Glossary of Terms: Abbreviations: NHS Jargon
A&E Accident & Emergency Department
ABPI Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry
AC Audit Commission
ACAD Ambulatory Care and Diagnostic Unit
ACDA Advisory Committee on Distinction Awards (consultants)
ACDP Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens
ACEVO Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations
ACGT Advisory committee on Generic Testing
ACRA Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation
ADSS Association of Directors of Social Services
A&E Accident and Emergency
AHP Allied Health Professional
Acute Rapid onset, severe symptoms and brief duration
Audit A continuous process of assessment, evaluation and adjustment
AGM Annual General Meeting
AHSC Academic Health Science Centre
AHSN Academic Health Science Network
AM Assembly Member (Wales)
AMM Annual Members Meeting
ASCT Asylum Seeker Co-ordination Team
BAMM British Association of Medical Managers
BC Business continuity
BMA British Medical Association
BME Black and ethnic minorities
BTE Behind the ear hearing aids
Baseline The continuous level of funding, year on year, before additional
resources are taken into account
BoD Board of Directors
BSC Business Service Centre (NHS Wales)
CAB/C&B Choose and Book
CAMHS Child and adolescent mental health services
CAT Computerised Axial Tomography (scan)
CCIT Consultant Contract Implementation Team
CCORT Clinical Care Outreach Team
CCU Critical Care Unit
C Diff Clostridium difficile
CDO Chief Dental Officer
CEAC Clinical and Excellence Awards Committee (Northern Ireland)
CEMACH Confidential Inquiry to Maternal and Child Health
CEO Chief Executive Officer
CfH/CFH Connecting for Health
CCG Clinical Commissioning Group
CGST Clinical Governance Support Team
CHAI Commissioning for Healthcare Audit and Inspection
CHC Community Health Council
CHCP Community Health and Care Partnership
CHD Coronary heart disease
CHIQ Centre for Health Communication Quality
CHMS Central Health Miscellaneous Services
CHP Community Health Partnership
CIC Community Interest Company
CIMP Clinical Information Management Programme
CIO Chief Information Officer
CIP Cost improvement plan
CIS Care Information Systems
CLIPS Complaints, Litigation, Incidents and PALs
CMACE Centre for Maternal and Child Enquiries
CME Continuing Medical Education
CMHT Community Mental Health Team
CMO Chief Medical Officer
CNO Chief Nursing Officer
CNST Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts
COI Central Office of Information
CoG Council of Governors
COMARE Committee on Medical Aspects of Radiation in the Environment
COMEAP Committee on the Medical Effects of Air Pollution
COSHH Control of Substances Hazardous to Health
COSLA Convention of Scottish Local Authorities
CPA Clinical Pathology Accreditation
CPD Continuing professional development
CPPIH Commissioning for Patients and Public Involvement in Health
CPR Cardiopulmonary resuscitation
CRD Centre for Research and Dissemination
CRDB Care Record Development Board
CRHP Council for the Regulation of Healthcare Professionals
CRS Care Records Service
CRT Customer Research Technology
CSA Common Services Agency
CSM Committee on the Safety of Medicine
CSR Comprehensive Spending Review
CTO Compulsory Treatment Order
CQC Care Quality Commission
CQUINs Commissioning for Quality and Innovation
Caldicott Guardian The named officer responsible for delivering and implementing the
Recommendations of the Coldicott report, which examined NHS
Confidentiality and patient information systems
Capital Spending on land and premises and provision, adaptation, renewal,
replacement or demolition of buildings, equipment and vehicles
Commissioning Process of acquiring/buying services to meet the health needs of
the local population
Coterminosity Share a common boundary or border with
DAT Drugs Action Team
DCA Director of Corporate Affairs
DCLG Department for Communities and Local Government
DDRB Doctors and Dentist Review Body
DEFRA Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
DfES Department for Education and skills
DFT Distance From Target
DIPC Director of Infection Prevention and Control
DGH District general hospital
DH or DoH Department of Health
DHSSPS Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
