Glossary

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U VW X Y Z
 

Academic Health Science Centre             
An organisation that provides health care to patients and which undertakes research. An AHSC usually provides teaching and education as well.        

Acute                 
Services which treat patients (usually in hospital as in-patients) for a certain condition for a short period of time.

ADHD                 
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - a condition that affects people's behaviour. People with ADHD can seem restless, may have trouble concentrating and may act on impulse.

Advocacy           
A dictionary definition of ‘advocacy’ tells us that an advocate is:            

Citizen advocacy: Means speaking up for someone else. Unpaid volunteers who try to represent the interests and concerns of their partner as if they were their own, but do not make decision for their partner. They must be independent of people providing care or services for their partner.         

Legal advocacy: Possibly a solicitor or a barrister or an advice worker. They give advice so that people can speak up for themselves.

Collective advocacy: A group of people working together to speak out for what they want. Some organisations undertake collective advocacy - eg, MENCAP, Mind, Cambridgeshire Independent Advocacy Service, trade unions.

Peer advocacy: Help and support from people with a similar background or experience to your own.             

Professional advocacy: Someone who is paid to provide support and advice, independent of any services used. They will have professional skills and knowledge and a good knowledge of local services.

Alzheimer's Disease      
Alzheimer's disease is the most common form of dementia, which describes the loss of mental abilities, such as memory and reasoning.     

Anorexia                          
Anorexia nervosa is an eating disorder and a mental health condition. People who have anorexia have problems with eating. They are very anxious about their weight. They keep it as low as possible, by strictly controlling and limiting what they eat. They may exercise more to get rid of the food they have eaten. Some people binge on large amounts of food and then purge. Anorexia can affect anyone of any age, gender, or background.

Anti-psychotic drugs                    
A type of psychiatric medication which is available on prescription to treat psychosis. These drugs are licensed to treat certain types of mental health problems whose symptoms include psychotic experiences, such as schizophrenia and mania.

Approved Mental Health Professional   
Someone who has had specific training in the legal aspects of mental health assessment and treatment. AMPHs are approved by their local authority social services department to organise and carry out assessments under the Mental Health Act 1983 (MHA).          

Approved Social Workers (ASWs)                          
A Social Worker is there to improve the lives of the people they look after by supporting them in finding solutions to their problems. Social workers are specifically approved and appointed under Section 114 of the Mental Health Act 1983 by a local social services authority.

Area Child Protection Committee (ACPC)                           
The committee is made up of members from all local statutory agencies working with children, such as local authorities, NHS and police. There is an independent chair who is responsible for ensuring all children are protected from significant harm, establishing good local policies and practices and ensuring they are adhered to.

Art therapy       
Difficult feelings can often be more easily accessed through using imagination and creativity rather than thinking and talking. In art therapy sessions, you are encouraged to freely express your difficult thoughts and feelings using a variety of materials. This can help you to understand difficult feelings, and to change patterns of how you relate them to yourself, and to others. Music therapists, drama therapists and dance and movement therapists work in a similar way using other forms of expression.       

Assertive outreach /assertive community treatment /intensive case management                  
Ensuring those most in need of specialist mental health care remain in touch with services. Assertive Outreach Teams are part of secondary mental health services and are usually attached to the Community Mental Health Team. They work with people who are 18 to 65 years old who have particularly complex needs and need more intensive support to work with services.

Atypical (novel) antipsychotic drugs       
Range of newer and more expensive antipsychotic drugs used in the treatment of psychosis, most commonly schizophrenia.

Audit Commission         
Appoints and regulates the external auditors of statutory authorities, including the NHS. Role to promote proper stewardship of public finances and helping managers to achieve economy, effectiveness and efficiency.

Audit Committee                          
The audit committee must look at the Trust's performance, honesty and responsibility on the way it runs and to the people it looks after. It is a responsible for the oversight of the financial reporting process, selection of the independent auditor, and receipt of audit results both internal and external.

Auditors                           
Auditors complete detailed examinations of all aspects of health care performance, including financial performance.

