Glossary of Terms

accreditation: A process, based on a system of external peer review using written standards, designed to assess the quality of an activity, service or organisation.
ACPOPC: Association of Chartered Physiotherapists in Oncology and Palliative Care
acute sector: Hospital-based health services which are provided on an in-patient or out-patient basis.
AHPs: See allied health professions.
allied health professions (AHPs): Healthcare professionals directly involved in the provision of primary and secondary healthcare. Includes several groups such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dietitians, etc. Formerly known as professions allied to medicine (PAMs).
anaesthetist: A medically qualified doctor who administers an anaesthetic to make a patient unconscious before a surgical operation and who may also be a specialist in pain management.
assessment: The process of measuring patients' needs and/or the quality of an activity, service or organisation.
audit: Systematic review of the procedures used for diagnosis, care, treatment and rehabilitation, examining how associated resources are used and investigating the effect care has on the outcome and quality of life for the patient.
bereavement services: Bereavement services aim to acknowledge and contain the emotional impact of a death on the family and carers affected by it, through a variety of activities or means. These include one-to-one counselling, support groups, telephone support, memorial services, the provision of information and literature on grief processes.
cachexia: A condition of abnormally low weight, weakness, and general bodily decline associated with chronic disease.
cancer: The name given to a group of diseases that can occur in any organ of the body, and in blood, and which involve abnormal or uncontrolled growth of cells.
care plan: A document which details the care and treatment that a patient/user receives, and identifies who delivers the care and treatment.
carer: A person who looks after family, partners or friends in need of help because they are ill, frail or have a disability. The care they provide is unpaid.
case record: Patient's notes; documentation of care.
chaplain: A person appointed to provide spiritual and religious care to all patients, visitors, staff and volunteers in the healthcare setting, regardless of faith or life stance. A chaplain can be ordained or lay with an acknowledged status within a mainstream faith community.
clinical effectiveness: Clinical effectiveness is the extent to which specific clinical interventions, when deployed, do what they are intended to do, i.e. maintain and improve health, securing the greatest possible health gain from the available resources. In the health technology assessment field it has a different meaning: the evaluation of benefits against risk in a standard clinical setting using outcomes of importance to the patient.
clinical governance: A framework through which NHS organisations are accountable for both continuously improving the quality of their services, and safeguarding high standards of care, by creating an environment in which excellence in clinical care will flourish.; Management of clinical risk at an organisational level is an important aspect of clinical governance. Clinical risk management recognises that risk can arise at many points in a patient's journey, and that aspects of how organisations are managed can systematically influence the degree of risk.
Clinical Resource and Audit Group (CRAG): CRAG was the lead body within the Scottish Executive Health Department promoting clinical effectiveness in Scotland. The main committee, together with its subcommittees provided advice to the Health Department, acted as a national forum to support and facilitate the implementation of the clinical effectiveness agenda and funded a number of clinical effectiveness programmes and projects. On 1 January 2003 CRAG was merged with four other clinical effectiveness bodies to create NHS Quality Improvement Scotland. See NHS Quality Improvement Scotland.
clinical service: Service provided by healthcare professionals.
Clinical Standards Board for Scotland (CSBS): The Clinical Standards Board for Scotland was a statutory body, established as a Special Health Board in April 1999. Its role was to develop and run a system of quality control of clinical services designed to promote public confidence that the services provided by the NHS met nationally agreed standards, and to demonstrate that, within the resources available, the NHS was delivering the highest possible standards of care. On 1 January 2003, CSBS was merged, along with four other clinical effectiveness bodies, to form NHS Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS). See NHS Quality Improvement Scotland.
clinician: A healthcare practitioner who specialises in seeing, diagnosing and/or treating patients.
college: In the UK, the term college, when used relating to healthcare, as for example in "The Royal College of...", refers to organisations which usually combine an education role with promotion of professional standards.
complementary therapies: Alternative therapies such as acupuncture, hypnosis, and aromatherapy.
complex needs: Needs that cannot be addressed through simple or routine interventions/care.
continuing professional development (CPD): An ongoing commitment to learning in various forms, which maintains and enhances professional standards of work, and develops the ability to recognise good practice.
core team: A multidisciplinary group made up of an identified number of healthcare professionals who are considered essential for the management of patients. All members of this team meet on a regular basis to discuss the care of new and existing patients.
counselling services: Counselling services offer a 'being with' kind of support, to allow an open-ended exploring of feelings to help someone express and work through their feelings and grief.
