We have developed a list of the latest acronyms and terms that are used in the NHS and on our social media channels for the Integrated Care System (ICS).
The glossary was created with the help of carers across Norfolk and Waveney and the support of patient groups at all of the hospitals, community and mental health trusts for which we thank everyone who gave up their time and made their suggestions to review the content.
This glossary will be revised every 12 months to ensure that it is kept up to date and relevant for you.
A
| Abbreviation | What it stands for | Additional information |
| A&E | Accident and Emergency | Also known as ED (Emergency Department) or Casualty |
| ACPC | Area Child Protection Committee | Members from all local statutory agencies working with children to ensure that all children are protected from harm |
| Acute | Services (usually in-patient) which treat patients for a certain condition for a short time – the acute hospitals in Norfolk and Waveney are The Norfolk and Norwich Hospital, James Paget Hospital and Queen Elizabeth Hospital | |
| Acute Rapid Onset | Severe symptoms and brief duration | |
| ADHD | Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder | Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition that affects people’s behaviour. People with ADHD can seem restless, may have trouble concentrating and may act on impulse. |
| Advocacy | Speaking up for someone else | |
| AHP | Allied Health Professional | For example physiotherapists |
| Alliance (ICS) | A forum that brings together colleagues from health and care to integrate services and focus on effective operational delivery and improving people’s care. | |
| Alzheimers Disease | This is the most common form of dementia, which describes the loss of mental abilities, such as memory and reasoning. | |
| AMD | Age related Macular Degeneration | Is a common condition that affects the middle part of your vision. It usually first affects people in their 50s and 60s. |
| AMHP | Approved Mental Health Professional | Someone who has had specific training in the legal aspects of mental health assessment and treatment and can carry out assessments under the Mental Health Act (1983). |
| AMU | Acute Medical Unit | NNUH may add additional letters as they have more than one unit. |
| AN | Antenatal | The time from conception to birth – pregnancy. |
| Anorexia | Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder and a mental health condition. | |
| Anti-psychotic drugs | Drugs used to treat psychosis, including schizophrenia and mania. They also have tranquillising effects reducing agitation. Atypical may also pre-fix anti-psychotic drugs normally used to treat schizophrenia. | |
| AQP | Any Qualified Provider | Is a type of NHS contract, which allows non NHS as well as NHS organisations to provide NHS services. The AQP programme aims to give patients more choice about where they receive selected health services. Patients can choose from a list of providers, based on their own preference and the reputation of the provider offering the service. |
| Art Therapy | Using imagination and creativity rather than thinking and talking to freely express difficult thoughts | |
| ASD | Autism Spectrum Disorder | 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 |
| Assertive outreach / assertive community treatment / intensive case management | Ensuring those most in need of specialist mental health care remain in touch with services. | |
| ASW | Approved Social Workers | These social workers have had specific training in relation to the Mental Health Act |
| Attend Anywhere | This is a secure NHS video call service for people with pre-arranged appointments only | |
| Atypical (novel) antipsychotic drugs | Newer and more expensive antipsychotic drugs to treat psychosis most commonly schizophrenia |
B
| Abbreviation | What it stands for | Additional information |
| BAME | Black Asian and minority ethnic | Used to refer to members of non-white communities. |
| BAMM | British Association of Medical Managers | Established in 1991 to promote quality healthcare by improving & supporting the contribution of doctors in management. |
| Baseline | The continuous level of funding, year on year, before additional resources are taken into account. | |
| BCYP | Babies, Children & Young People | |
| BCYPM | Babies, Children, Young People & Maternity and Neonatal System | |
| BDC | Broadland District Council | Local council covering the Broadland area of Norfolk. |
| Bloods | Blood may be taken for a number of reasons when attending hospital or a GP for example – general state of health, check for infection, how your organs are functioning especially liver and kidneys as well as screening for genetic conditions | |
| BMA | British Medical Association | Professional body and trade union for doctors in the UK. |
| BMI | Body Mass Index | Used by the NHS to understand whether a patient has a healthy body based on age, height, weight, ethnicity, sex and activity level. |
| BMJ | British Medical Journal | Healthcare industry magazine. |
| BSI | Blood Stream Infection | Bacterial, viral or fungal infections which circulate in the blood stream. |
| BSL | British Sign Language | Official language used by the deaf community to communicate. |
| BTE | Behind the Ear Hearing Aids | The hearing aid hooks over the top of the ear and then a tube links the aid to an ear mold in the ear to suit most types of hearing loss. |
C
| Abbreviation | What it stands for | Additional information |
| 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 | Child and Adolescent Mental Health Service | There are 4 tiers of service for children requiring mental health support (1,2,3 and 4) |
| Care Co-ordinator / key worker | Usually a Community Psychiatric Nurse, social worker or occupational therapist who are responsible for ensuring a person’s care is properly planned | |
| 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. | |
| Care Pathway | Patient journey through primary care, specialist and community services to discharge / continuing care | |
| Care Plan | A plan detailing care to be provided during and following an admission to hospital or longer term to detail care in the community setting | |
| CAS | Contained Air Solutions | Safety cabinets used to hold or contain microbiological samples. |
| Caseload | A volume or list of patient referrals belonging to a healthcare professional. | |
| CAU | Children’s Admission Unit | NNUH – Children from birth to their sixteenth birthday referred by local GPs, Out of Hours centres, A&E and in some situations midwives and health visitors are seen on CAU. |
| CAT | Cognitive Analytic Therapy | 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. |
| C&B | Choose and Book | Enabling patients to book appointments at point of referral with a choice of time and date superceded in 2013 by NHS e-Referral system |
| CBT | Cognitive Behavioural Therapy | Psychological therapy used mostly in depression but increasingly shown to be a useful part of the treatment for schizophrenia. |
| CCC | Critical Care Complex | Also known as ITU, CCU or ICU. Area of the hospital for patients in the greatest need of acute intensive support |
| CCG | Clinical Commissioning Group | 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 | The team forms part of the cardiac arrest, trauma, paediatric emergency response, maternal response and the non-clinical area emergency teams activated via an emergency bleep system. |