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)                           
Autism spectrum disorder is a syndrome where people may have problems with communication and social skills. They may have an unusual interest in patterns or processes. It occurs in about 1% of children.

BMA     
British Medical Association        

Bereavement   
Bereavement is a distressing but common experience. We grieve after any sort of loss, but most powerfully after the death of someone we love. It is not just one feeling, but a whole succession of feelings, which take a while to get through and which cannot be hurried.     

Bipolar disorder             
Bipolar disorder is a diagnosis given to someone with mental ill health which mainly affects their mood. If you have bipolar disorder, you are likely to have times where you feel high (manic or hypomanic episodes), or feel low (depressive episodes). Some people might have psychotic symptoms during manic or depressed episodes.

Caldicott Guardian        
Each NHS organisation has a nominated ‘Caldicott Guardian’ responsible for ensuring the Trust complies with the Caldicott principles. These aim to ensure the protection of patient’s right to privacy, dignity and confidentiality. CPFT's Caldicott Guardian is Medical Director Dr Cathy Walsh.           

Cambridgeshire Independent Advocacy Service (CIAS)    
The CIAS covers Peterborough and Cambridgeshire providing a full range of free and independent advocacy services. (See advocacy)

CAMEO
CAMEO is a CPFT service that provides specialised assessment, care and support to young people experiencing a first episode of psychosis.          

CAMHS
Used as shorthand to describe Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services. There are four different levels of services for children and adolescents with mental health problems - these are described as Tiers 1, 2, 3 or 4.            

Cardiac rehabilitation   
Cardiac rehabilitation is a programme of exercise and information sessions to help you get back on your feet again after a heart attack, heart surgery or procedure.   

Care co-ordinator/key worker   
The person who is responsible for making sure that your care is properly planned and you get the help you need. They will usually work with a community mental health team and will be the person you see most often. They will usually be a Community Psychiatric Nurse, social worker or occupational therapist.

Care pathway   
Patient’s journey through primary care, specialist and community services to discharge/continuing care.    

Care plan                         
A plan for your care over the next few weeks or months. It should be written down with you and you should have a copy. If you think it is wrong, or something is missing, you can ask for it to be changed.

Care Programme Approach (CPA) / care management                  
The CPA is there to support your recovery from mental illness. CPA is a framework used to assess your needs and make sure that you have support for your needs. It will usually involve several different services or people such as Community Mental Health Teams, Assertive Outreach Teams and Early Intervention Teams.

Care Quality Commission                          
The CQC is the independent regulator of health and social care in England. It regulates care provided by the NHS, local authorities, private companies and voluntary organisations. It aims to make sure better care is provided for everyone - in hospitals, care homes and people's own homes. It also seeks to protect the interests of people whose rights are restricted under the Mental Health Act.

CAS      
Contained Air Solutions - safety cabinets used to hold or contain microbiological samples.            

Caseload           
A volume or list of patient referrals belonging to a healthcare professional.              

Carers  
Relatives or friends who voluntarily look after loved ones who are sick, disabled, vulnerable or frail.

CCG      
Clinical Commissioning Groups are groups of General Practices that work together to plan and design local health services in England. They do this by 'commissioning' or buying health and care services.        

C-Diff   
Clostridium Difficile - a type of bacterial infection that can affect the digestive system.           

CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome)             
Chronic Fatigue Syndrome (CFS) is a general term for a wide range of conditions including Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME). Myalgia is muscle pain and encephalomyelitis refers to inflammation and dysfunction of the brain and spinal cord. The main symptom of CFS/ME is feeling extremely tired and generally unwell. People may have other symptoms too, such as sleep problems, muscle or joint pain, headaches, a sore throat or sore glands that are not swollen. They may also have problems thinking, remembering or concentrating.

Chaplain            
The Trust chaplaincy service can help you to contact an appropriate representative of your faith. There are chapels at some of our sites that can be used for private prayer or religious services. 

Choose and Book           
Enabling patients to book appointments at point of referral with a choice of time and date   

Clinical audit                   
Clinical audit is a way to find out if healthcare is being provided in line with standards and lets care providers and patients know where their service is doing well, and where there could be improvements. If the review shows something needs to be changed then the service will do so and continue to review this

Clinical governance       
How we make sure we carry out treatments safely and effectively and encourage a culture of excellence in our staff to continuously improve quality of care. 

