Glossary of terms
The table below should help you understand some of the terms and words used to describe groups and services.
Term |
Provider |
Explanation |
Acronym |
Acute care |
NHS |
Acute care providers are emergency services and general medical and surgical treatment for acute disorders rather than long-term residential are for chronic illness |
|
Adult mental health services |
NHS |
Mental health services for people aged 18 to 65 |
|
Adult mental health team |
NHS |
Team of mental healthcare professionals supporting people aged 18 to 65 with a mental health disorder |
AMHT |
Buckinghamshire Integrated Teams |
ALL |
A team of health and care professionals working together to improve the care and support for the residents of Buckinghamshire. |
BITs |
Buckinghamshire Safeguarding Children Board |
Local Authority - Social Care |
A statutory body established under the Children Act 2004. It is independently chaired and consists of senior representatives from the key agencies and bodies which have regular contact with children and young people or responsibility for services to them. |
BSCB |
Business Intelligence |
ALL |
Business Intelligence provides us with information – from the past, what is happening now and what we expect to happen in the future. We can then use this data to help us to decide what we should be focusing on, what’s working and what needs changing and what steps we need to take to plan for the future. |
BI |
Care Funding Calculator |
Local Authority - Social Care |
Helps provide transparency in negotiations between care commissioners and care providers to ensure placements meet an individual’s needs whilst providing value for money at a fair price. |
CFC |
Care Programme Approach |
Local Authority - Social Care |
A package of care for people with mental health problems. |
CPA |
Care Quality Commission |
ALL |
The independent regulator of health and adult social care in England. It makes sure health and social care services provide people with safe, effective, compassionate, high-quality care and it encourages care services to improve. |
CQC |
Care Treatment Review |
NHS |
Part of NHS England’s commitment to transforming services for people with learning disabilities, autism or both. They are used by commissioners for people living in the community and in learning disability and mental health hospitals. |
CTR |
CareCentric |
NHS |
A clinical portal which opens up a person’s electronic health record to authorised users on smartphones and tablets. It gives care professionals access to patient data wherever they need it, whether they are in a hospital or GP practice, in the community or at home. |
|
Careflow |
NHS |
A communication platform available on any mobile or web device which lets health care professionals communicate with each other in a fast and easy way which helps them work better together and deliver safer care. |
|
Central Access Team (Contact Centre) |
Local Authority - Social Care |
First point of access for Adult Social Care calls made to the Council. |
CAT |
Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services |
NHS |
Specialist mental health services for children and young people provided by the NHS (Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust). |
CAMHS |
Child in Care |
Local Authority - Social Care |
A child who has been in the care of their local authority for more than 24 hours is known as a looked after child. Looked after children are also often referred to as children in care, a term which many children and young people prefer. |
CIC |
Child in Need |
Local Authority - Social Care |
A child in need is defined under the Children Act 1989 as a child who is unlikely to achieve or maintain a reasonable level of health or development, or whose health and development is likely to be significantly or further impaired without the provision of services. The term is also used to describe a child who is disabled. |
CIN |
Child Permanency Report |
Local Authority - Social Care |
A comprehensive document prepared by an Independent Social Worker. The Independent Social Worker is responsible for gathering and analysing information about a child and their needs and making a recommendation about the long term care arrangements for a child. · Please note within most areas, CPR stands for Cardiopulmonary resuscitation |
CPR* |
Child Protection |
Local Authority - Social Care |
The protection of children from violence, exploitation, abuse and neglect. |
CP |
Child Protection Plan |
Local Authority - Social Care |
A child protection plan is a plan drawn up by the local authority. It sets out how the child can be kept safe, how things can be made better for the family and what support they will need. |
CPP |
Children and Family Court Advisory and Support Service |
Local Authority - Social Care |
A non-departmental public body in England set up to promote the welfare of children and families involved in family court. |
CAFCASS |
Children and Young People |
Local Authority - Social Care |
Relates to children and young people from birth until their 18th birthday. The term ‘children’ refers to younger children who do not have the maturity and understanding to make important decisions for themselves. The term ‘young people’ refers to older children who are more likely to be able to make these decisions for themselves. |
CYP |
Children Looked After/Looked after children |
Local Authority - Social Care |