| CCP | Clinical and Care Professional | |
| CCPC | Clinical and Care Professional Council | It will lead the coproduction of the CCP framework and strategy, support the ongoing programme of training and development for CCPs and support the empowerment culture |
| CCU | Critical Care Unit | Also known as ITU, CCC or ICU. Area of the hospital for patients in the greatest need of acute intensive support |
| CCU | Coronary Care Unit | A coronary care unit or cardiac intensive care unit is a hospital ward specialized in the care of patients with heart attacks or other unstable heart conditions |
| C.Diff | Clostridium Difficile | a type of bacterial infection that can affect the digestive system. |
| CDC | Community Diagnostic Centres | Will allow patients to access planned diagnostic care nearer to home without the need to attend acute hospital sites. These services would be separate to urgent diagnostic scan facilities, which means shorter waiting times and a reduced risk of cancellation which can happen when more urgent cases take priority. Therefore, this would lead to improved patient experience and outcomes Community Diagnostic Centres (CDC) | Health Education England (hee.nhs.uk) |
| CDU | Clinical Decisions Unit | A clinical decision unit (CDU) is a designated section of the emergency department where patients are monitored by a staff team for 6-24 hours. Patients who require observation or testing are moved to a separate area where they are monitored and treated |
| CEN | Complex Emotional Needs | Individuals who have long term challenges in their emotional and relational functioning often, but not always as a result of significant trauma in early life. |
| CEO | Chief Executive Officer | The person who leads the executive management team at an organisation such as a hospital |
| Chaplain | Hospital employee to support patients’, staff and carer spiritual needs for a variety of religious backgrounds or none | |
| CHC | Continuing Healthcare | Some people with long-term complex health needs qualify for free social care arranged and funded solely by the NHS. |
| CHD | Coronary Heart Disease | Sometimes called ischaemic heart disease or coronary artery disease – it describes what happens when your heart’s blood supply is blocked or interrupted by a build-up of fatty substances in the coronary arteries. |
| Chemo | Chemotherapy | This is a cancer treatment where medicine is used to kill cancer cells. There are many different types of chemotherapy medication but they all work in a similar way. The medicine stops cancer cells reproducing., which prevents them from growing and spreading in the body. |
| Clinical Governance | The way in which hospital’s ensure treatments are carried out safely and effectively and encourage a culture of excellence in our staff to continuously improve quality of care. | |
| Clinical Trial | 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, eg a nurse, psychiatrist or psychologist. | |
| CMHT | Community Mental Health Team | Multi-disciplinary team offering specialist assessment, treatment and care to people in their own homes and the community. |
| CMO | Chief Medical Officer | Acts as the UK government’s principal medical adviser, and the professional head of all directors of public health in local government |
| CNO | Chief Nurse Officer | Is the most senior advisor on nursing matters in a government. |
| COCA | Community Onset – Community Associated | Infection identified within 2 days of admission or outside 12 weeks from discharge from hospital |
| COHA | Community Onset – Healthcare associated | Infection identified within 4 weeks of discharge from hospital |
| COIA | Community Onset – Intermediate Association | Infection identified between 4-12 weeks of discharge from hospital |
| Commissioning | Identifying health needs of local people, planning and purchasing health services which respond to their needs. CCGs 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. | |
| 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. | |
| 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 Therapy | A wide range of treatments which can add something to conventional treatment – e.g., Reiki, Indian head massage, aromatherapy, dance and movement | |
| 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. | |
| Core20 | Most deprived 20% of the national population | |
| Core20PLUS5 | An approach to reducing health inequalities for adults, young people and children. | |
| COPD | Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease | is the name for a group of lung conditions that cause breathing difficulties including emphysema and chronic bronchitis |
| COVID-19 | A worldwide virus causing respiratory amongst other problems, vaccinations are available and all members of society are eligible to obtain a vaccine. | |
| CPA / care management | Care Programme Approach | 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. |
| CPD | Continuing Professional Development | The term used to describe the learning activities professionals engage in to develop and enhance their abilities. |
| CPN | Community Psychiatric Nurse | A nurse who has been trained to help people with mental health problems in the community. |
| CPR | Cardio Pulmonary Resuscitation | First aid used if someone is not breathing or not breathing normally. Call 999 and start CPR immediately |
| CQC | Care Quality Commission | Independent regulator of health and social care in England – including hospitals, care homes and other provider organisations. |
| CQUIN | Commissioning for Quality and Innovation | This system enables commissioners to reward excellence by releasing providers income on the achievement of local quality improvement goals |
| CRHT | Crisis Resolution / Home Treatment Service | New models of care for people with severe and enduring mental illness |
| CS | Caesarean section | c-section or Caesarean delivery – Surgical delivery of a baby usually performed when vaginal delivery poses a risk to the mother or the baby. |
| CSAG | Clinical Standards Advisory Group | set up in 1991 as an independent source of expert advice to the UK Health Ministers and to the NHS on standards of clinical care for, and access to and availability of services to, NHS patients. |
| CSS | Clinical Support Services | Division within a hospital incorporating diagnostic services |
| CTG | Cardio Toco Graph | measures the baby’s heart rate antenatally and during labour. At the same time it also monitors the contractions in the womb (uterus) |
| CT scan | Computed Tomography scan | combines a series of X-ray images taken from different angles around your body and uses computer processing to create cross-sectional images (slices) of the bones, blood vessels and soft tissues inside your body. CT scan images provide more-detailed information than plain X-rays |
| CVC | Central Venous Catheter | also known as a central line(c-line), central venous line, or central venous access catheter, is a catheter placed into a large vein. It is a form of venous access. Placement of larger catheters in more centrally located veins is often needed in critically ill patients, or in those requiring prolonged intravenous therapies |
| CVD | Cardiovascular Disease | |
