NHS A- Z Jargon Buster

A&E – Accident and Emergency
A hospital department specialising in the acute care of patients with an urgent or emergency trauma

AACE – Association of Ambulance Chief Executives
They provide ambulance services with an organisation that can support, coordinate and implement nationally agreed policy

AC – Approved Clinician
A mental health professional approved by the Secretary of State or a person or body exercising the approval function of the Secretary of State or by the Welsh Ministers to act as an Approved Clinician for the purpose of the Act. Some decisions under the Act can only be taken by people who are Approved Clinicians. All Responsible Clinicians must be approved clinicians

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.

AfC – Agenda for Change
The NHS-wide grading and pay system for NHS staff, with the exception of medical, dental staff and some senior managers. Each relevant job role is matched to a band on the Agenda for Change pay scale

AGC – Audit and Governance Committee
A committee of boards that help the board to assure itself on issues of finance, governance and probity

AGM – Annual General Meeting
A meeting to present and agree the trusts annual report and accounts (see also AMM)

AGS – Annual Governance Statement
A Document which identifies the internal controls in place and their effectiveness in delivering effective governance

AHP – Allied Health Professionals
For example physiotherapists, radiographers, speech therapists and podiatrists
AHSC Academic Health Science Centre A partnership between a healthcare provider and one or more universities

AHSN – Academic Health Science Network
Locally owned and run partnerships organisations to lead and support innovation and improvement in healthcare

ALOS – Average length of stay
The average amount of time patients stay in hospital

ALB(s) – Arms Length Bodies
An organisation that delivers a public service but is not a ministerial government department, these include: HEE, HSCIC, HRA, HTA, NHSE, NICE, Monitor, NHSBSA, NHSBT, NHSI, NHSLA, MHPRA, CQC, PHE (see individual entries for explanations)

AMHP – Approved Mental Health Professional
A social worker or other professional approved by the local authority to carry out a variety of functions under the Act

AMM – Annual Members Meeting
A meeting that is held every year to give members the opportunity to hear about what the trust has done in the past year, normally incorporated into the AGM

AO – Accountable Officer
Senior Person responsible and accountable for funds entrusted to their trust, for NHS provider organisations this person will be the Chief Executive

ASD – Autism Spectrum Disorder
A group of neurodevelopmental conditions of variable severity having features regarded as characteristic of autism (especially difficulties with social interaction and communication)

AWOL – Absence without Leave
When a patient absconds from legal custody

BAF – Board Assurance Framework
The key document used to record and report an organisations key strategic objectives, risks, controls and assurances to the board

BAME – Black Asian Minority Ethnic
Terminology normally used in the UK to describe people of non-white descent, also known as Cultural Diverse backgrounds

BCF – Better Care Fund
This fund creates a local single pooled budget to incentivise the NHS and local government to work more closely together in local areas

BDG – Business Delivery Group
A CNTW group tasked at looking at different operational elements of the organisation

Benchmarking
Method of gauging performance by comparison with other organisations

BIA – Best Interest Assessor
This is the name of the given person responsible for carrying out the best interest’s assessment. This is a specialist role

BMA – British Medical Association
Trade union and professional body for doctors

BNF – British National Formulary
A medical and pharmaceutical publication that contains information and advice on prescribing and pharmacology, along with specific facts and details about all medicines available on the NHS

BoD – Board of Directors
Executive and Non-Executive Directors who have collective responsibility for leading and directing the trust

Caldicott Guardian
A board level executive director responsible for protecting the confidentiality of service user information and enabling appropriate information sharing

CAD- Computer Aided Dispatch
Electronic System for dispatching emergency calls

CAMHS – Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services
Specialise in providing help and treatment for children and young people with emotional, behavioural and mental health difficulties

CapEx – Capital Expenditure
An amount spent to acquire, or improve a long-term asset such as equipment or buildings

CBA – Cost Benefit Analysis
A process for calculating and comparing the costs and benefits of a project

CBT – Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
A form of psychological therapy used mostly in depression and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder, but increasingly shown to be a useful part of the treatment of schizophrenia

CBU – Clinical Business Unit
CBUs help manager the operational side of an organisation

CCG – Clinical Commissioning Group
Groups of GP’s clinicians and managers who are responsible for commissioning local health services in England (these are now replaced with ICS/ICB’s)

CDiff – Clostridium Difficile
A bacterial infection that most commonly affects people staying in hospital

CE/CEO – Chief Executive/Chief Executive Officer
Leads the day-to-day management of a foundation trust, is a board member and the accountable officer for the trust

CEDAR – Care Environment Development and Reprovision
The CEDAR Programme is the name for CNTW’s work on three major capital developments at Northgate Park, Ferndene and Central Adult Inpatient Services

CEDS – Community Eating Disorder Services
The CEDS provides community support and hospital inreach. This specialist eating disorder service supports young people and their families in the community to manage their condition and prevent hospital admission.

