A-Z Glossary of NHS and associated terms
A-B
A&E Accident and Emergency Department.
Casualty
ABHI Association of British Healthcare
Industries
ABPI Association of the British
Pharmaceutical Industry
AA Audit Commission
ACDA Advisory Committee on Distinction
Awards
ADI Acceptable Daily Intake
ADQ Average Daily Quantity. Average
amount of a medication prescribed for an
adult in England.
ADS Attribution Data Set - A list of patients
on GP lists
ADSS Association of Directors of Social
Services
AHA Associate of the Institute of Hospital
Administrators
AHCPA Association of Health Centre and
Practice Administrators
AIDS Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
ALA Association of Local Authorities. Now
part of the LGA
ALG Association of London Government
AQH Association for Quality in Healthcare
ARM Association of Radical Midwives
ARSH Association of Royal Society of Health
ASBAH Association for Spina Bifida and
Hydrocephalus
ASW Approved Social Worker - approved to
Section under the Mental Health Act.
AVMA Action for the Victims of Medical
Accidents
BACCH British Association for Community
Child Health
BACUP British Association of Cancer United
Patients
BASW British Association of Social Work
BDA British Dental Association
or British Diabetic Association now called
Diabetes UK
BHF British Heart Foundation
BIR British Institute of Radiology
BMA British Medical Association
BME Black and Minority Ethnic
BMJ British Medical Journal
BNF British National Formulary. Quarterly
publication containing details of prescribed
drugs
BPAS British Pregnancy Advisory Service
BPS British Pharmacological Society
BSE Bovine Spongiform Encephalopthy. ‘Mad
Cow Disease’. New form of CJD.
BUPA British United Provident Association
C-D
CAB Citizens Advice Bureau
CABG Coronary Artery Bypass Graft
CAMHS Child & Adolescent Mental Health
Services - Joint Local and Health Authority
CASE Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion
CASPE Clinical Accountability Service
Planning and Evaluation researches use of
health care data
CBI Confederation of British Industry
CCE Completed Consultant Episode - the
same as an FCE
CCP Community Care Plan
CCTR Cochrane Controlled Trials Register
CDO Chief Dental Officer
CDSC Communicable Disease Surveillance
Centre
CDU Child Development Unit
CE Chief Executive
CEMD Confidential Enquiry Into Maternal
Deaths
CEO Chief Executive Officer
CEPOD Confidential Enquiry into PeriOperative Deaths
CESDI Confidential Enquiry into Sudden
Deaths of Infants
CESH National Confidential Inquiry into
Suicide and Homicide By People With Mental
Illness
CESDI Confidential Enquiries into Stillbirths
and Deaths in Infancy
CF Cystic Fibrosis
CFS Chronic Fatigue Syndrome see also ME
CG Clinical Governance
CHAI Commission for Healthcare Audit and
Inspection
CHC Community Health Council
CHD Coronary Heart Disease
CHI Commission for Health Improvement
CHIA Comprehensive Health Impact
Assessment
CHIQ Centre for Health Information Quality
CHRC Community Health and Resource
Centres
CIPFA Chartered Institute of Public Finance
Accountancy
CISH Confidential Inquiry into Suicide and
Mental Health
CJD Creutzfeld Jacob Disease
Page 1 of 7
A-Z Glossary of NHS and associated terms
CLA Commissioner for Local Administration
(Ombudsman)
CLSP Community Legal Service Partnership
CMB Central Midwives Board - records
CME Continuing Medical Education
CMO Chief Medical Officer
COI Central Office of Information
COSHH Control of Substances Hazardous to
Health regulations
CPAG Child Poverty Action Group
CPFA Chartered Public Finance Accountant
CPN Community Psychiatric Nurse
CPPIH Commission for Patient and Public
Involvement in Health
CPSM Council for Professions Supplementary
to Medicine
CRC Clinical Research Centre
CRE Commission for Racial Equality
CRES Cash Releasing Efficiency Savings
CRHP Council for the Regulation of
Healthcare Professionals
CSM Committee on the Safety of Medicines
CSR Comprehensive Spending Review
CSSD Central Sterile Supplies Department
CSV Community Service Volunteers or
Council for Voluntary Service
CVA Cardio-Vascular Accident - a stroke
D-E
DEB Dental Estimates Board
DETR Department of Environment, Transport
& the Regions
DfES Department for Education and Skills
DGH District General Hospital
DGM District General Manager
DH Department of Health
DHSC Directorate of Health and Social Care
DIG Disablement Income Group
DIPEx Database of Individual Patient
Experiences
DLA Disability Living Allowance
DLF Disabled Living Foundation
DN District Nurse
DNA Did Not Arrive - or attend
DOA Dead on Arrival
DPB Dental Practice Board
DPH Director of Public Health
DRC Disability Rights Commission
DTI Department of Trade and Industry
DTLR Department for Transport, Local
Government and Regions
DVT Deep Vein Thrombosis
DWP Department for Work and Pensions
E-F
EASR European age standardised rate
EBM Evidence based medicine
EBP Evidence based practice
EC European Community
ECG Electrocardiogram
ECR Extra Contractual Referral - Now
replaced by OATS.