A child who has been in the care of their local authority for more than 24 hours is known as a looked after child. Looked after children are also often referred to as children in care, a term which many children and young people prefer. |
CLA |
Children’s Social Care |
Local Authority - Social Care |
Social services have a statutory obligation to safeguard and promote the welfare of vulnerable children and adults and can provide a wide range of services to children and their parents, usually within the own home environment and co-ordinated by a social worker. |
CSC |
Children’s Social Care and Learning |
Local Authority - Social Care |
The Department responsible for children’s social care and education at Buckinghamshire County Council. |
CSCL |
Clinician |
NHS |
Someone whose prime function is to manage a sick person with the purpose of alleviating the total effect of the person’s illness. |
|
Commissioning |
ALL |
How health services are purchased/bought. It is a complex process, involving the assessment and understanding of a population's health needs, the planning of services to meet those needs and securing services on a limited budget. Once those services have been bought/purchased, they are then monitored to ensure that they are being delivered well and within the agreed budget.. |
|
Communities, Health and Adult Social Care |
Local Authority - Social Care |
The Department responsible for adult social care, public health, libraries community engagement at Buckinghamshire County Council. |
CHASC |
Community Care Model |
ALL |
The way we will work in Buckinghamshire helping people to live independently at home and are essential in delivering a successful package of care. Community care is an overarching support system that includes the NHS, social services and public health. |
|
Community Occupational Therapy Team |
NHS |
Provides support to people whose health prevents them from doing the activities that matter to them. |
COT |
Community Psychiatric Nurse |
NHS |
A psychiatric nurse based in the community rather than a psychiatric hospital. They form an integral part of community mental health teams. |
CPN |
Community Response and Re-ablement |
NHS |
A member of the team will visit the person to agree what support is needed and how they will provide this. They will discuss the persons goals are and work out a programme to help them achieve them. They will also do a risk assessment to make sure that they work safely and securely. |
CR&R |
Continuing Healthcare |
NHS |
The name given to a package of continuing care which is arranged and funded solely by the NHS, for people with ongoing healthcare needs who meet the national NHS eligibility criteria. |
CHC |
Decision Support Tool |
NHS |
A document which helps to record evidence of an individual’s care needs to determine if they qualify for continuing healthcare funding. |
DST |
Delayed Transfers of Care |
ALL |
This happens when a patient is ready for to go home but their discharge has been delayed and they are still occupying a bed. |
DToC |
Direct Payment |
Local Authority - Social Care |
One of the ways people can receive money from the council to help pay for the care and support needed. There is a choice to receive all, or part, of the personal budget as a direct payment to buy services or pay someone to support you. |
DP |
Direct Payment Advocacy Service |
Local Authority - Social Care |
The advocacy service will work with the person to help understand what is happening and to give the persons views; they can speak for people if they can’t. The advocate can help people think about their choices and what is best. The advocate can help challenge the council’s decision. |
DPAS |
Early Help |
Local Authority - Social Care |
Providing early help is more effective in promoting the welfare of children than reacting later. Early help means providing support as soon as a problem emerges, at any point in a child's life, from the foundation years through to the teenage years. |
EH |
Education, Health and Care Plan |
Local Authority - Social Care |
An EHC plan is a legal document that describes a child or young person's special educational, health and social care needs. It explains the extra help that will be given to meet those needs and how that help will support the child or young person to achieve what they want to in their life. |
EHCP |
Egton Medical Information Systems |
NHS |
The name of the system that supplies patient electronic records and software. |
EMIS |
Emergency Social Work Team |
Local Authority - Social Care |
This team supports anyone living in Buckinghamshire that has been referred for any social care emergency out of normal office hours and which cannot wait until the next working day. |
EWST |
English as Additional Language |
ALL |
Someone whose first language is one other than English. |
EAL |
Frailty |
ALL |
Related to the ageing process that is, simply getting older. It describes how our bodies gradually lose their in-built reserves, leaving us vulnerable to dramatic, sudden changes in health triggered by seemingly small events such as a minor infection or a change in medication or environment. In medicine, frailty defines the group of older people who are at highest risk of adverse outcomes such as falls, disability, admission to hospital, or the need for long-term care. |
|
Health and Adult Social Care Select Committee |
ALL |
The role of the Health and Adult Social Care Select Committee is to hold decision-makers to account for improving health and social care outcomes and services in Buckinghamshire. |
HASC |
Health and Wellbeing Board |