CRAG: See Clinical Resource and Audit Group.
criterion(s)/criteria(pl): Provide the more detailed and practical information on how to achieve the standard, and relate to structure, process or outcome factors.
CSBS: See Clinical Standards Board for Scotland.
data set: A list of required and specific information.
data source: The source of evidence to demonstrate whether a standard or criterion is being met.
degenerative disease: A condition which results in progressive deterioration and loss of function.
dentist: A member of the dental profession who in the UK must be registered with the General Dental Council unless he/she holds a medical qualification.
desirable (criterion/criteria): Good practice that is being achieved in some parts of the service and demonstrates levels of quality to which other providers of a similar service should strive.
diagnosis: Identification of an illness or health problem by means of its signs and symptoms. This involves ruling out other illnesses and causal factors for the symptoms.
dietitian: An expert in nutrition who helps people with special health needs plan the kinds and amount of foods to eat.
discharge: A discharge marks the end of an episode of care. Types of discharge include in-patient discharge, daycase discharge, day-patient discharge, out-patient discharge and allied health professions (see AHPs) discharge.
dyspnoea: Laboured or difficult breathing.
educator: An educator is a healthcare individual who has undertaken a recognised qualification in teaching and learning in higher education.
essential (criterion/criteria): A criterion that should be met wherever a service is provided.
evaluation: The study of the performance of a service (or element of treatment and care) with the aim of identifying successful and problem areas of activity.
evidence-based medicine: Evidence-based clinical practice is an approach to decision making in which the clinician uses the best evidence available, in consultation with the patient, to decide upon the option which suits that patient best.
formal arrangement: Agreement in the form of a written document, forming local strategy/documentation.
generic standards: Standards that apply to most, if not all, clinical services.
GP: General Practitioner.
guidelines: Systematically developed statements which help in deciding how to treat particular conditions.
HCAS: Hospice Computerised Administration System
HDL: See Health Department Letter.
Health Board: See NHS Boards.
Health Council: Each NHS Board area has a Health Council, an organisation whose aim is to promote public consultation and participation in health-related matters. Sometimes referred to as a Local Health Council.
Health Department Letter (HDL): Health Department Letter (formerly known as Management Executive Letter - MEL), formal communications from the Scottish Executive Health Department to NHSScotland.
Health Technology Board for Scotland (HTBS): The Health Technology Board for Scotland (HTBS) worked to improve Scotland's health by providing evidence-based advice to NHSScotland on the clinical and cost-effectiveness of new and existing health technologies (medicines, devices, clinical procedures and healthcare settings). On 1 January 2003, HTBS was merged, along with four other clinical effectiveness bodies, to form NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS). See NHS Quality Improvement Scotland.
healthcare professional: A person qua lified in a health discipline.
hospice: A place where specially trained doctors, nurses and others are committed to the care of patients with active, progressive, far-advanced illness, and to the support of their relatives.
HTBS: See Health Technology Board for Scotland.
Information and Statistics Division (ISD): The Information and Statistics Division is part of the Common Services Agency, NHSScotland. Health service activity, manpower and finance data are collected, validated, interpreted and disseminated by the division. This data is received from NHS Boards, NHS Trusts and general practices.
www.show.scot.nhs.uk/isd/
ICP: Integrated Care Pathway
in-patient: A person who is admitted to hospital for observation, examination or treatment.
integrated records: Complete medical notes relating to a patient and including information from every treatment service which they have used.
intervention: Action intended to benefit the patient.
ISD: See Information and Statistics Division.
Island NHS Board: There are three Island NHS Boards (Orkney, Shetland and the Western Isles). They have always had a combined strategic and operational role. See NHS Board.
IT: Information Technology.
jointly agreed: Where both parties involved (if one is the patient, include the carer with patient's consent) have decided together on a particular course of action/non-action, to benefit the patient.
journey of care: The pathway through the health services taken by the patient (the person who is receiving treatment), and as viewed by the patient.
lay representation: The inclusion of a member(s) of the general public in a professional group.
lead consultant: Clinician with administrative responsibilities for a specific service.
lead nurse: A nurse at senior level with input into strategic planning.
lymphoedema: The swelling of an arm, leg or another part of the body which sometimes happens when lymph nodes and vessels in the armpit or groin have been removed or damaged by surgery or radiotherapy, or have been blocked by a tumour.
malignant: Cancerous. Malignant tumours can invade and destroy surrounding tissue and have the capacity to spread.