ECT electro-convulsive therapy
EEG Electroencephalogram
EFL External Financing Limit
EHR Electronic Health Record
EMA emergency medical admission
EMAS Employment Medical Advisory Service
EMI Elderly Mentally Ill
EMS Emergency Medical Services
ENB English National Board for Nursing,
Midwifery and Health Visiting (obsolete)
ENT Ear Nose & Throat
EOC Equal Opportunities Commission
EPHR Electronic Patient Health Record
EPP Expert Patients Programme
EPR Electronic Patient Record
ERDF European Regional Development Fund
ESF European Social Fund
ESMI Elderly severely mentally ill - dementia.
ESRC Economic and Social Science Research
Council
EYDP – Early Years Development Partnership
F-G
FAQ Frequently asked questions
FBC Full Business Case - which is submitted
to the NHSE for approval
FCE Finished Consultant Episode
FDSRCSEng Fellow in Dental Surgery of the
Royal College of Surgeons in England
FFDRCS Fellow of the Faculty of Dental
Surgery Royal College of Surgeons
FHS Family Health Services. Provided by
GPs, GDPs, Optometrists, and Pharmacists
FHSA Family Health Service Authority.
FP10 A prescription form.
FPA Family Planning Association
FRCA Fellow of the Royal College of
Anaesthetists
FRCGP Fellow of the Royal College of
General Practitioners
FRCOG Fellow of the Royal College of
Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
FRCOphth Fellow of the Royal College of
Ophthalmologists
FRCP Fellow of the Royal College of
Physicians
Page 2 of 7
A-Z Glossary of NHS and associated terms
FRCP(Ed) Fellow of the Royal College of
Physicians of Edinburgh
FRCP(Glasg) Fellow of the Royal College of
Physicians of Glasgow
FRCPath Fellow of the Royal College of
Pathologists
FRCPCH Fellow of the Royal College of
Paediatrics and Child Health
FRCPE Fellow of the Royal College of
Physicians of England
FRCPI Fellow of the Royal College of
Physicians of Ireland
FRCPS(Glasg) Fellow of the Royal College
of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
FRCPsych Fellow of the Royal College of
Psychiatrists
FRCR Fellow of the Royal College of
Radiologists
FRCS Fellow of the Royal College of
Surgeons
FRCS(Ed) Fellow of the Royal College of
Surgeons of Edinburgh
FRCS(Glasg) Fellow of the Royal College of
Surgeons of Glasgow
FRCSE Fellow of the Royal College of
Surgeons of England
FRCSI Fellow of the Royal College of
Surgeons of Ireland
FRED Financial Reporting Exposure Draft
(draft FRS)
FRFPSG Fellow of the Royal Faculty of
Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow
FRIPHH Fellow of the Royal Institute of
Public Health and Hygiene
FRS Fellow of the Royal Society Fellow of the
Royal Society of Health
FSID Foundation for the Study of Infant
Deaths
G-H
GAAP Generally Accepted Accounting
Practice
GALRO Guardian Ad Litem Reporting Officer
- independent social worker appointed to
represent children.