ALL |
The key partnership board for promoting the health and wellbeing of residents. Its focus is on securing the best possible health outcomes for all local people. |
HWBB |
Independent Mental Capacity Advocate |
NHS |
IMCAs are a legal safeguard for people who lack the capacity to make specific important decisions: including making decisions about where they live and about serious medical treatment options. |
IMCA |
Initial Child Protection Conference |
Local Authority - Social Care |
The local authority will call a child protection conference when they have investigated concerns about child abuse and they believe the child is suffering, or likely to suffer, significant harm. |
ICPC |
Initial Health Assessment |
NHS |
When a child or young person comes into care they will have an Initial Health Assessment (IHA) – this is a statutory health assessment that is required to be completed within 28 days of coming into care. It is completed by a paediatrician or an appropriately trained medical practitioner. |
IHA |
Integrated Care |
ALL |
Also known as integrated health, coordinated care, comprehensive care, seamless care, or transmural care. It is simply a way of working that brings together the different organisations who provide care to make it easier for people to receive the right care, at the right time in the right place. |
|
Integrated Care System |
ALL |
A way of working that brings together the expertise of health and social care organisations, community groups and local charities to help people live well for longer. We are part of the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire, Berkshire West integrated care system. |
ICS |
Integrated Care Partnership |
ALL |
In Buckinghamshire, the health and social care partners are Buckinghamshire Clinical Commissioning Group, Buckinghamshire Healthcare NHS Trust, Oxford Health NHS Foundation Trust, FedBucks, Medicas, Buckinghamshire County Council and South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SCAS). |
ICP |
Interventions |
NHS |
A way of promoting behaviour that improves mental and physical health, or discourages or reframes those with health risks, as part of a public health promotion program. |
|
Local Area Forum |
Local Authority |
All local areas have a Local Area Forum (LAF). LAFs meet up to 4 times a year and include representatives from:
Residents who attend meetings get to hear about what is happening in their local area and have their say. The LAF can influence decisions about how money is spent and how local services are delivered. The LAF also has some funding available to spend on meeting local priorities. |
LAF |
Local Authority Designated Officer |
Local Authority - Social Care |
The LADO works within each Local Authority area and is there to support staff across all organisations who work with children and young people if any concerns arise regarding any practitioner who works with children and young people. |
LADO |
Local Health & Care Records |
ALL |
Local Health and Care Record Exemplar programmes will “raise the bar” in how the NHS, and its partners, share information safely and securely to help deliver better care for our populations. |
LHCR |
Local Offer |
Local Authority |
The local offer sets out in one place what support and services are available for Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). The information will include how to access services and organisations for Children and Young People with SEND from birth to 25 years. |
|
Locality/locality network |
NHS |
To ensure local healthcare meets the needs of communities across the county there are seven NHS localities in Buckinghamshire, allowing GPs and other professionals understand their practice populations and plan local services. The County Council has identified 19 local areas. |
|
Long Term Plan |
NHS |
|
LTP |
Medium Term Financial Plan |
Local Authority |
The County Council is required by law to set a balanced budget for each year they operate. They do this through their ‘Medium Term Financial Plan’) process. |
MTFP |
Memorandum of Understanding |
ALL |
An agreement between two or more parties. It expresses a coming together of these parties with a common line of action. |
MoU |
Multi-Agency Referral Form |
Local Authority - Social Care |
This form is completed when a child has multiple needs requiring a multi-agency coordinated response with a lead professional. |
MARF |
Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub |
Local Authority - Social Care |
Brings people together to create stronger links with other agencies. This approach helps identify risks resulting in earlier intervention. The Safeguarding professionals based in Aylesbury Police Station are:
By working together they can share relevant information in a secure environment. The MASH will also seek information from other agencies across both the public and voluntary sectors. |
MASH |
Multi-Agency Sexual Exploitation Risk Assessment Conference |
Local Authority - Social Care |
A multi-agency risk management meeting that seeks to ensure that children living in Buckinghamshire are effectively safeguarded and protected from harm in cases where: · they are, or might be, victims of Child Sexual Exploitation (CSE)
|
M-SERAC |
My Care Record |
ALL |
Allows medical and social care professionals to access up-to-date GP records so they can make the right choices about the care and medical attention residents need. |
MCR |
Older adults mental health |
NHS |
Mental health services for people aged 56 and over |