CF – Cash Flow
The money moving in and out of an organisation

CFC – Charitable Funds Committee
A CNTW Board Sub Committee

CFR – Community First Responders
A volunteer who is trained by the ambulance service to attend emergency calls in the area where they live

CHC – Continuing Healthcare
Whereby those with long-term or complex healthcare needs qualify for social care arranged for and funded by the NHS

CIP – Cost Improvement Plan
An internal business planning tool outlining the trust’s efficiency strategy

Clinical Staff
Staff members whose regulatory body falls within the remit of the Professional Standards Authority for Health and Social Care, but are not full registered persons. Examples include Nurses, Occupational Therapists, Psychologists, Pharmacists etc.

CMHT – Community Mental Health Team
A team of mental health professionals who work to help people manage and recover from mental illness in the community, also known as Community Treatment Teams (CTT’s)

CNDS – Complex Neurodevelopmental Disorders Services
The Complex Neurodevelopmental Disorders Service (CNDS) is a specialist second opinion Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) service for children and young people

CNTW – Cumbria, Northumberland Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust
One of the largest Mental Health and Disability Foundation Trusts in the Country

CoG – Council of Governors
The governing body that holds the Non-Executive Directors on the board to account for the performance of the board in managing the trust, and represents the interests of members and of the public

COO – Chief Operating Officer
A senior manager who is responsible for managing a trust’s day to day operations and reports to the CEO, is also an Executive board member

CoP – Court of Protection
The specialist court set up under the Mental Capacity Act to deal with issues relating to people who lack capacity to make decisions for themselves

CPA – Care Programme Approach
A system of care and support for individuals with complex needs which includes an assessment a care plan and a care coordinator.

CPD – Continuing Professional Development
Continued learning to help professionals maintain their skills, knowledge and professional registration

CPN – Community Psychiatric Nurse
A registered nurse with specialist training in mental health working outside a hospital in the community (usually part of a CTT/CMHT)

CQC – Care Quality Commission
The independent regulator of all health and social care services in England

CQUIN – Commissioning for Quality and Innovation
A sum of money that is given to providers by commissioners on the achievement of locally and nationally agreed quality and improvement goals

CSR – Corporate Social Responsibility
A business practice which incorporates sustainable goals, usually positive impacts on environmental, economic and social factors, into a business model

CT – Computed Tomography
A medical imaging technique

CTO – Community Treatment Order
The legal authority for the discharge of a patient from detention in hospital, subject to the possibility of recall to hospital for further medical treatment if necessary

CTR – Care and Treatment Review
A meeting about an adult who has a learning disability and/or autism and who is either at-risk of being admitted to, or is currently detained in, an in-patient (psychiatric) service

CYPS – Children and Young People’s Services
See CAMHS

BS – Disclosure and Barring Service
Conducts criminal record and background checks for employers

DBT – Dialectical Behavioural Therapy
A type of psycho-therapy or talk therapy which has been developed from CBT to help those experiencing borderline personality disorder

DGH – District General Hospital
Major secondary care facility which provides an array of treatment, diagnostic and therapeutic services, including A&E

DHSC – Department of Health and Social Care
The ministerial department which leads, shapes and funds health and care in England

DN – Director of Nursing
The executive director who has professional responsibility for services provided by nursing personnel in a trust

DNA- Did Not Attend
A patient who missed an appointment without notice

DNR / DNAR – Do Not Resuscitate / Do Not Attempt Resuscitation
A form issued and signed by a doctor, which tells a medical team not to attempt CPR

DoC – Duty of Candour
A legal duty on hospital, community, ambulance and mental health trusts to inform and apologies to patients if there have been mistakes in their care that have led to significant harm

DoF – Director of Finance
See FD

DOI – Declaration of Interest
All NHS staff, whatever their role or salary band, must declare any actual or potential conflict of interests which may have a bearing on their employment with the Trust. Identified ‘decision making’ staff must make a declaration at minimum annually even if they have nothing to declare

DoLs – Deprivation of Liberty
Deprivation of liberty means the circumstances in which a person freedom is taken away. The framework of safeguards under the Mental Capacity Act 2005 for people who need to be deprived of their liberty in their best interests for care or treatment to which they lack the capacity to consent themselves