| CVD PREVENT | Cardiovascular Disease PRVENT | A national primary care audit tool to prevent and reduce the negative outcomes of unmanaged CVD, highlighting gaps, inequalities and opportunities for improvement |
D
| Abbreviation | What this stands for | Additional Information |
| DAC | Diagnostic Assessment Centre | Three centres are to be established in Norfolk and Waveney (one at each Acute Trust). Their role is to offer access to diagnostics to assist with disease diagnosis this includes MRI scans, Utrasound scans and CT Scans |
| Datix | Computer program to record incidents and manage the process following an incident at QEH and NNUH. JPUH use Ulysses. | |
| DCSS | Diagnostic and Clinical Support Services | See also Clinical Support Services |
| DGH | District General Hospital | Small acute hospital, there are 2 in Norfolk and Waveney |
| DHSC | Department of Health and Social Care | DHSC is a ministerial department, supported by 25 agencies and public bodies to help people to live independent lives for longer |
| Diagnostic Tests | Tests which help determine the nature of a disorder or illness, for example x-rays, laboratory tests. | |
| DiP | Drug Intervention Programme | is a key part of the United Kingdom’s strategy for tackling drug abuse. It aims to engage drug-misusing offenders involved in the Criminal Justice system in formal addiction treatment and other support |
| DNA | Did Not Attend | Used to indicate that a person did not attend an appointment |
| DNAR | Do Not Attempt Resuscitation | An order to indicate that should the person require resuscitation this is not permitted also known as DNACPR or DNR |
| DND | Divisional Nurse Director | The lead nurse in the division (specifically at NNUH), at QEH this role is HoN – Head of Nursing |
| DoH | Department of Health | Government department responsible for the NHS |
| DoLS | Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards | Replaced by LPS – Liberty Protection Safeguards – designed to protect a patient’s rights if the care or treatment received in a hospital or care home means that the patient is, or may become, deprived of their liberty and lack the mental capacity to consent. |
| Drug round | This is also sometimes known as ‘doing the drugs’ it indicates that a nurse is visiting all the patients within the ward or care home and dispensing their medication. Often to ensure that the nurse can focus on this job they may wear a different coloured apron so other staff know not to distract them. | |
| DS | Delivery Suite | Location in a hospital where babies are born. At QEH this is known as CDS (Central Delivery Suite). |
| DSR | Dynamic Support Register | PR1486-Dynamic-support-register-and-Care-Education-and-Treatment-Review-policy-and-guide.pdf (england.nhs.uk) |
| DToC | Delayed Transfers of Care | A ‘delayed transfer of care’ occurs when a patient is ready to leave a hospital or similar care provider but is still occupying a bed. Delays can occur when patients are being discharged home or to a supported care facility, such as a residential or nursing home, or are awaiting transfer to a community hospital or hospice. |
E
| Abbreviation | What this stands for | Additional Information |
| EAUS | Emergency Assessment Units Surgical | At NNUH, at QEH this area is known as SAU |
| ECG | Electrocardiogram | a simple test that can be used to check your heart’s rhythm and electrical activity |
| ECCH | East Coast Community Healthcare | Delivering a range of community based NHS and social care services in Norfolk and Suffolk. It is staff owned social enterprise that uses its surplus resources to benefit local communities. East Coast Community Healthcare CIC | ECCH |
| ECS | Emergency Caesarean Section | c-section or Caesarean delivery – Surgical delivery of a baby usually performed when vaginal delivery poses a risk to the mother or the baby in an emergency |
| ED | Emergency department | Also known as Casualty or A&E |
| EDI | Equality Diversity and Inclusion | ensures fair treatment and opportunity for all. It aims to eradicate prejudice and discrimination on the basis of an individual or group of individual’s protected characteristics. |
| EEAST | East of England Ambulance Service | 24 hour, 365 days a year accident and emergency services to those in need of emergency medical treatment and transport in – Bedfordshire, Hertfordshire, Essex, Norfolk, Suffolk and Cambridgeshire. |
| Elective Surgery | An operation which is planned ahead and for which the patient will be given a date to be admitted to hospital. | |
| ENT | Ear, Nose and Throat | This department covers a multitude of conditions from Meniere’s and tinnitus to glue ear, nasal polyps, laryngitis and much more. |
| EPAU | Early Pregnancy Assessment Unit | Specialist early pregnancy care is provided up to 13 weeks gestation for women experiencing acute concerns with their pregnancy, such as pain and/or bleeding. Also for women who have previously experienced ectopic pregnancy/pregnancy of unknown location, gestational trophoblastic disease or recurrent pregnancy loss. |
| EPR | Electronic Patient Record | NHS England » NHS launches accredited suppliers for electronic patient records |
| ERAS | Enhanced Recovery Programme after Surgery | Enhanced recovery is an evidence-based approach that helps people recover more quickly after having major surgery. This is sometimes referred to as rapid or accelerated recovery. |
| ESR | Electronic Staff Record | As the workforce solution for the NHS, the Electronic Staff Record (ESR) supports the delivery of national workforce policy and strategy |
F
| Abbreviation | What this stands for | Additional Information |
| FDT | First Definitive Treatment | the first clinical intervention intended to manage a service user’s disease, condition or injury and avoid further clinical interventions. |
| FFT | Friends and Family Test | An anonymous feedback method to allow patients to inform a healthcare provider about how satisfied they were with the care they received. |
| FLOURISH | Flourishing in Norfolk: A children and Young People Partnership | Flourish – Norfolk County Council |
| FMU | Freestanding Midwifery Unit | are more comfortable and homely than a maternity unit in a hospital and are separate from a hospital, and do not have immediate obstetric, neonatal or anaesthetic care |
| FOI | Freedom of Information | The Freedom of Information Act 2000 provides public access to information held by public authorities. |
| 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. |
G
| Abbreviation | What this stands for | Additional Information |
| GAD | General Anxiety Disorder | A condition with exaggerated tension, worrying, and nervousness about daily life events. |
| GDC | General Dental Council | is the UK-wide statutory regulator of the dental team |
| GDPR | General Data Protection Regulations | This Act governs how organisations are able to hold data about individuals and what they are permitted to do with the data to protect the individual but also to ensure that information is only available to those who need it for the reasons detailed. |
| GIRFT | Get it right first time | is a national programme designed to improve medical care within the NHS by reducing unwarranted variations. |
| GMC | General Medical Council | Works to protect patient safety and improve medical education and practice across the UK |