DNA Did not attend
DNPS Director of Nursing and Patient Services
DoH Director of Health
DoF Director of Finance
DPB Dental Practice Board
DOSA Day of Surgery Admission
DPH Director of Public Health
DPR Data Protection Register
DSU Day Surgery Unit
DTC Diagnostic Treatment Centre
DTOCs Delay Transfers of Care
Diagnostic tests Tests which help determine the nature of a disorder or illness, for
example x-rays, laboratory tests
EADU Emergency Assessment and Discharge Unit
EBH Evidence-Based Healthcare
EBITDA Earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation amortization
EBM Evidence-Based Medicine
EBS Emergency Bed Service
ECG Heart tracing
ECHR European Convention of Human Rights
E-Coli Escherichia coli
ECR Extra-Contractual Referral
ED Executive Director or Emergency Department
EFL External Financing Limit
e-GIF (electronic) Government Interoperability Framework
EHR Electronic Health Record
ENT Ear, nose and throat
EO Employers Organisation
EPAU Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit
EPR Electronic Patient Record
EPS Electronic Prescription Service
ERAS Enhanced Recovery Programme after Surgery
ERDIP Electronic Record Development and Implementation Programme
ESR Electronic staff record
ESBL Extended-spectrum beta-lactamase
ET Executive Team
ETD Education, Training and Development
ETP Electronic Transmission of Prescriptions
Elective surgery An operation which is planned ahead and for which the patient will
be given a date to be admitted to hospital
EWS Early Warning Score
EWTD European working-time directive
FCE Finished consultant episode
FD Finance Director
FHS Family Health Service
FOI Freedom of information
FMP Financial Management Programme
FRC Finance Reporting Council
FRR Financial Risk Rating
FSA Food Standards Agency
FT Foundation Trust
FTGA Foundation Trust Governors Association
FTN Foundation Trust Network
FY Financial Year
GDC General Dental Council
GMC General Medical Council
GMS General Medical Services
GP General Practitioner
GPSI/ GPWSI General Practitioner with a Special Interest
GSCC General Social Care Council
GTAC Gene Therapy Advisory Committee
GUM Genito-urinary medicine (clinic)
GWC General Whitley Council
HA Health Authority
HAZ Health Action Zone
HB Health Board
HBG Health Benefit Group
HCAI Health Care Associated Infection
HCC Healthcare Commission
HCHS Hospital and Community Health Services
HDA Health Development Agency
HDL Health Department Letter
HDU High Dependency Unit
HEE Health Education England
HEFCE Higher Education Funding Council for England
HES Hospital episode statistics
HFEA Human Fertilisation & Embryology Authority
HIA Health impact assessment
HIEC Health Innovation and Education Cluster
HIMP Health Improvement and Modernisation Plan
HIW Health Inspectorate Wales
HLC Healthy Living Centre
HMO Health Maintenance Organisation (US)
H&N Hospital at Night
HOSC Health Overview and Screening Committee
HOWIS Health of Wales Information Service
HPA Health Protection Agency
HPC Health Professions Council
HPMA Healthcare People Management Association
HSC Health service circular; (House of Commons) Health Select
Committee
HPSS Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland)
HRG Healthcare Resource Group
HSCA Health and Social Care Act 2012
HSE Health and Safety Executive
HSCI Health Service Cost Index
HSMR Hospital standardised mortality rate
HSCT Health and Social Care Trust
HSSB Health and Social Services Board
HSSC Health Social Service Council
HTA Health Technology Assessment
HWB/HWBB Health and Wellbeing Board
IC Information Commissioner
ICAS Independent Complaints Advocacy Service
ICD International Classification of Disease
ICO Integrated Care Organisation
ICP Integrated Care Pathway
ICRS Integrated Care Records Service
ICSI IVF technique - intracytoplasmic sperm injection
ICT Information and Communication Technology
ICU Intensive care unit
IG Information governance
IGAS Invasive Group A Streptococcal Infections
IHI Institute for Health Improvement
ILA Individual Learning Account
IMCA Independent Mental Capacity Advocate
IM&T Information Management and Technology
IOG Improving outcomes guidance
IP Inpatient
IPN Infection Prevention Nurse
IPR Individual performance review
IPU Information Policy Unit
IRP Independent Reconfiguration Panel