DPA – Data Protection Act
The law controlling how personal data is collected and used

DPH – Director of Public Health
A senior Leadership role responsible for the oversight and care of matters relating to public health

DTOCs – Delayed Transfers of Care
This refers to patients who are medically fit but waiting for care arrangements to be put in place therefore cannot be discharged

BE – Expert by Experience
Someone who is an expert in a specific subject or field due to having own personal experience in the subject

ECT – Electro-Convulsive Therapy
A form of medical treatment of mental disorder in which a small carefully controlled electric current is introduced into the brain. It is administered in conjunction with general anaesthetic and muscle relaxant medications and is occasionally used to treat very severe depression

E&D – Equality and Diversity
The current term used for equal opportunities whereby members of the workforce should not be discriminated against because of their characteristics

ED(s) – 1. Executive Directors, 2. Emergency Department or 3. Eating Disorders
1. Senior management employees who sit on the trust board.
2. Alternative name for A&E departments
3. A mental health condition where you use the control of food to cope with feelings and other situations

HER – Electronic Health Record
Health information about a patient collected in digital format which can theoretically be shared across different healthcare systems

EMG – Executive Management Group
The CNTW Executive Management Team’s monthly meeting to discuss issues concerning the trust in more detail

EOLC – End of Life Care
Support for patients reaching the end of their life

EPR – Electronic Patient Record
A collation of patient data stored using computer software

ESR – Electronic Staff Record
A collation of personal data about staff stored using computer software

FD – Finance Director
The executive director leading on finance issues

FFT – Friends and Family Test
A single question survey which asks patients whether they would recommend the NHS service they have received to friends and family who need similar care and treatment

FPPT – Fit and Proper Person Test
HMRC carries out the fit and proper persons test as part of the anti-money laundering supervision registration process for:
• money service businesses
• trust or company service providers

FOI – Freedom of Information
The right to ask any public sector organisation for the recorded information they have on any subject

FT – Foundation Trust
A public benefit corporation, which is a legal body established to deliver healthcare to patients/service users and has earned a degree of operational and financial independence

FTE – Full Time Equivalent
A measurement of an employees workload against that of someone employed full time e.g. 0.5 FTE would be someone who worked half the full time hours

FTSU / FTSUG – 1. Freedom to Speak Up / 2. Freedom to Speak Up Guardians
1. An initiative developed by NHS Improvement to encourage NHS workers to speak up about any issues to patient care, safety or quality
2. Freedom to Speak Up Guardians support workers to speak up when they feel that they are unable to in other ways

FR – Francis Report
The final report, published in 2013, of the public enquiry into care provided by Mid Staffordshire NHS FT chaired by Sir Robert Francis QC

GAU – General Adolescent Unit
General adolescent services including specialist eating disorder services

GDP – Gross Domestic Product
The value of a country’s overall output of goods and services

GDPR – General Data Protection Regulations
The legal framework which sets the guidelines for the collecting and processing personal information

GIRFT – Getting It Right First Time
GIRFT is a national programme designed to improve the treatment and care of patients through in-depth review of services, benchmarking, and presenting a data-driven evidence base to support change

GMC – General Medical Council
The independent regulator for doctors in the UK

GOSW – Guardian of Safe Working
The guardian of safe working hours ensures that issues of compliance with safe working hours are addressed by the doctor and the employer or host organisation as appropriate. It provides assurance to the board of the employing organisation that doctors’ working hours are safe.

HCAI – Healthcare Associated Infection
These are infections that are acquired in hospitals or as a result of healthcare interventions; MRSA and Clostridium difficile can be classed as HCSIs if caught while in a healthcare setting

HCA – Healthcare Assistant
Staff working within a hospital or community setting under the guidance of a qualified healthcare professional

HCP – Healthcare Professional
A provider of healthcare treatment and advice based on formal training and experience

HDU – High Dependency Unit
An area in a hospital, usually located close to the ICU, where patients can be care for more extensively that on a normal ward, but not to the point of intensive care e.g. patients who have had major surgery

HEE – Health Education England
The body responsible for the education, training and personal development of NHS staff

HM – Hospital Managers
The organisation (or individual) responsible for the operation of the Act in a particular hospital (e.g. an NHS Trust or owners of independent hospital) Hospital Managers have various functions under the Act, which include the power to discharge a patient. In practice most of the HM decision are taken on their behalf by individuals (or groups of individuals) authorised by the hospital managers to do so. HM decisions about discharge are normally delegated to a managers panel of three or more people

HR – Human Resources
The department which focusses on the workforce of an organisation including pay, recruitment and conduct

HRA – Health Research Authority
Protects and promotes the interests of patients and the public in health research

HSCA 2012 – Health and Social Care Act 2012
An Act of Parliament providing the most extensive reorganisation of the NHS since it was established, including extending responsibilities of governors

HSSIB – Health Services Safety Investigations
The Health Services Safety Investigations Body will build on the work of the Healthcare Safety Investigations Branch (the HSIB) which became operational in April 2017 as part of NHS Improvement, to conduct high-level investigations into patient safety incidents in the NHS. The new body will conduct investigations and its remit will be extended to include the independent sector too.