Managed Clinical Network (MCN): A formally organised network of clinicians. The main function is to audit performance on the basis of standards and guidelines, with the aim of improving healthcare across a wide geographic area, or for specific conditions.
Management Executive Letter (MEL): Formal communications from the Scottish Executive Health Department to NHSScotland, now known as Health Department Letters (HDLs).
median: The middle value or average of the two middle numbers in an ordered sequence of numbers.
medical records: Patients' notes; documentation of care.
medication: Drugs prescribed to treat a condition.
MEL: See Management Executive Letter.
microscope: An instrument used to obtain an enlarged image of small objects.
minimum data set (MDS): A minimum set of information related to a specific medical condition - may include demographic, clinical management and outcome data.
modality: One form of therapy as opposed to another, such as the modality of physiotherapy contrasted with that of radiotherapy.
monitoring: The systematic process of collecting information on clinical and non-clinical performance. Monitoring may be intermittent or continuous. It may also be undertaken in relation to specific incidents of concern or to check key performance areas.
multidisciplinary: A multidisciplinary team is a group of people from different disciplines (both healthcare and nonhealthcare) who work together to provide care for patients with a particular condition. The composition of multidisciplinary teams will vary according to many factors. These include: the specific condition, the scale of the service being provided, and geographical/socioeconomic factors in the local area.
multi-professional: Consisting of members of more than one profession.
national guidelines: Guidelines defined at national level. See guidelines.
national standards: Standards defined at a national level.
NHS: National Health Service.
NHS Board: NHS Boards are responsible for strategic planning, performance management and governance of each of Scotland's 15 local health systems. Most Board areas (excluding Island NHS Boards) contain one Acute and one Primary Care Trust, with operational and employment responsibilities, but since 2001 they have operated within a strategic framework drawn up by the NHS Board. By 2004 Trusts will have been abolished and replaced by operating divisions of the NHS Board (see also NHS Trust).
NHS priorities: The three national clinical priorities are mental health; coronary heart disease and stroke; and cancer.
NHS QIS: See NHS Quality Improvement Scotland.
NHS Quality Improvement Scotland (NHS QIS): NHS Quality Improvement Scotland is a statutory body, established as a Special Health Board in January 2003. Its role is to focus on improving the quality of patient care and the health of patients. It will have a particular emphasis on the quality of care and the patient journey for vulnerable groups. NHS Quality; Improvement Scotland has been created by the merger of five organisations: Clinical Standards Board for Scotland (CSBS); Health Technology Board for Scotland (HTBS); Scottish Health Advisory Service (SHAS); Nursing and Midwifery Practice Development Unit (NMPDU), and the Clinical Resources and Audit Group (CRAG). Website address: www.nhshealthquality.org
NHS Trust: A Trust is an NHS organisation responsible for providing a group of healthcare services for the local population. An Acute hospital Trust provides hospital services. A Primary Care Trust provides primary care/community health services. Mental health services (both hospital and community based) are usually provided by Primary Care Trusts. Since 2001 Trusts have operated within an overall framework drawn up by their NHS Board. Subject to legislation, Trusts will be dissolved by April 2004, becoming operating divisions of the NHS Board. The NHS Board will be the single employer for the local system. In two areas - Borders and Dumfries & Galloway - since April 2003 there have been no Trusts or operating divisions with the NHS Board fulfilling a dual strategic and operational role (like the three Island Boards). The term 'Trust' is retained in NHS QIS publications during the period of Trust abolition. Where unification has occurred, the term 'Trust' should be taken to signify an operating division of the local NHS Board. See also NHS Board.
NHSScotland: The National Health Service in Scotland.
NMPDU: See Nursing and Midwifery Practice Development Unit.
NOF: New Opportunities Fund
nurse: A person who is specially trained to provide services that are essential to or helpful in the promotion, treatment, maintenance, and restoration of health and wellbeing.