| GP | General Practitioner | 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. |
| GMS | General Medical Services | Is the range of healthcare that is provided by General Practitioners |
| GTT | Glucose Tolerance Test | Test used during pregnancy to test for gestational (pregnancy related) diabetes. |
H
| Abbreviation | What this stands for | Additional Information |
| HASC | Health and Social Care Scrutiny Committee | 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. |
| HBN | Health Building Notes | Give best practice guidance on the design and planning of new healthcare buildings and on the adaptation or extension of existing facilities |
| HCA | Healthcare Assistant | An unregistered nurse trained to provide personal and fundamental nursing tasks |
| HCC | Health Care Commission | This was created in 2004 and the forerunner of the Care Quality Commission (CQC) |
| HCAI | Healthcare Associated Infections | Infections that occur while receiving health care, developed in a hospital or other health care facility that first appear 48 hours or more after hospital admission, or within 30 days after having received health care. |
| HCP | Healthcare Professional | A person employed by the NHS to represent the organisation or provide care to patients. |
| HDA | Health Development Agency | This was created in 2000 and was a special health authority and the forerunner of the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (2005) |
| HDU | High Dependency Unit | A unit to support patients who require more intensive support than can be provided on a ward but not as much as an Intensive Care Unit (ICU / ITU) / Intensive Treatment Unit |
| HI | Health Inequalities | Health inequalities are unfair and avoidable differences in health across the population, and between different groups within society. These include how long people are likely to live, the health conditions they may experience and the care that is available to them. NHS England » What are healthcare inequalities? |
| HICC | Hospital Infection Control Committee | Is generally comprised of members from a variety of disciplines within the healthcare facility. By creating a diverse group, issues can be addressed from several angles, and members can pool their expertise to develop the best solutions possible. |
| HoN | Head of Nursing | Lead nurse within a division at QEH – at NNUH this role is DND |
| HOSC | Health Overview and Scrutiny | The Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee looks at the work of local NHS organisations. The Committee acts as a ‘critical friend’ by suggesting ways that health related services might be improved. |
| HPA | Health Protection Agency | This Agency has now closed and its activity has been absorbed into Public Health England |
| HSE | Health and Safety Executive | The Government Organisation that aims to reduce work related illness, injury or death |
| HV | Health Visitor | Nurse with additional training to support families with children aged 0-5 years. |
| HWB | Health and Wellbeing Board | Health and wellbeing boards were established under the Health and Social Care Act 2012 to act as a forum in which key leaders from the local health and care system could work together to improve the health and wellbeing of their local population. |
| HWBP | Health and Wellbeing Partnerships | Bring together colleagues from county and district councils, health services, wider voluntary, community and social enterprise sector organisations and other partners. They will focus on the local population’s health and wellbeing by addressing the wider aspects of health to avoid health crises. |
I
| Abbreviation | What this stands for | Additional Information |
| IAPT | Improving Access to Psychological Therapies | Talking therapies to support people with mild to moderate anxiety and depression. NHS England » NHS Talking Therapies, for anxiety and depression |
| ICAS | Independent Complaints Advocacy Service | ICAS helps people who want to make a complaint about the NHS through the NHS Complaints Procedure. The service is free and independent whatever level of support is required. |
| ICB | Integrated Care Board | Will take on the NHS commissioning functions of Clinical Commissioning Groups as well as some of NHS England’s commissioning functions. It will also be accountable for NHS spend and performance within the system. |
| ICOP | Integrated Care of Older People | team cares for frail, older people ensuring a comprehensive, multidisciplinary approach to care – with input from everyone involved in the care of the person. |
| ICP | Integrated Care Partnership | a statutory committee bringing together all system partners to produce a health and care strategy. Representatives include VCSE organisations and health and care organisations, and representatives from the ICB board. |
| ICS | Integrated Care System | These are new partnerships between the organisations that meet health and care needs across an area, to coordinate services and to plan in a way that improves population health and reduces inequalities between different groups. |
| ICT | Information Communication and Technology | Incorporates communication and digital solutions, computers, storage and software |
| ICU | Intensive Care Unit | Also known as ITU, CCC or CCU. Area of the hospital for patients in the greatest need of acute intensive support |
| IFR | Individual Funding Request | Learn more here. |
| IG | Information Governance | This is the way in which information is used and managed. It’s an important practice which seeks to limit the risks involved in the management of data and ensure compliance. |
| Independent Sector | Voluntary sector, charitable and private care providers. | |
| Inpatient | A person who is staying at least one night in hospital | |
| Intermediate Care | Care provided as an alternative to in-patient care. Also allows patients to be safely discharged from hospital and complete their recovery at home or other suitable place. | |
| IOL | Induction Of Labour | Artificial means of establishing labour, nationally 20% of babies born follow induction of labour |
| IMHA | Independent Mental Health Advocate | Is an independent advocate who is trained in the Mental Health Act 1983 and supports people to understand their rights under the Act and participate in decisions about their care and treatment. |
| IPC | Infection Prevention and Control | Also known as IPAC. Hospital team responsible for monitoring, preventing and managing hospital infections such as COVID, C.Diff, MRSA etc |
| IPOC | Individual Plan of Care | An individual plan of care for a person at the end of their life, which includes food and drink, symptom control, psychological, social and spiritual support, should be agreed, co-ordinated and delivered with compassion. |
| IPR | Integrated Performance Report | Hospital report to confirm all performance against key performance indicators |
| IRU | Interventional Radiology Unit | NNUH only – IR involves using imaging guidance, such as fluoroscopy, CTs, ultrasounds, x-rays, and MRIs to guide tiny catheters and wires throughout the body’s vascular system. Unlike traditional imaging radiology, which is typically used to make diagnoses, IR delivers therapeutic procedures, often after other diagnostic testing has been performed. |
| ISTC | Independent Sector Treatment Centre | |