ISB Information Standards Board
ISD Information Statistics Division
IT Information technology
ITE In the ear hearing aids
IV Intravenous
IWL Improving Working Lives
Inpatient A patient admitted to hospital for a period of treatment or to undergo
an operation. Patients would stay in hospital for 24 hours or more
JIPs Joint Investment Plans
KPI Key performance indicator
LAA Local Area Agreement
LAs Local authorities
LAL Local Authorities Letter
LASSL Local Authorities Social Services Letter
LAT Local Area Team
LDP Local Delivery Plan
LETA Local Education and Training Board
LGA Local Government Association
LHB Local Health Board
LHC Local Health Council
LHW Local Healthwatch
LHCC Local Health Care Co-operative
LHG Local Health Group
LHP Local Health Plan
LHSCG Local Health and Social Care Group (Northern Ireland)
LINKs Local Involvement Networks
LIPS Leading Improvement in Patient Safety
LIS Local Implementation Strategy
LMC Local Medical Committee
LOS Length of stay
LPSA Local Public Service Agreement
LSP Local service provider
LTA Long-Term Agreement
M&A Mergers & Acquisitions
MCDC Marie Curie Delivering Choice programme
MCN Managed Clinical Network
MCO Managed Care Organisation
MDA Medical Device Agency
MDR Tb Multi Drug Resistant Tuberculosis
MFS Market Forces Supplement
MHA Mental Health Act
MHAC Mental Health Act Commission
MHRA Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency
MHRT Mental Health Review Tribunal
MI Major Incident
MLA Member of the Legislative Assembly (Northern Ireland)
MLBU Midwifery led Birthing Unit
MMC Modernising Medical Careers
MMR Measles, mumps, rubella
MRC Medical Research Council
MRI Magnetic resonance imaging
MSA Mixed Sex Accomidation
MSP Member of Scottish Parliament
MRSA Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus
MSSA Methicillin-sensitive Staphylococcus aureus
MUST Malnutrition Universal Screening Tool
N3 New National Network (Broadland)
NAO National Audit Office
NASP National Application Service Provider
NatPaCT National Primary and Care Trust (development programme)
NAW National Assembly for Wales
NBA National Blood Authorities
NBAP National Booked Admission Programme
NBI National Beds Inquiry
NCAA National Clinical Assessment Authority
NCASP National Clinical Audit Support Programme
NCE National Confidential Enquiry
NCEPOD National Confidential Enquiry into Patient Outcome and Death
NCISH National Confidential Enquiry into Suicide and Homicide
NCSC National Care Standards Commission
NCVO National Council for Voluntary Organisation
NDPB Non-Departmental Public Body
NED Non Executive Director
NeLH National electronic Library for Health
NES NHS Education for Scotland
NGMS New General Medical Services
NHS National Health Service
NHSCB NHS Commissioning Board, now NHS England
NHS CFH NHS Connecting for Health
NHS Direct Direct 24 hour telephone/e-service, providing advice and staffed by
clinicians
NHSII NHS Institute for innovation and Improvement
NHSL NHS Logistics
NHSLA NHS Litigation Authority
NHS LIFT NHS Local Improvement Finance Trust
NHSP Newborn Hearing Screening Programme
NHS QIS NHS Quality Improvements Scotland
NHST NHS Trust
NHSTDA NHS Trust Development Authority
NIA Northern Ireland Assembly
NIC National Insurance Contribution
NICE National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence, an organisation
that promotes clinical and cost effectiveness and produces and
circulates clinical guidelines
NIHR National Institute of Health Research
NIMHE National Institute for Mental Health in England
NLIAH National Leadership and Innovation Agency for Healthcare (Wales)
NMC Nursing and Midwifery Council
NNUH Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital
NOF National Opportunities Fund
NPfIT National Programme for IT (in the NHS)
NPG National Priorities Guidance
NPHS National Public Health Service (Wales)
NPSA National Patient Safety Agency
NRAC NHSScotland Resources Allocation Committee
NRCI National Reference Cost Index
NRPB National Radiological Protection Board
NRT Nicotine Replacement Therapy
NSCAG National Specialist Commissioning Advisory Group
NSF National service framework, service standards for specific areas of
health and related care
NSRC National Schedule of Reference Costs