GDC General Dental Council
GDP General Dental Practitioners
GDS General Dental Services
GLA Greater London Authority
GLAD Greater London Association of
Disabled People
GMC General Medical Council
GMO genetically modified organisms
GMP General Medical Practitioner
GMS General Medical Services. Mostly
provided under 1992 regulations
GMSC General Medical Services Committee
GNP Gross National Product
GNVQ General National Vocational
Qualifications
GO Government Office for the Regions
GOL Government Office for London
GOP General Optical Council
GOR Government Office for the Regions
GOS General Ophthalmic Service
GOSH Great Ormond Street Hospital for
Children
GP General practitioner - Family doctor
GPFC General Practice Finance Corporation
GPFH GP Fund Holder
GUM Genito Urinary medicine. Where STDs
are treated
H-I
HA Health Authority
HAS Health Advisory Service
HAZ Health Action Zone
HDA Health Development Agency
HEA Health Education Authority now
replaced by the HDA
HELMIS Health Management Information
Service
HEO Health Education Officer
HFEA Human Fertilisation and Embryology
Authority
HfHT Help for Health Trust
HGC Human Genetics Commission
HIMP Health Improvement & Modernisation
Programme
HIV Human Immuno-deficiency Virus
HLPI High Level Performance Indicator
HMSO Her Majesty’s Stationery Office
HPC Health Professions Council
HR Human Resources
HSC Health Service Circular
HSE Health and Safety Executive
HSJ The Health Service Journal
HSMC Health Services Management Centre
HV Health Visitor
ICAS Independent Complaints Advisory
Service
ICP Integrated Care Pathway
ICU Intensive care unit
I&DeA Improvement Development Agency
Improvement & Development Agency
IHF International Hospital Federation
ILD Index of Local Deprivation (replaced by
IMD)
Page 3 of 7
A-Z Glossary of NHS and associated terms
ILF Independent Living Fund
IMD Index of Multiple Deprivation
INLOGOV Institute of Local Government
studies
IPF Institute of Public Finance
IPPR Institute of Public Policy Research
IRP Independent Review Panel
IS Income Support. Formerly Supplementary
Benefit
IT Information Technology
IUD Intra-Uterine Device
IVF In Vitro Fertilisation.
J-K
JCB Joint Commissioning Board
JCC Joint Consultants Committee
JDC Junior Doctors Committee
JNC(J) Joint Negotiating Committee for
junior doctors
L-M
LA Local Authority
LAC Looked After Children
LAS London Ambulance Service
LASS Local Authority Social Services.
LBC London Borough Council
LDA Local Development Agency / London
Development Agency
LDC Local Dental Committee
LD / MH Learning Difficulties/ Mental
Handicap
LGA Local Government Association
LGC Local Government Chronicle
LGIU Local Government Information Unit
LHG Local Health Group
LIP Local Implementation Plans
LIS Local Implementation Strategy
LIT Local Implementation Team
LLL Life Long Learning
LLSC Local Learning & Skills Council
LMC Local Medical Committee - statutory
representative committee for GPs
LMCA Long-term Medical Conditions Alliance
LNRS Local Neighbourhood Renewal
Strategy
LOS Length of Stay.
NRS Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy
LPC Local Pharmaceutical Committee - a
committee of pharmacists
LREC Local Research Ethics Committee
LSC Legal Services Commission
LSHTM London School of Hygiene & Tropical
Medicine
LSP Local Strategic Partnership
M-N
MAC Medical Advisory Committee
MBC Metropolitan Borough Council
MC Medicines Commission
MCDH A dentist's qualification
MChD Master of Dental Surgery
MChOrth Master of Orthopaedic Surgery
MCSP Member of the Chartered Society of
Physiotherapy
MDA Medical Devices Agency
MDU Medical Defence Union
ME Myalgic Encephalitis
MENCAP Royal Society for Mentally
Handicapped Children &Adults
MFPharmM Member of the Faculty of
Pharmaceutical Medicine
MFPHM Member of the Faculty of Public
Health Medicine
MHAC Mental Health Act Commission
MHG Mental Health Grant
MHRT - Mental Health Review Tribunal
MIMS Monthly Index of Medical Specialities
MIND National Organisation of mental health
users
MJ Municipal Journal
MMR Measles Mumps and Rubella
vaccination
MND Motor Neurone Disease
MPC Medical Practices Committee
MPH Master of Public Health
MPharm Master of Pharmacy
MPhil Master of Philosophy
MPU Medical Practitioners Union - radical
doctors' union
MRC Medical Research Council
MRCA Member of the Royal College of
Anaesthetists
MRCGP Member of the Royal College of
General Practitioners
MRCO Member of the Royal College of
Ophthalmologists
MRCOG Member of the Royal College of