| ITE | In The Ear hearing aids | This is custom made in two styles — one that fills most of the bowl-shaped area of your outer ear (full shell) and one that fills only the lower part (half shell). Both are helpful for people with mild to severe hearing loss |
| ITU | Intensive Therapy Unit | Also known as ICU, CCC or CCU. Area of the hospital for patients in the greatest need of acute intensive support |
J
| Abbreviation | What this stands for | Additional Information |
| JFP | Joint Forward Plan | A mandatory five year plan that ICBs and their Partner NHS Trusts must produce by 30 June 2023 |
| JPUH | James Paget University Hospital | Located in Gorleston near Great Yarmouth, JPUH is a DGH similar in size to QEH in King’s Lynn |
| JSNA | Joint Strategic Needs Assessment | The Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) is a process by which local authorities and health services assess the health, care and wellbeing needs of the community within Local Authority geographic areas. |
K
| Abbreviation | What this stands for | Additional Information |
| KPI | Key Performance Indicator | a measurable value that demonstrates how effectively a company is achieving key business objectives. |
L
| Abbreviation | What this stands for | Additional Information |
| LAC | Looked After Children | Looked after children are also often referred to as children in care, a term which many children and young people prefer. |
| LD | Learning Disabilities | A person with learning disabilities may find it hard to learn, understand and communicate. |
| Linac | Linear particle accelerator | Device most commonly used for external beam radiation treatments for patients with cancer |
| Lived Experience | knowledge gained by people as they live their lives, through direct involvement with everyday events. It is also the impact that social issues can have on people, such as experiences of being ill, accessing care, living with debt etc. | |
| LMC | Local Medical Committee | Local representative committees of NHS GPs. |
| LMNS | Local Maternity and Neonatal system | Groups of staff and service users working together to improve care during pregnancy and postnatally. |
| Local Authority | Or local council, it can also refer to any administrative organisation in local government. | |
| LoS | Length of Stay | Time spent in hospitals |
| LPS | Liberty Protection Standards | Replaced DoLS – Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards – designed to protect a patient’s rights if the care or treatment received in a hospital or care home means that the patient is, or may become, deprived of their liberty and lack the mental capacity to consent to these arrangements – see Mental Capacity Act |
| LRM | Local Resolution Meeting | A meeting between complainants and members of the team who have provided care that resulted in a complaint. This meeting is to gain a greater understanding from both parties and to attempt to reach resolution. |
| LSP | Local Strategic Partnerships | The LSP is a partnership of public agencies, business, voluntary and community sectors working together for the benefit of local people. |
| LTC | Long Term Condition | An illness that cannot be cured but can usually be controlled with medicines or other treatments. |
| LTP | Long Term Plan | This was published in 2019 setting out key ambitions for the NHS over the next 10 years. |
M
| Abbreviation | What this stands for | Additional Information |
| MAC | Medical Advisory Committee | A generic, non-specific term used in the UK for a group of health professionals who advise a body on medical matters that impact on the body, including proposed policies and action plans related to safe practices, patient management, whether to adopt new medical technologies and so on. |
| MAU | Medical Assessment Unit | Also known as AMU (Acute Medical Unit) |
| MCA | Mental Capacity Act | Designed to protect and empower people who may lack the mental capacity to make their own decisions about their care and treatment. |
| MCA | Maternity Care Assistant | Also known as Midwifery assistants or maternity support worker – they work in maternity under the supervision of a midwife. |
| MDT | Multi-disciplinary Team | A group of healthcare professionals working to support patients with their holistic needs to prepare them for discharge from hospital or to support them in the community. The patient and carer would ideally be involved too to ensure that concerns are heard and addressed |
| MEWS | Maternity Early Warning Score | The Early Warning Scoring System and Action Protocol are designed to help identify deterioration in the woman and ensure appropriate early intervention. |
| MFE | Medicine for the Elderly | Medicine for the Elderly or Geriatrics is the branch of medicine concerning the diagnosis and treatment of disorders that occur in old age and the care of the elderly. |
| MHA | Mental Health Act 1983 | The Mental Health Act (MHA) 1983 is the law in England and Wales which was updated in 2007. It tells people with mental health problems what their rights are regarding: assessment and treatment in hospitaltreatment in the communitypathways into hospital, which can be civil or criminal |
| MHRA | Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency | The agency regulates medicines, medical devices and blood components for transfusion in the UK. |
| MLBU | Midwife Led Birthing Unit | To support labour and birth for low risk pregnancies led by midwives also known as midwife led unit (MLU). At QEH this unit is named Waterlily |
| MMR | Measles Mumps Rubella | This term is associated with the vaccine to protect children and young people throughout their lives from these 3 diseases |
| Morbidity | Illness or disability | |
| MRI | Magnetic Resonance Imaging | This is a type of scan that uses strong magnetic fields and radio waves to produce detailed images of the inside of the body. An MRI scanner is a large tube that contains powerful magnets. You lie inside the tube during the scan. |
| MRSA | Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus | A type of bacterial infection that is resistant to a number of widely used antibiotics. |
| MSK | Musculoskeletal | |
| MSSA | Methicillin-Susceptible Staphylococcus Aureus | Staphylococcus aureus (often shortened to “Staph”, “Staph aureus” or S. aureus) is a type of bacteria (germ) which lives harmlessly on the skin and in the noses, in about one third of people. |
| MVP | Maternity Voices Partnership | A nationally mandated service user initiative – every Trust with maternity services should have one. |
N
| Abbreviation | What this stands for | Additional Information |
| Named Nurse | The nurse with special responsibility for a patient during their working shift. They will work closely with the patient, carer, family and consultant to design a care plan and review progress. At the end of the nurse’s shift a detailed handover will be made to the next shift’s named nurse | |
| NCC | Norfolk County Council | |
| NCH&C | Norfolk Community Health and Care | Community trust caring for patients in the community across Norfolk |
| NDD | Neurodevelopmental Disorders | NDDs comprise intellectual disability (ID); Communication Disorders; Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD); Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD); Neurodevelopmental Motor Disorders, including Tic Disorders; and Specific Learning Disorders. |