NSS National Services Scotland
NTA National Treatment Agency
NTO National Training Organisation
OAT Out-of-Area Treatment
OCMO Office of the Chief Medical Officer (Wales)
OD Organisational Development
ODP Operating Department Practitioner
OHE Office of Health Economics
ONS Office for National Statistics
OP Outpatient
OSC (local authority) Overview and Scrutiny Committee
OT Occupational therapist/therapy
OTC Over-The-Counter
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
PAC Public Accounts Committee
PACS Picture archiving and communications system
PAF Performance Assessment Framework
PALS Patient advice and liaison service
PAS Patient administration system
PBC Practice based commissioning
PbR Payment by results
PCG Primary Care Group
PCIP Primary Care Investment Plan
PCO Primary Care Organisation
PCT Primary care trust
PDC Public Dividend Capital
PDP Personal Development Plan
PEAT Patient Environment Action Team
PEC Professional Executive Committee
PET Patient Experience Tool
PFI Private Finance initiative
PHeL Public Health electronic Library
PHO Public health observatory
PID Project initiation document
PLACE Patient- Led Assessments of Care Environment
PMETB Postgraduate Medical Education and Training Board
PMO Project Management Office
PMS Personal Medical Services
PRESMA Pre School Music Association
PPA Prescription Pricing Authority
PPF Priorities and Planning Framework
PPI Patient and public involvement
PPO Preferred Provider Organisation
PPP Public- Private Partnership
PPRS Pharmaceutical Price Regulation Scheme
PR Public relations
PRB Pay Review Body
PROMs Patient reported outcome measures
PSA Public Services Agreement
PVL Panton-Valentine Leukocidin
QA Quality assurance
Q&A Questions and answers
QALY Quality-Adjusted Life Year
QIPP Quality Innovation, Productivity and Prevention
QMAS Quality Management and Analysis System
QOF Quality and Outcomes Framework
QRP Quality and Risk Profile
R&D Research and Development
RA Rheumatoid arthritis
RAG Red, Amber and Green Classifications
RAWP Resource Allocation Working Party
RES Race Equality Scheme
RCN Royal College of Nursing
RCP Royal College of Physicians
RCPE Royal College of Physicians of Edinburgh
RCPSG Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
RCS Royal College of Surgeons
RCSE Royal College of Surgeons of Edinburgh
RCT Randomised Controlled Trial
RTA Road Traffic Accident
RTT Referral to Treatment
SACDA Scottish Advisory committee on Distinction Awards
SARS Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome
SAS Scottish Ambulance Service
SASM Scottish Audit of Surgical Mortality
SCVO Scottish Council of Voluntary Organisations
SEHD Scottish Executive Health Department
SEU Social Exclusion Unit
SFA Statement of Fees and Allowances
SID Senior Independent Director
SHA Strategic health authority
SHARE Scottish Health Authorities Revenue Equalisation
SHO Senior house officer
SHOW Scottish Health on the Web
SHRINE Strategic Human Resources Information Network
SHMR Standardised hospital mortality ratio
SIGN Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network
SLA Service Level Agreement
SLM/R Service Line Management/ Reporting
SMAC Standing Medical Advisory Committee
SMR Standardised Mortality Ratio
SNMAC Standing Nursing and Midwifery Advisory Committee
SNOMED Systematised Nomenclature of Medicine
SoS Secretary of State
SRB Single Regeneration Budget
SRE Sex and relationship education
SSA Same Sex Accommodation
SSC Shared Service Centre
SSI Social Services Inspectorate
SUI Serious Untoward Incident
SUS Secondary Uses Service
SWIFT Strategic Workforce Investment Fund for Tomorrow
T&C Terms and Conditions
TEL Trust Executive Letter
TIA Transient Ischaemic Attack
TIG Trust Investment Group
TB Tuberculosis
TTO To Take Out (medications)
TOP Termination of Pregnancy
TOR Terms of Reference
TUPE Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of Employment) Regulations
VIP Visual Infusion Phlebitis
VFM Value for money
VTE Venous thromboembolism
VRE Vancomycin-resistant Enterococcus
WBQ Wellbeing questionnaire
WCC White Cell Count
WCH Wales Centre for Health
WDC Workforce Development Confederation
WHO World Health Organisation
WIsH Welsh Innovations in Healthcare
WTD Working-time directive
WTE Whole time equivalent (staffing)