HTA – Human Tissue Authority
Regulates the removal, storage, use and disposal of human bodies, organs and tissue for a number of scheduled purposes such as research, transplantation and education and training

HWB / HWBB – Health and Wellbeing Board
A local forum to bring together partners from across the NHS, local government, the third sector and the independent sector, led by local authorities

HW – Healthwatch
A body created under the Health and Social Care Act 2012 which aims to understand the needs and experiences of NHS service users and speak on their behalf

HWP – Hopewood Park
One of CNTW’s Hospital sites, based in Sunderland.

IAPT – Improved Access to Psychological Therapies * Now called NHS Talking Therapies *
An NHS programme rolling out services across England offering interventions approved by the National Institute of Health and Acre Excellence for treating people with depression and anxiety disorders

ICB – Integrated Care Board
Statutory organisation bringing NHS together locally to improve population health and establish shared strategic priorities within the NHS. Integrated care boards (ICBs) replaced clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in the NHS in England from 1 July 2022

ICP – Integrated Care Partnership
The ICP is a statutory committee formed between the ICB and relevant Local authorities within the ICS area as “equal partners”. The ICP is responsible for the development of an “integrated care strategy” setting out how to meet the wider health, public health and social care needs of the population in their footprint.

ICP – Integrated Care Pathway
A multidisciplinary outline of care, placed in an appropriate timeframe, to help a patient with a specific condition or set of symptoms move progressively through diagnosis and treatment to positive outcomes

ICS – Integrated Care System
Groups of NHS providers, commissioners and local authorities working together to improve health and care in the local area

ICT – Information Communications Technology
An umbrella term that includes any communication device or application, encompassing: radio, television, cellular phones, computer and network hardware and software, satellite systems, as well as the various services and applications associated with them

ICU or ITU – Intensive Care Unit / Intensive Therapy Unit
Specialist unit for patients with severe and life threatening illnesses

IG – Information Governance
Ensures necessary safeguards for, and appropriate use of, patient and personal information. Key areas are information policy for health and social care, IG standards for systems and development of guidance for NHS and partner organisations

IMCA – Independent mental capacity advocates
An advocate able to offer help to patients who lack capacity under arrangements which are specifically required to be made under the Mental Capacity Act 2005

IMHA – Independent Mental Health advocate
An Advocate available to offer help to patients under arrangements which are specifically required to be made under the Act

IP – Inpatient
A patient who is hospitalised for more than 24 hours

IPBS – Intensive Positive Behavioural Service
The team works with children/young people between the ages of 4-18 with a learning disability and or Autism Spectrum Disorder where their behaviour that challenges occurs as a result of the young person having limited abilities to communicate distress, and get their needs met in other more adaptive ways

IT – Information Technology
Systems (especially computers and telecommunications) for storing, retrieving and sending information

ITHRIVE
Implementation of a multi-agency framework called THRIVE to support the mental wellbeing of young people

None to note

KLOE(s) – Key Line of Enquiries
Detailed questions asked by CQC inspectors which help to answer the five key questions to assess services: are they safe, effective, caring, responsive and well-led?

KPIs – Key Performance Indicators
Indicators that help an organisation define and measure progress towards a goal

KF – Kings Fund
Independent charity working to improve health and health care in England

LD – Learning Disability
A disability which affects the way a person understands information and how they communicate

LGA – Local Government Association
The national voice of local government in England and Wales. It seeks to promote better local government and maintains communication between officers in different local authorities to develop best practice

LOS – Length of Stay
A term commonly used to measure the duration of a single episode of hospitalisation

LPA – Lasting Power of Attorney
A person over the age of 18 appointed under the Mental Capacity Act which has the legal right to make decisions within the scope of their authority on behalf of the person

LSU – Low Secure Unit
An LSU provides inpatient care for people who present with mental health conditions who either have offended or displayed offending type behaviour, and pose a significant danger to themselves or the public

