Glossary of terms

Accident and Emergency (A&E)

Accident & Emergency (A&E) departments deal with serious and life-threatening medical emergencies.

Alternative Provider Medical Services (APMS), General Medical Services (GMS), Personal Medical Services (PMS)

Alternative Provider Medical Services (APMS), General Medical Services (GMS), Personal Medical Services (PMS) – different contract models used to commission GP/primary care services.

Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD)

Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) is a condition that affects people's behaviour, including restlessness and impulsiveness. Symptoms usually improve with age but many adults continue to experience problems.

Appliance Use Review (AUR)

Appliance Use Review (AUR) was the second Advanced Service to be introduced into the NHS Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF).

AURs can be carried out by a pharmacist or a specialist nurse in the pharmacy or at the patient’s home. Alternatively, where clinically appropriate and with the agreement of the patient, AURs can be provided by telephone or video consultation, in circumstances where the conversation cannot be overheard by others (except by someone whom the patient wants to hear the conversation, for example a carer).

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD), usually called autism, is a lifelong developmental disability which affects how people communicate and interact with the world.

Blackburn with Darwen (BwD)

Blackburn with Darwen is a borough and unitary authority area in Lancashire, North West England.

Blackpool Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust (BTH)

Blackpool Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is an NHS hospital trust situated on the west coast of Lancashire.

British Sign Language (BSL)

British Sign Language is a sign language used in the United Kingdom, and is the first or preferred language among the deaf community in the UK. 

Business Case

An NHS business case is a document that puts forward a proposal requesting resource, whether that is money, people, or time, from an NHS organisation. It is a justification for a proposed healthcare initiative or project, and should identify the problem or opportunity that the initiative is designed to address, as well as the expected outcomes and costs. A clear and thorough business case is important as a source of consistency and understanding for all those involved.

Children and Young People (CYP)

Children and young people (CYP) represent a third of our country and their wellbeing will determine our future. Improving their health and wellbeing is a key priority for the NHS.

Citizens Advice Bureau (CAB)

The Citizens Advice Bureau Service offers free, independent and confidential advice.

Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)

The organisations that organised local NHS services until July 2022. Now replaced by the ICB.

Commissioning

The process of planning services for a group of people who live in a particular area.

Commissioning Support Unit (CSU)

Commissioning support units (CSUs) provide integrated care boards with external support, specialist skills and knowledge to support them in their role as commissioners.

Community and Volunteer Service (CVS)

Community and Volunteer Services(CVS) are a membership based organisation which exists to promote, develop and support voluntary and community action in the Borough of Blackburn with Darwen and across Lancashire.

Community Pharmacy Assurance Framework (CPAF)

Used by the ICB to monitor community pharmacy contractors’ compliance with the terms of the Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework (CPCF).

Consultations

The NHS gives people the opportunity to respond to consultations to tell us what they think about specific areas of our work. Sometimes we do this by holding events and other times we ask questions online.

Continuing Healthcare (CHC)

Ongoing care outside hospital for someone who is ill or disabled, arranged and funded by the NHS. This type of care can be provided anywhere, and can include the full cost of a place in a nursing home. It is provided when your need for day-to-day support is mostly due to your need for health care, rather than social care.

Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC)

The Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) is a department of His Majesty's Government responsible for government policy on health and adult social care matters in England. The DHSC leads, shapes, and funds health and care in England, making sure people have the support, care, and treatment they need, with the compassion, respect, and dignity they deserve.

East Lancashire Hospitals Trust (ELHT)

East Lancashire Hospitals NHS Trust is an NHS hospital trust in Lancashire.

Elective Care

Elective care covers a broad range of non-urgent services, usually delivered in a hospital setting, from diagnostic tests and scans, to outpatient care, surgery and cancer treatment.

End of Life care (EoL)

End of life care is a form of palliative care you receive when you're close to the end of life.

Equality and Health Inequalities Impact and Risk Assessment (EHIIRA)

An equality and health inequalities impact and risk assessment (EHIIRA) is an assessment of our local population and/or our workforce. It has a particular focus on those with protected characteristics and those from vulnerable groups or groups experiencing health inequalities.

General Dental Service Contract (GDS)

A national contract for the provision of NHS Dental Services.

General Medical Services (GMS)

A national contract for the provisions of Primary Medical Services.

General Optometry Service Contract (GOS contracts)

​​​​​A national contract for the provision of NHS Optometry Services.

