis without the need to be
admitted to or stay in hospital e.g. assess need for further treatment, follow
up appointment after a period of treatment.
Overview and Scrutiny of the Health Service Committee
This local authority council covers the review and scrutiny
of any matter relating to the planning, provision and operation of the health
services in Cambridgeshire.
PACS
Picture archiving
and communications system
Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
Complementary to existing services, the Patient Advice and
Liaison Service (PALS) provides service users, their carers and families with
help, information and support to resolve concerns quickly and efficiently. Every
NHS organisation will have a PALS to support patients and the public.
Patient Centre
Patient
Administration System
Patient Environment Action Teams (PEAT)
These teams are part of a national programme to assess and
improve cleanliness, safety, privacy and dignity of inpatient care areas within
NHS services. All Trusts are assessed and scored by these teams as part of an
annual programme. These scores form part of the performance framework for
Trusts. Services that pass at a certain level can move on to environmental
self-assessment.
Payment by Results (PbR)
Payment by Results (PbR) provides a transparent,
rules-based system for paying trusts. It will reward efficiency, support patient
choice and diversity and encourage activity for sustainable waiting time
reductions. Payment will be linked to activity and adjusted for casemix.
Personality disorder
Covers a variety of clinically significant conditions and
behaviour patterns which tend to be persistent from childhood or adolescence.
May co-exist with other mental disorders.
Pharmacist
Someone who has expert knowledge of the use of medicines.
They work closely with doctors and nurses and advise them on the safe and
effective use of drugs. They are responsible for supplying medication and making
sure it is available in the right form.
Phobia
A phobia is an extreme or irrational fear, for example a
fear of heights or animals. Phobias are estimated to affect 1 in 40 adults a
year.
PI
Performance indicator.
Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
If you have experienced a traumatic event, you may develop
post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) in the days, weeks or months after the
incident. Although such events can be very difficult to come to terms with,
confronting your feelings and seeking professional help is often the only way of
effectively treating PTSD.
Post-natal depression
The birth of a baby is an emotional experience and, for
many new mothers, feeling tearful and depressed is also common. However,
sometimes longer periods of depression, known as postnatal depression (PND), can
occur during the first few weeks and months of the baby's life. PND can have a
variety of physical and emotional symptoms, but it can be treated.
Primary care
Care provided through CCGs.
Private Finance Initiative (PFI)
A government-led programme to enable the private sector to
become involved in the provision of facilities which will then be run by the NHS
PHO
Public Health Observatory
PID
Project Initiation Document
PR
Public Relations
Providers and providing
Hospital trusts, GPs, voluntary organisations and sometimes
private institutions that provide the health according to contract with the
Strategic Health Authority or Primary Care Trust
Psychiatrist
A medical doctor with specialist experience and
qualifications in mental illness and emotional disorders. He or she has overall
responsibility for your care. This includes any medication you may take, and any
activities you may be involved in whilst in hospital, or in the community.
Psychologist
Someone who has done a psychology degree, then further
training in helping people with emotional or psychological problems.
Psychologists can offer you therapy which involves talking about your
difficulties and working together to overcome them. They are different from
psychiatrists in that they are not medically trained and do not prescribe
medication.
Psychological therapies
Talking therapies, including psychotherapy, counselling,
family therapy and cognitive-behaviour therapy.
Psychosis
Disorders involving distorted perceptions of reality -
thinking, feeling, hearing and seeing - often with symptoms of hallucinations
and delusions.
Psychotherapist
Someone who has trained to carry out one or more of the
psychotherapies. They can be from any professional background - or none. They
should be registered with a professional psychotherapy organisation in the UK.
Psychotropic drugs
Medication used in the treatment of mental disorder.
QA
Quality Assurance
Q&A
Question and Answer
QIG
Quality Improvement Group
R
RA
Rheumatoid
Arthritis
RCN
Royal College of
Nursing
R&D
Research and Development
RES
Race Equality
Scheme
Referral
Patient referrals provided to CPFT from an external source
- eg, doctors' surgery, another Trust or hospital, police, army or other medical
service agency.
Regional Secure Units (RSUs)
Medium-secure units for people who are thought to pose
special risks, particularly violence to others.
Risk management
Risk management places special emphasis on identifying
circumstances which put users, carers and staff at risk of harm and then acting
to prevent or control those risks. This helps us to improve the quality of care
we provide.
Root Cause Analysis (RCA)
Systematic process to analyse the causes of incidents,
learn from them and where possible reduce the risk of recurrence.
RTT
Referral to treatment. Time taken for a patient to be
refered to an appropriate CPFT service.
Schedule 5
Coroners and Justice Act 2009 - coroner powers.
Secondary care
Health care provided in hospital setting.
Self-harm
Self-harm is when somebody damages or injures their body on
purpose. The National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) describes it as
'self-poisoning, or injury, irrespective of the apparent purpose of the act'.
Serious incident (SI)
A serious incident is defined by the National Patient
Safety Agency (NPSA) as an incident that occurred in relation to NHS-funded
services and care resulting in one of the following: unexpected or avoidable
death of one or more patients, staff, visitors or members of the public; serious
harm to one or more patients, staff, visitors or members of the public; a
scenario that prevents or threatens to prevent the Trust's ability to continue
to deliver healthcare services; allegations of abuse; adverse media coverage or
public concern about the Trust or the wider NHS.
Service user/s
People who need health and social care for their mental
health problems. They may live in their own home, stay in care, or be cared for
in hospital.
SHO
Senior House Offcier
SITREP
Situation Report compiled to describe the detail
surrounding a situation, event, or incident.
Social care
Personal care for vulnerable people, including people with
special needs which stem from their age, physical or mental disability and
children who need care and protection.
Social care package
A combination of services put together to meet a person's
needs as part of a care plan arising from an assessment or review.
Social worker
A professional who can help you with practical aspects of
life, and who will often also have had training in psychological help. They work
closely together with other organisations that are also able to provide you with
help.
Stakeholder
All parties within and interest in the organisation,
services, etc.
STP
Sustainability and Transformation Plan
Talking therapy / treatment
A general term for treatments which involve talking in
individual or group sessions with a trained mental health professional.
Teaching Trust
Strengthens the Trust’s links with higher education
institutions. Trust receives extra funding to support the teaching of
psychological medicine to doctors from the Cambridge University School. The
Teaching ethos influences all staff groups and education programmes.
Tertiary care
Specialist care, usually for less common illnesses.
TOP
Termination of Pregnancy
Transfer
Internal referral - transfer of a patient from one QEH
service to another QEH service.
External referral – transfer of a patient from QEH to
another healthcare provider.
‘Two ticks’
An award recognising employers’ innovative work on
disability and implementing the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.
VFM
Value for Money
Voluntary Sector
See Independent Sector above
Ward manager
The senior nurse in charge of running a hospital ward.
Wait
Waiting times endured by a patient for a service to be
provided or allocated.
WHO
World Health Organisation
White Paper
Government document which outlines the way policy and
services will operate in the future.
WTD
Working-time directive
WTE
Whole-time equivalent - measure of NHS staff resourcing or
allocation
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