LTS – Long Term Segregation
Longer term segregation refers to a situation whereby in order to reduce a sustained risk of harm posed by the patient to others

M&A – Mergers and Acquisitions
Mergers bring together two or more bodies to form a new legal entity and disband the merging bodies. Acquisitions are take-overs of one body by another

MAPPA – Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements
MAPPA is the process through which various agencies such as the police, prison service and probation work together to protect the public by managing the risks posed by violent and sexual offenders living in the community

MCA – Mental Capacity Act
An act of parliament that governs decision making on behalf of people aged 16 years and over who lack capacity, both where they lose capacity at some point in their lives, for example because of dementia or brain injury and where the incapacitating condition has been present since birth

Medical Staff
Staff members who are fully registered persons within the meaning of the consolidated Medical Act 1983 and in the case of medical practitioners who hold a license and are full authorised to practice

MD – Medical Director
A member of the board and executive team who has a clinical background and has professional responsibilities for doctors and dentists in the trust

MDO – Mentally disordered offender
Is a special status given to certain qualified individuals resulting in a host of post convictions consequences to ensure public safety

MDT – Multi-Disciplinary Team
MDTs are teams consisting of individuals drawn from different disciplines who come together to achieve a common goal

MHA – Mental Health Act
The Mental Health Act (1983) is the main piece of legislation that covers the assessment, treatment and rights of people with a mental health disorder

MHLC – Mental Health Legislation Committee
To act on behalf of the CNTW Board to receive assurances that effective arrangements are in place with regard to those areas within the Committee’s scope across the organisation in relation to the Mental Health Act and legislation

MHOST – Mental Health Optimal Tool
Created with the support of HEE, calculates clinical staffing requirements in mental health wards based on patients’ needs (acuity and dependency) which, together with professional judgement, guides chief nurses and ward based clinical staff in their safe staffing decisions

MHPRA – Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency
An executive agency of DHSC which is responsible for ensuring that medicines and medical devices work and are acceptably safe

MHT – Mental Health Tribunal
MHT is a court which people subject to the Mental Health Act have a right to apply to

MIU – Minor Injuries Unit
A unit which treats injuries or health conditions which are less serious and do not require the A&E service

MNSI – Maternity and Newborn Safety Investigations programme
Investigates early neonatal deaths (in at least 37 weeks gestation), intrapartum stillbirths and severe brain injury in babies born at term following labour and maternal death in England.

MOC – Medicines Optimisation Committee
A CNTW Committee to develop and maintain best practice governance arrangements for medicines optimisation within the organisation

MoU – Memorandum of Understanding
Describes an agreement between two or more parties

MRI – Magnetic Resonance Imaging
A medical imaging technique

MRSA – Methicillin Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus
A bacterium responsible for several difficult to treat infections in humans

MSA – Mixed Sex Accommodation
Wards with beds for both male and female patients

MSU – Medium Secure Unit
Provides inpatient services for patients who are offenders or at risk of offending and need to be treated in a secure unit

MWM – Monkwearmouth Hospital
One of CNTW’s hospital sites, based in Sunderland

NAO – National Audit Office
An independent parliamentary body in the United Kingdom which is responsible for auditing central government departments, government agencies and non-departmental public bodies. The NAO also carries out Value for Money audits into the administration

NCEPOD
An organisation carrying out studies into patient care

NCIC – North Cumbria Integrated Care NHS Foundation Trust
An acute trust covering Cumbria

NED – Non-Executive Director
Directors who are appointed, but not employed by the trust, they have no executive responsibilities and are responsible for vetting strategy, providing challenge in the board room and holding the executive directors to account

Neighbourhood
In relation to the ICS and ‘Place’ neighbourhoods cover an even smaller footprint of the local population, typically populations of 30-50,000.

NGP / NGH – Northgate Park / Northgate Hospital
One of CNTW’s hospital sites, based in Morpeth, Northumberland

NHS – National Health Service
Publicly funded healthcare system of the UK

NHS111 – NHS non-emergency number
Free-to-call single non-emergency number medical helpline operating in England and Scotland

NHS BSA – NHS Business Services Authority
A special health authority of DHSC which provides a range of services to NHS organisations including: NHS Prescription Services, NHS Pensions, Help with Health Costs, NHS Dental Services, Management (including the NHS Supply Chain) and NHS Protect

NHSBT – NHS Blood and Transplant
A special health authority of DHSC responsible for providing a reliable, efficient supply of blood, organs and associated services to the NHS

NHSE – NHS England
An executive non-departmental public body with a mandate from the Secretary of State to improve health outcomes for people within England

NHSI – NHS Improvement
The Independent regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts

NHSLA – NHS Leadership Academy
National body supporting leadership development in health and NHS funded services

NHSP – NHS Professionals
Provides bank (locum) healthcare staff to NHS organisations

NHSP – NHS Providers
NHS Providers is the membership organisation for NHS provider trusts. We represent every variety of trust, from large acute and specialist hospitals through to community, ambulance and mental health trusts.