General Practice

The work of a doctor based in the community who treats patients with minor or chronic illnesses and refers those with serious conditions to a hospital.

Group A Streptococcus (GAS/ Strep A)

Group A Streptococcus (GAS/ strep A) is a bacterium which can colonise the throat, skin and anogenital tract.

Gypsy, Romany, Traveller community (GRT)

Gypsy Roma and Traveller people belong to minority ethnic groups that have contributed to British society for centuries. It is reported that there are around 300,000 Travellers in the UK and they are one of the most disadvantaged groups. 

Health and wellbeing boards (HWBs)

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. They became fully operational on 1 April 2013 in all 152 local authorities with adult social care and public heath responsibilities.

Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (HOSCs)

The Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee is responsible for scrutinising the Council’s strategies, plans, policies, functions and services directly relevant to the Corporate Priorities supporting and safeguarding the most vulnerable adults, children and families and reducing health inequalities.

Health Outcomes

Consequences brought about by the treatment of a health condition or as a result of an interaction with a healthcare professional.

Hormone Replacement Therapy (HRT)

Hormone replacement therapy (HRT) is a type of treatment that involves taking hormones to prevent or treat certain medical conditions. Common uses for HRT include treating menopause in women and preventing osteoporosis.

Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT)

Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) is an NHS programme in England that offers interventions approved by the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) for treating people with depression or anxiety.

Inspire Motivate Overcome (IMO)

Inspire Motivate Overcome (IMO) is a community third sector organisation, based in Blackburn with Darwen, East Lancashire. IMO is a registered charity and company limited by guarantee. The charity has been in operation since 2006 and the current core mission has been to help local young people and their families to combat disadvantage, to overcome the difficult and different challenges they may face.

Integrated Care Board (ICB)

Integrated care boards (ICBs) replaced clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) in the NHS in England from 1 July 2022 as the statutory body responsible for planning and funding most NHS services in their local area.

Integrated Care System (ICS)

Integrated care systems (ICSs) are partnerships of organisations that come together to plan and deliver joined up health and care services, and to improve the lives of people who live and work in their area. An ICS includes both an ICB and an ICP.

Integrated Care Partnership (ICP)

A statutory committee jointly formed between the NHS integrated care board and all upper-tier local authorities that fall within the ICS area.

Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INT)

Integrated Neighbourhood Teams (INT) is a new project aimed at integrating care in local neighbourhoods to help keep local people safe and well in their own home.

Integrated Stroke Delivery Networks (ISDNs)

Integrated Stroke Delivery Networks (ISDNs) are the key vehicle for transforming stroke care across the country. They work with partners from across their regions to help prevent stroke, improve diagnosis, and improve access to treatment in 24/7 specialist stroke units. The ISDNs bring key stakeholders together to increase the availability of high-quality rehabilitation and ongoing community care to rebuild patients’ lives after a stroke.

Integrated Single Finance Environment (ISFE)

ISFE is a business-critical contract that supports financial processes relating to the NHS England Group's annual spend of approximately £150 billion and, as of 1 July 2022, supports the financial and accounting service requirements for: NHS England.

Intensive Care Unit (ICU)

An intensive care unit (ICU) is a special department of a hospital or health care facility that provides intensive treatment medicine.

Intermediate Care

A wide range of services aimed at keeping patients at home rather than in hospital, or helping patients to come home early from hospital after illness or injury.

In Vitro Fertilisation (IVF)

In vitro fertilisation (IVF) is one of several techniques available to help people with fertility problems have a baby. During IVF, an egg is removed from the woman's ovaries and fertilised with sperm in a laboratory. The fertilised egg, called an embryo, is then returned to the woman's womb to grow and develop.

Joint Forward Plan (JFP)

A Joint Forward Plan (JFP) is a mandatory five-year plan that ICBs and their partner NHS trusts must produce. The plan sets out how the ICB and its partner trusts will arrange and/ or provide NHS services to meet their populations' physical and mental health needs.

Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust (LSCFT)

Lancashire & South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust, provides a range of services including secondary mental health care, inpatient child and adolescent mental health services, perinatal mental health and forensic services including low and medium secure care.

Lancashire County Council (LCC)

Lancashire County Council is the upper-tier local authority for the non-metropolitan county of Lancashire. It consists of 84 councillors. The county council exists to serve everyone who lives or works in Lancashire, helping people to be healthy, happy and enjoy a good quality of life.

Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer/ Questioning (LGBTQ)

LGBTQ is an abbreviation for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer or questioning. These terms are used to describe a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity. 

Local Incentive Scheme (LIS)

Local Incentive Scheme - a scheme with a discrete, specific focus for which a financial incentive applies.

Local Pharmaceutical Services Contract (LPS)

An alternative to the national arrangements for the provision of pharmaceutical services, local pharmaceutical services (LPS) contracts allow pharmaceutical services to be commissioned that are tailored to specific local requirements. LPS complements the national contractual framework.

Local Professional Network (LPN)

LPNs cover dentistry, pharmacy, and eye health. They encourage service improvements and reduce health inequalities for their local communities.

Local Representative Committee (LRC)

Consists of Representatives from Pharmacy (Local Pharmaceutical Committee), Dental (Local Dental Committee), Optometry (Local Optometry Committee) and GPs (Local Medical Committee.

Member of Parliament (MP)

The UK public elects Members of Parliament (MPs) to represent their interests and concerns in the House of Commons. MPs consider and can propose new laws as well as raising issues that matter to you in the House. This includes asking government ministers questions about current issues including those which affect local constituents.

Minor Oral Surgery and General Anaesthetic (MOS and GA)

The MOS service will deliver treatment to those patients with a defined need who are unable to be treated by a dental practitioner within primary care and for whom the complexity of their treatment need does not necessitate care provision in a hospital setting. General Anaesthetic. General anaesthesia is a state of controlled unconsciousness. During a GA, medicines are used to send you to sleep, so you're unaware of surgery and do not move or feel pain while it's carried out.

Musculoskeletal (MSK) 

Musculoskeletal (MSK) conditions affect many people and can affect your joints, bones and muscles and sometimes associated tissues such as your nerves.

National Health Service (NHS)

The National Health Service (NHS) is the public health service that provides free medical care to everyone in the UK. It is funded by taxes and overseen by the government. The NHS covers all aspects of health care, from general practitioners to hospitals, dentists, and pharmacies.

Neighbourhood

A smaller geographical area in line with primary care networks and usually covering a population of between 30,000 and 50,000 people.

New Hospitals Programme (NHP)

The New Hospital Programme (NHP) is a joint campaign between NHS England (NHSE) and the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC) that aims to have 40 new hospitals built across England. The local NHS welcomed the announcement in May 2023 of two new hospitals to replace Royal Preston Hospital and Royal Lancaster Infirmary as part of a rolling programme of national investment in capital infrastructure beyond 2030.

NHS Business Services Authority (NHSBSA)

An arm’s length body of the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC).  It provides critical central services to support the priorities of the NHS, government, and local health economies.

NHS England (NHSE)

Became responsible for direct commissioning of primary care services on 1 April 2013.

North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust (NWAS)

The North West Ambulance Service NHS Trust (NWAS) is the ambulance service for North West England.

Occupational Therapist (OT)

An occupational therapist is a health care professional who helps people of all ages overcome the effects of disability caused by illness, ageing or accident. They work to adapt surroundings and tasks to help people carry out everyday activities.

Ophthalmic Medical Practitioners (OMP contractors)

Ophthalmic Medical Practitioners – Registered with the General Medical Council and can diagnose and treat eye conditions.

Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman (PHSO)

The PHSO make final decisions on complaints that have not been resolved by the NHS in England and UK government departments and other public organisations fairly and without taking sides. It is a free service.

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)

The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) is a free, confidential, and impartial service that provides advice and support to NHS patients and their relatives and carers. The service was created to help patients, carers, staff, and the public by listening to their concerns about their care and providing support and help to resolve them.

Patient Participation Groups (PPGs)

Patient Participation Groups (PPGs) are made up of a group of volunteer patients, the practice manager and one or more of the GPs from a practice. PPGs meet on a regular basis to discuss the services on offer, how improvements can be made for the benefit of patients and the practice and are a requirement for each GP practice.

Personal Dental Service Agreement (PDS)

A national contract for the provision of NHS Dental Services.  Used by the ICB to commission time limited dental contracts.

Pharmaceutical Needs Assessments (PNA)

A document which records the assessment of the need for pharmaceutical services within a specific area. It sets out the pharmaceutical services which are currently provided, and when and where the services are available.