| Near Miss | An event that could have caused harm, loss and damage, but fortunately did not do so on this particular occasion | |
| NED | Non-Executive Director | These members of the Board have senior skills and experience. Ideally the non-Executive Directors will enhance the Trust board’s diversity, inclusivity and compassionate leadership. These skilled members of the team generally come from a wide range of backgrounds and lived experience bring fresh ideas, greater challenge and more robust decision making |
| Neighbourhood | In the new ICS this is the most local area – there are several neighbourhoods. Each neighbourhood covers a population size of roughly 30,000 to 50,000 people. They often focus on integrating primary, community and social care through team and joint working arrangements. They are key to the NHS’s commitment to deliver more care as close to home as possible. | |
| Never Event | Never events are serious, largely preventable patient safety incidents that should not occur if the available preventative measures have been implemented. | |
| NEWS | National Early Warning Score | NEWS is a tool developed by the Royal College of Physicians which improves the detection and response to clinical deterioration in adult patients and is a key element of patient safety and improving patient outcomes. In December 2017 NEWS2 was issued to be used in acute and ambulance settings |
| NHS | National Health Service | The publicly funded healthcare system in England, and one of the four National Health Service systems in the United Kingdom |
| NHS Direct | Website which holds everything NHS related – renamed NHS Choices and again to NHS Website | |
| NHSLA | NHS Litigation Authority | This organisation manages negligence and other claims against the NHS in England on behalf of its member organisations. |
| NHSP | New-born Hearing Screening Programme | Aims to identify permanent moderate, severe and profound deafness and hearing impairment in newborn babies. |
| NICE | National Institute for Health and Care Excellence | 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. |
| NICU | Neonatal Intensive Care Unit | Used to be known as SCBU – Special Care Baby Unit |
| NMC | Nursing and Midwifery Council | The Nursing and Midwifery Council We’re the independent regulator for nurses, midwives and nursing associates. |
| NNDC | North Norfolk District Council | District council for the North Norfolk area. |
| NNUH | Norfolk and Norwich University Hospital | The only large acute Trust in Norfolk and Waveney |
| NND | NeoNatal Death | The death of a child born alive but passing away within the first 28 days of life. |
| NPSA | National Patient Safety Agency | Was a Special Health Authority (until 2012) created to co-ordinate the efforts of all those involved in healthcare, and more importantly to learn from, adverse incidents occurring in the NHS. |
| NSFT | Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust | Mental health trust across Norfolk and Suffolk |
O
| Abbreviation | What this stands for | Additional Information |
| OCD | Obsessive Compulsive Disorder | This is a chronic mental health condition that is usually associated with both obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviour. |
| OMFS | Oral and maxillo-facial surgery | diagnose and treat patients with diseases affecting the mouth, jaws, face and neck. |
| OOH | Out of Hours | This indicates the time period outside normal working hours for accessing health care – The out-of-hours period is from 6.30pm to 8am on weekdays and all day at weekends and on bank holidays. This service is provided by a range of solutions including 111, a pharmacy rota and at A&E units |
| OPD | Outpatients Department | Treatment, diagnosis, procedure or consultation that does not require an overnight stay in hospital |
| OPED | Older People’s Emergency Department | NNUH has the country’s first Older People’s Emergency Department (OPED) is helping to improve patient experience and reduce the average length of stay for patients over the age of 80. |
| OPM | Older People’s Medicine | Terminology used at the Norfolk and Norwich Hospital in relation to older people and stroke services inpatient and outpatient services |
| OT | Occupational Therapist | 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 | A patient receiving care by attending a clinic and not staying overnight in a hospital |
| OSC | Overview and Scrutiny Committee | The Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee looks at the work of local NHS organisations. The Committee acts as a ‘critical friend’ by suggesting ways that health related services might be improved. |
| OTP | Outpatient Transformation Programme | The NHS is giving patients greater control and convenience in their NHS hospital or clinic appointments – by offering telephone or video consultations, empowering people to book their own follow-up care, and working with GPs to avoid the need for an onward referral where possible. |
P
| Abbreviation | What this stands for | Additional Information |
| PACS | Picture archiving and communications system | Is a medical imaging technology used primarily in healthcare organizations to securely store and digitally transmit electronic images and clinically-relevant reports. |
| PALS | Patient Advice and Liaison Service | 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. |
| PAS | Patient Administration System | Developed out of the automation of administrative paperwork in healthcare organisations, particularly hospitals, and are one of the core components of a hospital’s IT infrastructure. |
| Patient Centre | A Patient Administration System | |
| PAU | Paediatric Assessment Unit | Children and Young People attend this service for assessment prior to a decision about treatment being made |
| PbR | Payment by Results | is a system of paying NHS healthcare providers a standard national price or tariff for each patient seen or treated |
| PCN | Primary Care Networks | GP practices working together with community, mental health, social care, pharmacy, hospital and voluntary services in their local area to meet the needs of their local population. |
| PDA | Pathological Demand Avoidance | a profile on the autism spectrum, involving the avoidance of everyday demands and the use of ‘social’ strategies as part of this avoidance |
| PEAT | Patient Environment Action Teams | Introduced in April 2001 as a direct response to the NHS Plan. National programme to assess and improve cleanliness, safety, privacy and dignity of inpatient care areas within NHS services. This was replaced by PLACE in 2013 |
| 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. | |
| PET scan | Positron Emission Tomography | This uses a mildly radioactive drug to show up areas of your body where cells are more active than normal. It’s used to help diagnose some conditions including cancer. |
| PFI | Private Finance Initiative | 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 |
| 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. | |
| PHBs | Personal Health Budgets | Personal health budgets are an amount of money to support your identified health and wellbeing needs, planned and agreed upon between you and your local NHS team. The aim is to give people with long-term conditions and disabilities greater choice and control over the healthcare and support they receive. |