Obstetricians and Gynaecologists
MRCP Member of the Royal College of
Physicians
MRCPath Member of the Royal College of
Pathologists
MRCPCH Member of the Royal College of
Paediatrics and Child Health
MRCPsych Member of the Royal College of
Psychiatrists
MRCR Member of the Royal College of
Radiologists
Page 4 of 7
A-Z Glossary of NHS and associated terms
MRCS Member of the Royal College of
Surgeons
MS Multiple Sclerosis
MSLC Maternity Services Liaison Committee
N-O
NAC National Abortion Campaign
NACAB National Association of Citizens
Advice Bureaux
NACC National Association for Colitis and
Crohn's Disease
NACRO National Association for the Care
and Resettlement of Offenders
NACVS National Association of Councils for
Voluntary Service
NAGPT National Association of General
Practice Tutors
NAGS NICE Appraisal Groups
NAO National Audit Office
NAPP National Association for Patient
Participation
NASS National Asylum Support Service
NAVB National Association of Volunteer
Bureaux
NBTS National Blood Transfusion Service
NCC National Consumer Council
NCSC National Care Standards Commission
NCT National Childbirth Trust
NCVO National Council of Voluntary
Organisations
NED Non-Executive Director
NELH National Electronic Library for Health
NGO Non Governmental Organisation
NHS National Health Service
NHSBSP NHS Breast Screening Programme
NHSCA NHS Consultants Association
NHSCR National Health Service Central
Register
NHSIA NHS Information Agency
NHSIMC National Health Service Information
Centre
NICE National Institute for Clinical Excellence
NICU Neonatal Intensive Care Unit
NIH National Institute of Health or Nuffield
Institute for Health
NIMH National Institute for Mental Health
NISW National Institute of Social Work
NMAC National Medical Advisory Committee
NMC Nursing and Midwifery Council
NPAT National Patients' Access Team
NPC National Prescribing Centre.
NPSA National Patient Safety Agency
NRF Neighbourhood Renewal Fund
NSF National Service Framework or National
Schizophrenia Fellowship (Rethink)
NSFMH National Service Framework - Mental
Health
NSPCC National Society for the Prevention of
Cruelty to Children
O-P
OATs Out of Area Treatments
OBC Outline Business Case
OD Organisational Development
ODTS Overseas Doctors Training Scheme
OHE Office of Health Economics
OHN Our Healthier Nation
OHS Occupational Health Service
OMP Ophthalmic Medical Practitioner
ONS Office for National Statistics
OP Out-Patient
OPCS Office of Population Census and
Surveys Now ONS.
OPD Out Patient Department
OPM Office for Public Management
OSC Overview and Scrutiny Committee
OT Occupational Therapy
P-Q
PACT Prescribing Analysis & Costs
PAF Performance Assessment Framework
PALS Patient Advice and Liaison Service
PAMs Professions Allied to Medicine - e.g.
physiotherapists, OTs etc.
PAS Patient Administration System.
PC Primary care
PCIP Primary Care Investment Plan
PCT Primary Care Trust
PDP Practice Development Plan
PDS Primary Dental Service / Parkinson's
Disease Society
PEAT Patient Environment Action Team
PEC PCT Executive Committee
PES Public Expenditure Survey
PFI Private Finance Initiative.
PFMA Practice Fund Management Allowance.
PHC Primary Health Care
PHCT Primary Health Care Team
PHLS Public Health Laboratory Service
PI Performance Indicator
PICU Paediatric or Psychiatric ICU
PIG Policy Implementation Groups
PIL Patient Information Leaflet
PIN Personal identification number
PIU Performance and Innovation Unit
PMI Private Medical Insurance
POLIS Parliamentary Online Indexing Service
Page 5 of 7
A-Z Glossary of NHS and associated terms
PPA Prescription Pricing Authority
PPP Private Patients Plan
PPPP Public-Private Partnership Programme
PPRS Pharmaceutical Price Regulation
Scheme
PRB Pay Review Body
PRHO Pre-Registration House Officer
PRP Performance Related Pay
PSBR Public Sector Borrowing Requirement
PSFD Public Sector Financing Deficit
PSI Policy Studies Institute
PSM Professions Supplementary to Medicine
PSNC Pharmaceutical Services Negotiating
Committee
PSS Personal Social Services
PSSRU Personal Social Services Research
Unit,
PSX Public Service Expenditure
Px Prescribing
Q-R
QA Quality Assurance
QP Quality Protects
QSW Qualified Social Worker
R-S
R&D Research and Development
RADAR Royal Association for Disability and
Rehabilitation
RCA Royal College of Anaesthetists
RCOG Royal College of Gynaecologists
RCGP Royal College of General Practitioners
RCM Royal College of Midwives
RCN Royal College of Nursing - Union for
nurses.