|
Peer Support |
ALL |
Where people with shared experiences come together to offer empathy, understanding and mutual help. It can range from informal, social support, to more formalised programmes where patients might be referred to a peer support worker who is someone with lived experience trained to help patients plan how to manage their health and wellbeing. |
|
Person Held Record |
NHS |
A health record where health data and information related to the care of a patient is maintained by the patient. |
PHR |
Personal Independence Plan (Payment) |
ALL |
A benefit that helps with the extra costs of a long-term health condition or disability for people aged 16 to 64. |
PIP |
Planned Care |
NHS |
Health services and treatments that are not as a consequence of a health accident or emergency. This type of care is arranged in advance and, generally, follows a referral from a GP. |
|
Population Health |
ALL |
The collection of patient data across multiple health information technology systems. This data in then analysed into a single, actionable patient record. Care providers can improve both clinical and financial outcomes using this data. |
|
Population Segmentation |
ALL |
Based on identifying segments of the population whose needs could be better met in delivering benefit against the quadruple aim: · Patient experience · Population health · Reducing costs · Care team wellbeing Often this will initially be based on a presenting problem, e.g. fall, but behind the presenting problem will be a more complex set of health and well-being needs that need to be more fully understood to enable better care and support models to be developed. |
|
Primary Care |
NHS |
Primary care is the day-to-day healthcare available in every local area and the first place people go when they need health advice or treatment. It’s the first stop for symptoms that are new or for concerns about physical or mental health. |
|
Primary Care Network |
NHS |
|
PCN |
Principal Social Worker |
Local Authority - Social Care |
They are advanced practitioners in frontline service teams, who oversee cases, provide supervision, and have learning and development responsibilities. |
PSW |
Reablement |
Local Authority - Social Care |
The service usually provided to people for up to six weeks to encourage them to achieve their goals and to help them become as independent as they can be. |
|
Safeguarding Adult Review |
Local Authority - Social Care |
Multi-agency review process which seeks to determine what relevant agencies and individuals involved could have done differently that could have prevented harm or a death from taking place. The purpose of a SAR is not to apportion blame but to learn for the future. |
SAR |
Secondary Care |
NHS |
This means being taken care of by someone who has particular expertise in whatever problem a patient is having. It’s where most people go when they have a health problem that can’t be dealt with in primary care because it needs more specialised knowledge, skill or equipment than the GP has. It’s often provided in a hospital. The GP will decide what kind of specialist the patient needs to see and contact them on the patient’s behalf to get them an appointment – this is called a ‘referral’. |
|
Self Directed Support |
Local Authority - Social Care |
Allows people to choose how their support is provided to them by giving them as much ongoing control as they want over the individual budget spent on their support. |
SDS |
Single point of access |
ALL |
Coordinates all urgent and non-urgent referrals (SPA).
|
SPA |
Social Care – Children’s and Adults |
Local Authority - Social Care |
It is the provision of social work, personal care, protection or social support services to children or adults in need or at risk, or adults with needs arising from illness, disability, old age or poverty |
|
Social Prescribing |
ALL |
Sometimes referred to as community referral, is a means of enabling GPs, nurses and other primary care professionals to refer people to a range of local, non-clinical services e.g. activities, lunch clubs, walking groups etc |
|
Special Educational Needs and Disability Information and Advice Service |
Local Authority - Social Care |
A free, confidential and impartial service for parents and carers, children and young people (up to 25 years). |
SEND IAS |
Special Guardianship Order |
Local Authority - Social Care |
An order appointing one or more individuals to be a child's 'special guardian'. It is a private law order made under the Children Act 1989 and is intended for those children who cannot live with their birth parents and who would benefit from a legally secure placement. |
SGO |
Strengths Based Approach |
Local Authority - Social Care |
Concentrates on the inherent strengths of people, deploying personal strengths to aid recovery and empowerment. It focuses on what people can do and not what they can’t. |
SBA |
Subject Access Request |
Local Authority - Social Care |
A written request made by or on behalf of an individual for the information which he or she is entitled to ask for under section 7 of the Data Protection Act 1998 (DPA). The request does not have to be in any particular form. |
SAR |
Sustainable Transformation Partnership |
NHS |
These are 44 areas covering all of England, where local NHS organisations and councils have drawn up proposals to improve health and care in the areas they serve. Buckinghamshire is part of the BOB STP – Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West. |
STP |