Place

An area covered by a local authority – an area where partners can come together and take action to support local communities.

Place-based Partnership

Collaborative arrangements between organisations responsible for arranging and delivering health and care services and others with a role in improving health and wellbeing.

Population Health Management

A way of improving the health of people in local communities by looking at which groups in the local population are most likely to become unwell, and working out how to prevent and treat ill-health.

Post Payment Verification (PVV)

Provides assurance to NHS England that claims are being made appropriately. Undertaken by the NHSBSA.

Primary Care

The first point of contact in the health service, usually a GP, practice nurse, local pharmacist, dentist or NHS walk-in centre.

Primary Care Network

Groups of GP practices in an area that work together, and with hospitals, social care, pharmacies and other services, to care for people with long-term conditions and prevent people becoming ill.

Primary Care Commissioning Committee (PCCC)

PCCC is responsible for making collective decisions on the review, and procurement of General Practive services.

Primary Care Trust (PCT)

​​​​​​PCTs were largely administrative bodies responsible for commissioning primary, community, and secondary health services from providers. PCTs were abolished on 31 March 2013.

Primary Health Care Centre (PHCC)

In the UK, patients can access primary care services through their PHCC, including community pharmacy, optometrist, dental surgery and community hearing care providers. Services are generally provided free-at-the-point-contact through the National Health Service.

Procurement Evaluation Strategy (PES)

A long-term plan to ensure cost-effective purchases of goods and services from competitive suppliers at the agreed quality, time, and terms.

Procurement

The NHS buys a large amount of goods and services to enable it to run from day to day. This is called procurement.

Provider Collaborative

Partnerships that bring together two or more NHS trusts (public providers of NHS services including hospitals and mental health services) to work together at scale to benefit their populations.

Provider Selection Regime

The Provider Selection Regime (PSR) came into force on 1 January 2024. The PSR is a set of rules for procuring health care services in England by organisations termed relevant authorities, one of which being NHS Integrated Care Boards. For more information please visit NHS commissioning » NHS Provider Selection Regime (england.nhs.uk)

Public Involvement and Engagement Advisory Committee (PIE AC)

The Public Involvement and Engagement Advisory Committee (PIE AC) has been established to support the ICB in ensuring the voice of local people and residents is actively embedded and valued in decision making of the ICB and at all levels of the system, particularly in relation to inequalities and those who are seldom heard.

Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention(QIPP)

Quality, Innovation, Productivity and Prevention - programmes designed to reduce costs or deliver more for the same funding.

Quality in Optometry (QiO)

A support system used by contractors to demonstrate contract compliance with GOS and NHS Standard Contract contracts. It breaks contracts down into their component parts in order to assist good governance by contractors, while assuaging NHS England and Primary Eyecare Companies that the contractor is compliant.

Secondary Care

Care that you receive in hospital, either as an inpatient or an outpatient. This may be planned or emergency care. It is more specialist than primary care.

Social Determinants of Health

The non-medical factors that influence health outcomes.

Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND)

Special education needs and disabilities (SEND) is a term used to describe learning difficulties or disabilities that make it harder for a child to learn compared to children of the same age. Children with SEND may have much greater difficulty learning something or a disability that makes it difficult for them to use the facilities that others of the same age use in mainstream schools or educational settings

Standing Financial Instructions (SFIs)

SFI’s detail the financial responsibilities, policies and procedures to be adopted by NHS Resolution. They are designed to ensure that its financial transactions are carried out in accordance with the law and Government policy in order to achieve probity, accuracy, economy, efficiency and effectiveness.

System Development Funding (SDF)

System Development Funding - in year funding aligned to the NHS long term plan.

Unit of Dental Activity (UDAs)

Their essential purpose is to measure a routine dental practice's activity and from that to ensure that the correct amount of patients' charges is collected.

Unit of Dental Activity (UOAs)

Their essential purpose is to measure a specialist orthodontic dental practice's activity and from that to ensure that the correct amount of patients' charges is collected.

University Central Lancashire (UCLan)

The University of Central Lancashire (UCLan) is a public university based in the city of Preston, Lancashire.

Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE)

Across the UK, the Voluntary, Community, Faith and Social Enterprise (VCFSE) sector is a vital partner in improving the health and wellbeing of local communities, developing preventative approaches and enabling people to live longer and healthier lives.