Nursing and Midwifery Practice Development Unit (NMPDU): NMPDU was set up in December 1999 in response to the White Paper 'Designed to Care' (1997). The overall aim of the Unit is to ensure that practice/role development is taken forward across Scotland in a consistent and cohesive way, so that benefits gained from new practice in one area can be easily identified and shared within the profession. On 1 January 2003 NMPDU was merged with four other clinical effectiveness bodies to create NHS Quality Improvement Scotland. See NHS Quality Improvement Scotland.
occupational therapist: A health professional, also known as an OT, who finds ways to help people live at home and be independent, despite their illness.
oncologist: A doctor who specialises in the treatment of cancer patients. A clinical oncologist, or radiotherapist, specialises in treating cancer with radiation or drugs, and a medical oncologist specialises in treating cancer with drugs.
outcome: The end result of care and treatment and/or rehabilitation. In other words, the change in health, functional ability, symptoms or situation of a person, which can be used to measure the effectiveness of care and treatment, and/or rehabilitation.
out-of-hours: Between 5pm - 9am Monday to Friday and also weekends (not between 9am - 5pm Monday to Friday).
out-patient: A patient reviewed in a hospital but who does not need to be admitted to the hospital.
palliative care: Palliative care is the active total care of patients and their families by a multi-professional team when the patient's disease is no longer responsive to curative treatment.
PAMs: See professions allied to medicine.
patient: A person who is receiving care or medical treatment. A person who is registered with a doctor, dentist, or other healthcare professional, and is treated by him/her when necessary. Sometimes referred to as a user.
patient journey: The pathway through the health services taken by the patient (the person who is receiving treatment), and as viewed by the patient.
PCT: Primary Care Trust. See NHS Trust and primary care.
peer review: Review of a service by those with expertise and experience in that service, either as a provider, user or carer, but who are not involved in its provision in the area under review. In the NHS Quality Improvement Scotland approach, all members of a review team are equal.
PEG: Percutaneous Endoscopic Gastrostomy
percutaneous gastrostomy: A gastrostomy is where an opening is made into the stomach from the outside and is usually performed to allow food and fluid to be poured directly into the stomach when swallowing is impossible because of disease or obstruction of the oesophagus. This procedure was formerly always performed surgically but it can now be done using an endoscope (percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy).
pharmacist: A qualified professional who understands the nature and effect of medicines and how they are produced and used to prevent and treat illness, relieve symptoms or assist in the diagnosis of disease. Pharmacists use their expertise for the wellbeing and safety of users and the public.
pharmacy technician: An individual working in a healthcare setting who, under the supervision of a licensed pharmacist, assists in activities not requiring the professional judgment of a pharmacist.
physician: A specialist in medicine.
policy: An operational statement of intent in a given situation.
POS: Palliative Care Outcome Scale
postgraduate qualification: A degree or qualification that is awarded after a period of further training.
prescription: Usually a written recipe of treatment.
primary care: The conventional first point of contact between a patient and the NHS. This is the component of care delivered to patients outside hospitals and is typically, though by no means exclusively, delivered through general practices. Primary care services are the most frequently used of all services provided by the NHS. Primary care encompasses a range of family health services provided by family doctors, dentists, pharmacists, optometrists and ophthalmic medical practitioners.
procedure: The steps taken to fulfill a policy.
professions allied to medicine (PAMs): Healthcare professionals directly involved in the provision of primary and secondary healthcare. Includes several groups such as physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dietitians, etc. Now called allied health professionals (AHPs). See allied health professions.
prognosis: An assessment of the expected future course and outcome of a person's disease.
protocol: A policy or strategy which defines appropriate action in specific circumstances. Protocols may be national, or agreed locally to take into account local requirements.
psychology: The scientific study of human behaviour and the corresponding mental processes. A psychologist is a non-medical professional who has completed special advanced training and is therefore qualified to undertake psychological research, treatments and therapy.
public consultation: The process of formal consultation and feedback on NHS QIS standards with healthcare professionals and members of the public.
QA: See quality assurance.
quality assurance: Improving performance and preventing problems (QA) through planned and systematic activities including documentation, training and review.
quality of life: The overall appraisal of an individual's situation and subjective sense of wellbeing.
rationale: Scientific/objective reason for taking specific action.
referral: The process whereby a patient is transferred from one professional to another, usually for specialist advice and/or treatment.
review: See peer review.