| PHE | Public Health England | Public Health England was replaced by UK Health Security Agency and Office for Health Improvement and Disparities. The UK Health Security Agency (UKHSA) is responsible for protecting every member of every community from the impact of infectious diseases, chemical, biological, radiological and nuclear incidents and other health threats. Office for Health Improvement and Disparities – focus on improving the nation’s health so that everyone can expect to live more of life in good health, and on levelling up health disparities to break the link between background and prospects for a healthy life. |
| PHM | Population Health Management | This is a way of working to help frontline teams understand current health and care needs and predict what local people will need in the future – especially to reduce inequality, reduce preventable diseases and manage long term conditions. |
| PHO | Public Health Observatories | The primary characteristic of these observatories is that they produce and disseminate intelligence for their host area in order to inform policy. |
| PICU | Paediatric Intensive Care Unit | Specialist Intensive care unit for children |
| PICU | Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit | Secure inpatient MH care and treatment for individuals (often children & adolescents) with the more acute phase of a serious mental disorder. This service in Norfolk is managed by Norfolk and Suffolk Foundation Trust |
| PIFU | Patient Initiated Follow Up | To give patients and their carers the flexibility to arrange their follow-up appointments as and when they need them. |
| PLACE | Patient Led Assessment of the Care Environment | April 2013 saw the introduction of PLACE, which is the system for assessing the quality of the patient environment, replacing the old Patient Environment Action Team (PEAT) inspections. The assessments primarily apply to hospitals and hospices providing NHS-funded care in both the NHS and private/independent sectors |
| Place (ICS) | The geographical level below an Integrated Care System (ICS) at which most of the work to join up budgets, planning and service delivery for routine health and care services (particularly community-based services) will happen. The Norfolk and Waveney ICS will comprise five places. | |
| Place Based Working | This is the new way of working set out as part of integrated care systems. It involves bringing together all the health and care organisations that sit within that place area, such as the hospitals, councils, care providers and voluntary groups, to work together as local partners for the benefit of their local population | |
| Place Based Partnerships | Bring together the NHS, local councils and voluntary organisations, residents, people who access services, carers and families. These partnerships will lead design and delivery of services in their local area. | |
| Place Boards (ICS) | A forum that brings together colleagues from health and care to integrate services and focus on effective operational delivery and improving people’s care. | |
| PMA | Professional Midwifery Advocate | Midwives who have undertaken additional training or order to support midwives to advocate for women, provide direct support for women, undertake quality improvements in collaboration with women |
| PMA | Prevention and Management of Aggression | A key training system in the NNUH designed to promote the prevention of violence as a first option and to prepare NNUH staff to safely deal with aggressive situations including high risk where physical interventions or control and restraint may be necessary |
| PN | Postnatal | Relating to the period after childbirth |
| PND | Post Natal Depression | The birth of a baby is an emotional experience and, for many new mothers, feeling tearful and depressed is also common. Sometimes longer periods of depression, 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. |
| PNMH | Perinatal Mental Health | Specialist mental health focussing on the time from conception until 1 year following childbirth. |
| POP | Personalised Outpatient Programme | Tailors a patient’s follow up out-patient care to their individual clinical need, circumstances and preferences. |
| Population Health | The collection of patient data across multiple health systems. This data is then analysed in and located in one place for care providers to improve both clinical and financial outcomes. | |
| PP | Patients’ Panel | This is a group of local people who volunteer their time and skills and work in partnership with the Trust |
| PPG | Patient Participation Group | This is a group of people who are patients of a GP surgery and want to help it work as well as it can for patients, doctors and staff. These can be held in person or virtually |
| PPE | Personal Protective Equipment | PPE is equipment that will protect the user against health and safety risks – within a hospital this could include face masks, gloves, gown. |
| Primary Care | includes general practice, community pharmacy, dental, and optometry (eye health) services. | |
| Provider | Hospital trusts, GPs, voluntary organisations and sometimes private institutions that provide the health according to contract with the Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG) | |
| Provider Collaboratives | Bring NHS providers together across one or more ICS, working with clinical networks, alliances and other partners, to benefit from working across a larger area. | |
| PSA | Prostate Specific Antigen | The PSA test is used to monitor men after surgery or radiation therapy for prostate cancer to see if their cancer has come back. |
| 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 health disorder. | |
| PTSD | Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder | is a mental health condition that’s triggered by a terrifying event — either experiencing it or witnessing it. Symptoms may include flashbacks, nightmares and severe anxiety, as well as uncontrollable thoughts about the event. |
Q
| Abbreviation | What this stands for | Additional Information |
| QEHKL | The Queen Elizabeth Hospital King’s Lynn | Also known as QEH. District General Hospital based in West Norfolk, supporting patients from West Norfolk, South Lincolnshire and North Cambridgeshire |
R
| Abbreviation | What this stands for | Additional Information |
| RA | Rheumatoid Arthritis | Is a long-term condition that causes pain, swelling and stiffness in the joints |
| RATS | Rapid Assessment Treatment Service | The aim of RAT is to provide early senior assessment of undifferentiated ‘majors’ patients. The model has been implemented by a number of emergency departments, with considerable benefits to patient safety and satisfaction. |
| RCA | Root Cause Analysis | A comprehensive investigation carried out in response to serious incidents |
| RCGP | Royal College of General Practitioners | The RCGP is the professional membership body for family doctors in the UK and overseas. |
| RCM | Royal College of Midwives | Professional organisation and trade union supporting members of maternity services. |
| RCN | Royal College of Nursing | This is the world’s largest nursing union and professional body |
| RCOG | Royal College of Obstetrics and Gynaecology | The RCOG has been working to transform women’s health and reproductive care for over 90 years |