RCOG Royal College of Obstetrics and
Gynaecology
RCOphth Royal College of Ophthalmologists
RCP Royal College of Physicians
RCPath Royal College of Pathologists
RCPCH Royal College of Paediatrics and
Child Health
RCPE Royal College of Physicians of
Edinburgh
RCPsych Royal College of Psychiatrists
RCR Royal College of Radiologists
RCS Royal College of Surgeons
RCSLT Royal College of Speech and
Language Therapists
RCT Randomised Control Trial
RDA Regional Development Agency
RDS Respiratory Distress Syndrome
REACH Research and Education for Children
in Asthma
REC Racial Equality Council
RGN Registered General Nurse
RIPA Royal Institute of Public Administration
RIPHH Royal Institute of Public Health and
Hygiene
RMN Registered Mental Nurse
RNMH Registered Nurse for the Mentally
Handicapped
RNIB Royal National Institute for the Blind
RNID Royal National Institute for Deaf
People
RO Regional Office
RPGD Regional Postgraduate Dean
RPSGB Royal Pharmaceutical Society of
Great Britain
RSCG Regional Specialised Commissioning
Group
RSCN Registered Sick Children's Nurse
RSG Revenue Support Grant formerly Rate
Support Grant
RSH Royal Society of Health
RSM Royal Society of Medicine
RSU Regional Secure Unit / Rough Sleepers
Unit
RSW Residential Social Work
S-T
SaFF See SFF
SCBU Special Care Baby Unit
SCD Sickle Cell Disease or Save the Children
Fund
SCM Specialist in Community Medicine
SCODA Standing Conference on Drug Abuse
SCOPE Society for people with Cerebral
Palsy
SCP Society of Chiropodists & Podiatrists
Seac Spongiform Encephalopathy
Committee. Advises HMG on BSE
SEMI Severe and Enduring Mental Illness
SEN Special Educational Needs / State
Enrolled Nurse
SEU Social Exclusion Unit
SFA Statement of Fees and Allowances - The
GP's Red Book
SFF Service & Finance Framework
SFI Standing Financial Instructions
SHA Strategic Health Authority / Special
Health Authority
SHMO Senior Hospital Medical Officer
SHO Senior House Officer
SI Statutory Instrument
SIA Spinal Injuries Association
SIDS Sudden Infant Death Syndrome
SIG Special Interest Group
Page 6 of 7
A-Z Glossary of NHS and associated terms
SLA Service Level Agreement
SMAC Standing Medical Advisory Committee
SMO Senior Medical Officer
SMR Standardised Mortality Ratio /
Standardised Morbidity Ratio
SNMAC Standing Nursing and Midwifery
Advisory Committee
SOC Strategic Outline Case
SR Senior registrar / Society of
Radiographers
SRB Single Regeneration Budget - replaced
Urban Aid
SSA Standard Spending Assessment
SSD Social Services Department
SSI Social Services Inspectorate
STD Sexually transmitted disease
YCS Young Chronic Sick
YDU Young Disabled Unit
YOT Youth Offender Team
T-U
T&O Trauma and Orthopaedics
TB Tuberculosis
TOPS Termination of Pregnancy Service
TQM Total Quality Management
TUPE Transfer of Undertakings (Protection of
Employment) Regulations 1981
U-V
UA Unitary Authority
UASC Unaccompanied Asylum Seeking
Children
UKAN United Kingdom Advocacy Network
UKCC United Kingdom Central Council of
Nurses Midwives and Health Visitors
UKHFAN United Kingdom Health for All
Network
UKPHA United Kingdom Public Health
Alliance
UKTSSA United Kingdom Transplant Support
Service Authority
UNISON Trades Union incorporating COHSE,
NALGO and NUPE
UTH University Teaching Hospital
V-Z
VD Venereal disease - now usually called
STD
VSC Voluntary Service Co-ordinator
WFTC Working Families Tax Credit
WHO World Health Organisation
WIC Walk In Centre
WNC Womens National Commission
WRVS Women's Royal Voluntary Service
WTD Working Time Directive
WTI Waiting Time Initiative
WU Women’s Unit
Page 7 of 7