Glossary - NHS Terminology

INFORMATION

A Brief Overview
A brief introduction to the health plan

FITN
Final Invitation to Negotiate

PITN
Preliminary Invitation to Negotiate

Public Consultation
The document, feedback and frequently asked questions

Outline Business Case
Copies of the OBCs and sketches of the hospital

Office Location
How to get to the Project Office

DATA

Peterborough's Hospitals
Photographs of the two hospital sites in Peterborough

This is terminology commonly in use in the NHS. If you are interested in project finance, PFI and capital projects there is a further glossary here.

ACAD	Ambulatory Care and Diagnostics Centre, now called a DTC, Diagnostic and Treatment Centre. See ambulatory care
Acute care	Medical or surgical treatment usually provided in a district general hospital (also called an acute hospital)
Ambulatory care	Care that does not involve an over night stay in hospital and usually involves diagnosis and treatment on the same day. May be provided in a hospital or special centre.
Capital	Money spent on buying land, constructing, adapting or modernising buildings and buying major items of equipment.
Cardiothoracic	Relating to heart, lung and chest
Chronic disease	A long term illness of condition
Commissioning	Buying and ensuring the maintenance of care tailored to local needs
Community care	The network of social and health care designed to keep people independent
Community Health Council	A statutory body, independent of other NHS organisations that represents the health interests of local people. CHCs are being replaced by the Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) and will be abolished in 2003.
Community services	Care provided outside hospital by nurses, midwives, therapists and other professionals
Day case or Day Surgery	A surgical procedure that does not involve an overnight stay in hospital
DTC	Diagnostic and Treatment Centre – see ambulatory care
Elective care	Care that is planned in advance. It may be as a day case or inpatient.
GP	General practitioner, a doctor who, often with colleagues in partnership, works from a local surgery providing medical advice and treatment to patients registered on his list
Health Authority	Assesses the health needs of the local people and draws up plans for meeting those needs. From April 2002 Strategic Health Authorities will replace both Health Authorities and Regional Health Authorities.
HImP	Health improvement programme. A rolling three year strategic plan, agreed by all healthcare providers, for the development of health services. HImPs were replaced by Local Delivery Plans (LDP) in 2003.
Integrated Care Centre	A centre where a variety of health care services are provided including intermediate care, primary care community care and outreach services from hospitals.
Intermediate care	A bridge between hospital and home care for non-urgent cases
NHS Direct	24 hour, nurse led, telephone helpline providing nation-wide access to healthcare advice, nurses and crisis teams
NHS Executive	The managing body within the Department of Health with regional offices throughout England
NHS Plan	This was published in July 2000 listing radical changes to the NHS. The NHS Plan in the Government’s 10-year plan for the modernisation of the health service in England. It aims to provide a wider range of choice, introduce new services, reduce the time patients wait for appointments and move health care closer to people’s homes.
NSF	National Service Frameworks set national standards for the best way of providing particular services
Outline Business Case	A detailed document providing the information needed to bid for capital investment. It includes detailed planning assumptions, revenue costs and an analysis of the options available to deliver the objectives of the investment.
Paediatric care	The clinical specialty dealing with children’s illnesses
PALS	Patient Advice and Liaison Service. The service provides support to patients, carers and relatives, representing their views and resolving local difficulties speedily.
Peterborough Health Partnership Board	A group of City Councillors, Board members of local NHS organisations and representatives from the voluntary sector who oversee all aspects of joint working on behalf of the people of Peterborough.
PFI or PPP	Private Finance Initiative or Public Private Partnership is a mandatory government programme enabling the public and private sector to co-operate in providing facilities that will be run by the NHS
Primary care	GP-led services provided by family doctors and those who work with them including district nurses, therapists, local dentists, pharmacists, opticians and other community health professionals
Primary Care Trust	A NHS trust that provides all local GP, community and primary care serves and commission hospital services from other NHS trusts. They are managed by a Board elected from local GPs, community nurses, lay members, the Health Authority and Social Services.
Project Board	The local body that oversees the implementation of the Greater Peterborough Health Investment Plan. It includes representatives from all the local NHS organisations and the city council.
SOC	Strategic Outline Case. A document prepared by all the local NHS bodies that contains an initial assessment for a bid for capital investment.
Telemedicine	The use of communication systems such as video and computers to provide remote diagnosis and healthcare.
Walk-in Centre	Centres managed by the NHS that provide information on the NHS, social services and other local healthcare organisations as well as advice on self-care.