NHSX
Government unit with responsibility for setting national policy and developing best practice for NHS technology, digital and data, including data sharing

NICE – National Institute for Health and Care Excellence
Provides national evidence-based guidance and advice to improve health and social care

NIHR – National Institution for Health Research
The largest funder of health and social care research in the UK, primarily funded by the Department of Health and Social Care

NMC – Nursing and Midwifery Council
Nursing and Midwifery regulator for England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland

Never Event
Serious, largely preventable patient safety incidents that should not occur if the available preventative measures have been implemented. NHS England defines the list of never events every year

NHS Digital
The information and technology partner to the NHS which aims to introduce new technology into services

Nolan Principles
Key principles of how individuals and organisations in the public sector should conduct themselves comprising of selflessness, integrity, objectivity, accountability, openness, honestly, leadership. Set by the Committee for Standards in Public Life

NHS Resolution
Not for profit part of the NHS which manages negligence and other claims against the NHS in England on behalf of their member organisations, also an insurer for NHS bodies

Non-Clinical Staff
All other staff members who do not match the criterial of Medical and Clinical Staff/Membership. Examples include Healthcare assistants, Administrative, Estate and Support staff etc.

NTWS – NTW Solutions
They provide a wide range of important services to their partners, from estates and facilities operations to business support services. They were established in 2017 by Cumbria, Northumberland, Tyne and Wear NHS Foundation Trust and their profits are returned to the NHS to support patient care

Nuffield Trust
Independent source of evidence-based research and policy analysis for improving health care in the UK, also a charity

NuTH – Newcastle upon Tyne Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
An Acute hospital Trust in the North East of England

OAA – Out of Area Placements
Occurs when a person with acute mental health needs who requires inpatient care is admitted to a unit that does not form part of the usual local network of services

OCD – Obsessive Compulsive Disorder
OCD obsessions are repeated, persistent and unwanted thoughts, urges or images that are intrusive and cause distress or anxiety

OD – 1. Organisational Development or 2. Outpatients Department
1. A systematic approach to improving organisational effectiveness
2. A hospital department where healthcare professionals see outpatients

OOH – Out of Hours
Services which operate outside of normal working hours

OP – Outpatients
A patient who is not hospitalised for 24 hours or more but who visits a hospital, clinic or associated facility for diagnosis or treatment

OPMH – Older Peoples Mental Health
Mental health services for people over 65 years of age

OSCs – Overview and Scrutiny Committees
Established in local authorities by the Local Government Act 2000 to review and scrutinise the performance of public services including health services

OT – Occupational Therapy
Assessment and treatment of physical and psychiatric conditions suing specific activity to prevent disability and promote independent function in all aspects of daily life

PALS – Patient Advice and Liaison Service
Offers confidential advice, support and information on health related matters to patients, their families and their carers within trusts

PAS – Patient Administration System
The automation of administrative paperwork in healthcare organisations, particularly hospitals. It records patients demographics e.g. name, home, address, and date of birth. It details all patient contact with the hospital, both outpatient and inpatient

PbR – Payment by Results or ‘tariff’
A way of paying for health services that gives a unit price to a procedure

PCLP – Provider Collaborative Lead Provider Committee
Assures the board of CNTW that the trust has effective systems and processes in place for the management of risks pertaining to the Provider Collaborative and Lead Provider Models

PCN – Primary Care Network
A key part of the NHS long term plan, whereby general practices are brought together to work at scale

PDSA – Plan, do, study, act
A model of improvement which develops, tests and implements changes based on the scientific method

PFI – Private Finance Initiative
A scheme where private finance is sought to supply public sector services over a period of up to 60 years

PGN – Practice Guidance Notes
PGNs provide guidance alongside Policies in an organisation to support the implementation of them

PHE – Public Health England
A body with the mission to protect and improve the nation’s health and wellbeing and reduce health inequalities

PHSO – Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman
An organisation which investigates complaints that individuals have been treated unfairly or have received poor service from government departments and other public organisations and the NHS in England

PICU – 1. Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit or 2. Paediatric Intensive Care Unit
1. A type of psychiatric inpatient ward with higher staff to patient ratios than on a normal acute admission ward.
2. An inpatient unit specialising in the care of critically ill infants, children and teenagers.