| RCP | Royal College of Physicians | The Royal College of Physicians is a British professional membership body dedicated to improving the practice of medicine, chiefly through the accreditation of physicians by examination |
| Referral | Official route to ensure a patient joins the list of a specialist able to assist them to address their medical concern which is unable to be resolved by a more general health professional. | |
| RES | Race Equality Scheme | The Race equality scheme sets out the actions we will take to fulfil our responsibilities under the Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000. |
| RSU | Regional Secure Unit | Medium-secure units for people who are thought to pose special risks, particularly violence to others. |
| RTT | Referral to Treatment | Time taken for a patient to be referred to an appropriate specialist service. |
S
| Abbreviation | What this stands for | Additional Information |
| SAD | Seasonally Affective Disorder | This is sometimes known as “winter depression” because the symptoms are usually more apparent and more severe during the winter. |
| SAU | Surgical Assessment Unit | A surgical assessment unit (SAU) is a clinical area located within a hospital whereby patients referred to the surgical service, primarily but not restricted to the (general) emergency surgery service, are clinically assessed and a decision upon further treatment and admission, if required, can be made. |
| SBARD | Situation, Background, Assessment, Recommendation, Decision | This technique provides a framework for communication between members of the health care team about a patient’s condition. |
| SBLCB | Saving Babies Lives Care Bundle | is part of a drive to halve the rate of still births and consists of 5 elements – reducing smoking during pregnancy, risk assessment and surveillance for fetal growth restriction, raising awareness of reduced fetal movement, effective fetal monitoring during labour and reducing pre-term death. |
| SCR | Summary Care Record | This is an electronic record of important patient information, created from GP medical records. |
| SDAU | Same Day Admission Unit | Patients arrive at SDAU on the morning of their surgery. After surgery patients will be sent to appropriate destination wards for post operative care. |
| SDEC | Same Day Emergency Care | Also known as Ambulatory Emergency Care |
| Secondary Care | Healthcare provided in a hospital setting | |
| Self Harm | Self-harm is when somebody damages or injures their body on purpose. | |
| Service User | 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 Officer | Doctor below consultant level. |
| SI | Serious Incident | 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. |
| SITREP | Situation Report | Report compiled to describe the detail surrounding a situation, event or incident |
| SLA | Service Level Agreement | is the part of a contract which defines exactly what services a service provider will provide and the required level or standard for those services. |
| 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 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. | |
| SSI | Surgical Site Infection | Infections that occur in the wound created by an invasive surgical procedure |
| STI | Sexually Transmitted Infection | usually pass from one person to another through sexual contact. Common STIs include chlamydia, gonorrhoea, trichomoniasis, genital warts, genital herpes, pubic lice, scabies, syphilis, human papillomavirus |
| STP | Sustainability and Transformation Partnership | were introduced in 2016. They bring together local NHS organisations and local authorities (county/ unitary councils) to develop proposals to improve health and the quality of care to provide better services for patients in the areas they serve. |
| System (ICS) | In relation to integrated care systems (ICS), this refers to the level of the ICS. Key functions at the system level include setting and leading overall strategy, managing collective resources and performance, identifying and sharing best practice to reduce unwarranted variations in care, and leading changes that benefit from working at a larger scale such as digital, estates and workforce transformation. |
T
| Abbreviation | What this stands for | Additional Information |
| Talking therapies / treatment | A general term for treatments which involve talking in individual or group sessions with a trained mental health professional. | |
| Tertiary Care | Specialist care, usually for less common illnesses. | |
| TIA | Transient Ischaemic Attack | or “mini stroke” is caused by a temporary disruption in the blood supply to part of the brain. |
| TLHC | Targeted Lung Health Check | NHS England » Evaluation of the Targeted Lung Health Check programme |
| Two Ticks | An award recognising employers’ innovative work on disability and implementing the Disability Discrimination Act 1995. This scheme was replaced in 2016 by the Disability Confident Employer |
U
| Abbreviation | What this stands for | Additional Information |
| UEC | Urgent and Emergency Care | |
| Ulysses | Computer program to record incidents and manage the process following an incident at JPUH. At QEH and NNUH the system used is called Datix | |
| USS | Ultrasound Scan | Also known as sonography – A type of imaging test to examine the internal organs using very high frequency sound waves. |
| UTC | Urgent Treatment Centre | Are available for at least 12 hours a day, every day to care for people who need urgent medical attention, but it’s not a life-threatening situation. |
| UTI | Urinary Tract Infection | affect your urinary tract, including your bladder (cystitis), urethra (urethritis) or kidneys (kidney infection). |
V
| Abbreviation | What this stands for | Additional Information |
| VCFSE | Voluntary Community Faith and Social Enterprise | Any organisation working with social purpose that is independent of government and are constitutionally self-governing. They exist for the good of the community, to promote social, economic, environmental or cultural objectives to benefit society as a whole, or particular groups within it. Ranging from small community-based groups/schemes to larger registered Charities. |
| VTE | Venous Thromboembolism | is a condition in which a blood clot forms most often in the deep veins of the leg, groin or arm (known as deep vein thrombosis, DVT) and travels in the circulation, lodging in the lungs (known as pulmonary embolism, PE). Together, DVT and PE are known as VTE – a dangerous, potentially deadly medical condition. |
| VZV | Varicella Zoster Virus | Is a herpes virus that causes chickenpox, a common childhood illness. It is highly contagious. If an adult develops chickenpox, the illness may be more severe. After a person has had chickenpox, the varicella-zoster virus can remain inactive in the body for many years. Herpes zoster (shingles) occurs when the virus becomes active again. |
W
| Abbreviation | What this stands for | Additional Information |
| Ward Manager | The senior nurse in charge of running a hospital ward. | |
| White Paper | Government document which outlines the way policy and services will operate in the future. | |
| WHO | World Health Organisation | leads and champions global efforts to give everyone, everywhere an equal chance to live a healthy life. |
Further information
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