RSCN: Registered Sick Children's Nurse
Scottish Executive Health Department (SEHD): The Scottish Executive Health Department is responsible for health policy and the administration of NHSScotland.
www.show.scot.nhs.uk/sehd/
Scottish Health Advisory Service (SHAS): The Scottish Health Advisory Service was an independent body, originally set up in 1970, and reporting to the First Minister. SHAS existed to help to improve the quality of health service care and the quality of life for people with a mental illness; people with a learning disability or physical disability; and frail older people. On 1 January 2003 SHAS was merged with four other clinical effectiveness bodies to create NHS Quality Improvement Scotland. See NHS Quality Improvement Scotland.
Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN): SIGN was established in 1993 by the Academy of Royal Colleges and Faculties in Scotland, to sponsor and support the development of evidence-based clinical guidelines for NHSScotland. Where a SIGN guideline exists for a specialty or service for which CSBS had set standards, or NHS QIS is taking forward standards, it will be referenced. For further information relating to SIGN guidelines or the methodology by which SIGN guidelines are developed, contact: SIGN Executive, Royal College of Physicians, 9 Queen Street, Edinburgh EH2 1JQ. Website address: www.sign.ac.uk/
Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care (SPPC): The Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care is the national umbrella and representative body for palliative care in Scotland. It is an independent body with charitable status that was set up in 1991 to promote the extension and improvement of palliative care services in Scotland, whether provided by voluntary organisations or by the NHS. Website address: www.palliativecarescotland.org.uk
secondary care: Care provided in an acute sector setting. See acute sector.
SEHD: See Scottish Executive Health Department.
self-assessment: Assessment of performance against standards by individual/clinical team/Trust providing the service to which the standards are related.
sensory impairment: Reduction of the input from the senses.
SHAS: See Scottish Health Advisory Service.
SIGN: See Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network.
SIGN guideline: Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network guideline. See also guideline.
social work: Social work services provide advice and practical help for problems resulting from social circumstances. A social worker is a person who has obtained a professional qualification in social work. A social worker supports vulnerable people and their carers with the aim of enhancing the quality of all aspects of their daily lives.
Special Health Board: The name is given to Health Boards with a national remit. These boards are focused on specific areas - e.g., NHS Education for Scotland, or NHS Quality Improvement Scotland. Special Health Boards match regional NHS Boards in terms of administrative grading.
specialist: A person who after education, training and experience, has become an expert in their field.
specialist palliative care: Specialist Palliative Care is the active total care of patients with progressive, far-advanced disease and limited prognosis, and their families, by a multiprofessional team who have undergone recognised specialist palliative care training. It provides physical, psychological, social and spiritual support, and will involve practitioners with a broad mix of skills.
SPPC: See Scottish Partnership for Palliative Care.
standard: Required level of quality.
standard statement: An overall statement of desired performance.
statutory: Enacted by statute; depending on statute for its authority as a statutory provision. Required by law.
symptom: A reported feeling or observable physical sign of a person's condition that indicates a physical or psychological abnormality.
systematic: Methodical, according to plan and not casually or at random.
telephone advice: This is a service which is available to professional callers wishing guidance in clinical management. This may involve recommendations on drug use and dosage.
telephone support: This service is available to patients and lay carers who make contact. As well as empathetic listening, it will include advice about contacting the appropriate GP and District Nursing Services. It is not anticipated that specific instruction will be given regarding drugs and dosages.
TENS: Transcutaneous Electrical Nerve Stimulation
terminal care: Specialised care during the final stage of an illness, with the emphasis on relief of symptoms in order to allow the patient to feel as comfortable as possible.
therapeutic intervention: A medical or non-medical initiative which increases the comfort or wider well-being of a patient.
therapy: A word often used to mean treatment.
tracheostomy: Surgical operation in which an opening is made in the windpipe (trachea), through the neck, to relieve obstruction to breathing.
treatment plan: Protocol of care which specifies what should be done, when and with what aim.
Trust: See NHS Trust.
unified Board: See NHS Board.
WHO: See World Health Organisation.
World Health Organisation: A United Nations agency dealing with issues concerning health and disease around the globe. (WHO) Website address: www.who.int/en/
WTE: Whole Time Equivalent.

St Columba's is an independent unit operating as a charity (Regd. No. SC003634)

Content created and maintained by St Columba's Hospice web team
Read our website Terms and Conditions and Privacy Statement

Page last updated: Thursday, 28 April 2005

Send To A Friend

Click to send this page to a friend

Our Purpose

To improve the quality of life of people with progressive, far advanced disease and to provide support for their families