PIG – Policy Implementation Guide
Help you to plan or analyse policies which achieve real world impact

PLACE – Patient Led Assessments of the Care Environment
Surveys inviting local people going into hospitals as part of a team to assess how the environment supports patients privacy and dignity, food, cleanliness and general building maintenance

Place
In the context of the ICS ‘place’ refers to a smaller geographic footprint within a system, covering a population of approximately 250,000 – 500,000, which often aligns with a local authority area or patient flow into hospital services.

Place based partnerships
These bring together a range of organisations to lead the detailed design and delivery of integrated services with the aim of improving the health and wellbeing of their local residents

PM – Panel Members
A group of 3 or more people that sit as a panel to review patients care and treatment who are subject the MHA

POY – Points of You
Points of You is an option available for service users/patient and carers, family and supporters to share their experience of CNTW services. This option is alongside complaints, Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS), Advocacy and external web-based platforms such as NHS.uk and Care Opinion.

PPI – Patient and Public Involvement
Mechanisms that ensure that members of the community, whether they are service users, patients or those who live nearby, are at the centre of delivery of health and social care services

Provider Collaboratives
Provider Collaboratives are partnership agreements involving at least two NHS trusts working together either at ICS or multi-ICS level. The Ambition is to drive standardisation in clinical services, reduce inequalities in access to care, to maximise economies of scale and make health services more resilient through sharing staff and other resources between sites and organisations

PS – Prolonged Seclusion
See Long Term Segregation (LTS)

PSIRF – Patient Safety Incident Response Framework
The Patient Safety Incident Response Framework (PSIRF) sets out new guidance on how NHS organisations should respond to patient safety incidents.

PTS – Patient Transport Services
Free transport to and from hospital for non-emergency patients who have a medical need

PC – Primary Care
The first point of contact with the NHS for most people and is delivered by a wide range of independent contractors, including GPs, dentists, pharmacists and optometrists. It also includes NHS walk in centres and the NHS 111 service

QA – Quality Assurance
Monitoring and checking outputs to make sure they meet certain standards

QI – Quality Improvement
A continuous improvement process focusing on processes and systems

QIA – Quality Impact Assessment
A process within NHS trusts which ensures the quality of service is systematically considered in decision making on service changes

QNCC – Quality Network for Community CAMHS
A network ran by the Royal Collage of Psychiatrists to improve the quality and experience in CAMHS/CYPS Services

QOF – Qualities and Outcomes Framework
The system for performance management and payment of GPs in the NHS

Q&P(C) – Quality and Performance Committee
To manage on behalf of the board and receive assurances that relate to the Quality and Performance of the Trust

R&D – Research and Development
Work directed towards the innovation, introduction, and improvement of products and processes

RAG – Red, Amber, Green classifications
A system of performance measurement indicating whether something is on or better than target (green), below target but within an acceptable tolerance level (amber), or below target and below an acceptable tolerance level (red)

RBAC – Resource and Business Assurance Committee
Provides assurance to the Board at CNTW that the Trust has effective systems in place to secure economy, efficacy and effectiveness in respect of all resources and supporting the delivery of the trusts strategy and operation plans

RC – Responsible Clinician
The Approved Clinician with overall responsibility for a patient’s case. Certain decisions can only be taken by the RC

RCN – Royal College of Nursing
A registered trade union in the United Kingdom for those in the profession of nursing

Red Bed
A red bed refers to a patient who is on leave from the ward but they will be returning to the ward to use the bed (rather than being discharged)

RGN / RMN – 1. Registered General Nurse / 2. Registered Mental Health Nurse
1. A nurse who is full qualified and is registered with the Royal College of Nursing
2. A mental health nurse (RMN) is a registered nurse with specialist training in mental health nursing

RIO
The electronic patient records system used by CNTW

RoI – Return on Investment
The benefit to the investor resulting from an investment of some resource. A high RoI means the investment gains compare favourably to investment cost. As a performance measure, ROI is used to evaluate the efficiency of different investments

RRV – Rapid Response Vehicle
Vehicles used to reach a patient as soon as possible

RTT – Referral to Treatment Time
The waiting time between a patient being referred by GP and receiving treatment

SAB – Safeguarding Adults Board
SAB is to help and safeguard adults with care and support needs

SALT – Speech and Language Therapist
Assesses and treats speech, language and communication problems in people of all ages to help them better communicate

SAMS – Specialist Adolescent Mood Disorders Service
This is a specialist service that provides second opinions for children and young people up to the age of 18 years, where there is uncertainty around a mood disorder because of complex presentations

SAPP – Safeguarding and Public Protection Team
SAPP are made up of social workers who will investigate any safeguarding complaints. Protecting a citizen’s health, wellbeing and human rights; enabling them to live free from harm, abuse and neglect

SFI – Standing Financial Instructions
Policy Used for the regulation of the conduct of an NHS trust in relation to all financial matters

SGP – St Georges Park
One of CNTW’s hospital sites, based at Morpeth, Northumberland

SID – Senior Independent Director
A non-executive director who sits on the board and plays a key role in supporting the chair; the SID carries out the annual appraisal of the chair, and is available to governors as a source of advice and guidance

SIRO – Senior Information Risk Officer
A senior manager who will take overall ownership of the organisations information risk policy

SITREP – Situation Report
A report compiled to describe the detail surrounding a situation, event or incident

SLA – Service Level Agreement
An agreement of services between service providers and users or commissioners

SNP / SNH – St Nicholas Park / St Nicholas Hospital
One of CNTW’s hospital sites and the Trust headquarters, based at Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne

SOAD – Second opinion appointed doctor
Doctors appointed by the CQC to act independently for those patients subject to the MHA

SoS – Secretary of State
The minister who is accountable to Parliament for Delivery of health policy within England, and for the performance of the NHS

SPC – Statistical Process Control
Statistical process control is defined as the use of statistical techniques to control a process or production method.
SRO – Senior Responsible Officer
A leadership role which is accountable for the delivery and outcome of a specific project

STAMP – Supporting Treatment and Appropriate Medication in Paediatrics
Empowering those caring for children and young people with a learning disability, autism or both to ask questions about their care and be more involved in discussion

STOMP – Stopping the over medication of children and young people with a learning disability
The STOMP and STAMP programme of work is about making sure children and young people with a learning disability, autism or both are only prescribed the right medication, at the right time and for the right reason.

STP – Sustainability and Transformation Partnership
In 2016 partnerships formed between local councils and NHS services to help plan and run services, and agree system wide priorities. Replaced by the Integrated Care Systems 2021/2022

SUCRG – Service User and Carer Reference Group
The Reference Group is a service user and carer led forum made up of individuals from statutory services, third sector community groups as well as individual carers and service users that work towards continuous improvement of Mental Health Services by utilising the group’s assets and expertise.

SUI / SI – Serious Untoward Incident / Serious Incident
A serious incident which resulted in one or more of the following: unexplained or avoidable death, a never event, a prevention of organisations ability to continue to deliver healthcare services, abuse, or loss of confidence in a service

SWOT – Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities, Threats Analysis
A structured planning method used to evaluate the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats involved in a project or in a business venture

SC – Secondary Care
NHS Health Service provided through hospitals and in the community

SW – Social Worker
A social worker will work with people to find solutions to their problems. This may be helping to protect vulnerable people from harm or abuse or supporting people to live independently

TLT – Trust Leadership Team
Responsible for a range of duties in the trust

TC – Tertiary Care
Healthcare provided in specialist centres, usually on referral from primary or secondary care professionals

TOIL – Time off in Lieu
When employers give you time off instead of paying for overtime

TSG – Trust-wide Safety Group
Reviews safeguarding issues, concerns and policies

TTO – To Take Out
Medicines to be taken away by patients on discharge

None to note

VTE – Venous Thromboembolism
A condition where a blood clot forms in a vein. This is most common in a leg vein, where it’s known as deep vein thrombosis (DVT). A blood clot in the lungs is called pulmonary embolism (PE)

VfM – Value for Money
Used to assess whether or not an organisation has obtained the maximum benefit from the goods and services it both acquires and provides.

WGP – Walkergate Park
One of CNTW’s hospital sites, based at Newcastle upon Tyne

WLF – Well Led Framework
A set of indicators that seek to identify how well led an organisation is, also used as a framework for board governance reviews

WRES – Workforce Race Equality Standard
A metric to demonstrate progress against a number of indicators of workforce equality, including a specific indicator to address the low levels of black and minority ethnic (BAME) board representation

WTE – Whole-Time Equivalent
See FTE

None to note

YSWD – You Said We Did
The feedback function from the Points of You survey to show what the Trust has done

YTD – Year to Date
A period, starting from the beginning of the current year, and continuing up to the present day. The year usually starts on 1st April for financial performance

None to note