Clinical trial       
A research study to answer specific questions about new therapies or new ways of using known treatments. Clinical trials are used to determine whether new drugs or treatments are both safe and effective.   

Clinician             
A term which is used to describe someone who provides care and treatment to patients, such as a nurse, psychiatrist or psychologist.        

Cognitive Analytic Therapy (CAT)            
A 'talking treatment' which helps you to see how early relationships and experiences have affected how you see yourself, other people and how you behave. It usually takes about 16 weekly sessions and focuses on a problem that is important for you.           

Cognitive Behaviour Therapy (CBT)         
A form of psychological therapy based on learning theory principles used mostly in depression but increasingly shown to be a useful part of the treatment for schizophrenia.     

Commissioning
Identifying health needs of local people, planning and purchasing health services which respond to their needs. Primary Care Trusts are responsible for deciding what services their local residents need from the NHS and buy these services with public money from the most appropriate providers. 

Commissioning for Quality and Innovation (CQUIN)        
The CQUIN payment framework enables commissioners to reward excellence, by linking a proportion of English healthcare providers' income to the achievement of local quality improvement goals in areas like preventing ill health, mental health and patient safety.

Community care                           
A network of services provided by the NHS, social services and volunteers designed to keep people independent. It particularly tries to support people who might previously have been in hospital.

Community mental health team              
A team of made up of different professionals offering specialist assessment, treatment and care to people in their own homes and the community.

Community Psychiatric Nurse (CPN)       
A nurse who has been trained to help people with mental health problems and who works in the community, instead of in a hospital.          

Co-morbidity                  
When someone has more than one disorder or health condition at the same time. The term dual diagnosis or complex needs may also be used.

Complementary therapies         
A wide range of treatments which can add something to conventional treatment - eg, Reiki, Indian head massage, aromatherapy, dance and movement etc. 

Consultant Psychiatrist 
The medical doctor with specialist experience and qualifications in mental illness and emotional disorders that has overall responsibility for your care. This includes your medication and other activities you may take part in whilst in hospital.          

Contacts            
Patient contact details or contact times - eg, face-to-face meetings, first assessment. Or details of family or friends who may provide a point of reference in support of patient care.      

Corporate governance  
The system by which organisations are directed and controlled. The principles of corporate governance are openness, integrity and accountability. 

CPD                    
CPD stands for Continuing Professional Development (CPD) and is the term used to describe the learning activities professionals engage in to develop and enhance their abilities.

CQUIN                
The CQUIN payment framework enables commissioners to reward excellence, by linking a proportion of English healthcare providers' income to the achievement of local quality improvement goals in areas like preventing ill health, mental health and patient safety.

Crisis resolution/home treatment service (CRHT)                           
The CRHT is a team of experienced mental health staff which includes nursing, psychology, social care, pharmacy and psychiatric staff. We can provide assessment and short-term, intensive community support for you, if you are experiencing mental health crisis.

DAAT                  
Drug and Alcohol Action Teams (DAAT) are multi-agency partnerships responsible for co-ordinating local initiatives and programs on drug and alcohol use. They report the outcomes to national public health agencies.

Data Protection Act       
The Data Protection Act controls how your personal information is used by organisations, businesses or the government. Everyone responsible for using data has to follow strict rules called ‘data protection principles’.    

Deanery            
A deanery, within healthcare in the UK, is responsible for the organisation and management of postgraduate medical and dental training.  

Dementia          
Dementia is a syndrome (a group of related symptoms) that is associated with an ongoing decline of the brain and its abilities.      

Depression                      
When you're depressed, you may have feelings of extreme sadness that can last for a long time. These feelings are severe enough to interfere with your daily life, and can last for weeks or months, rather than days. Depression is quite common, and about 15% of people will have a bout of severe depression at some point in their lives. At its most severe, depression can be life-threatening because it can make you feel suicidal.

DoH                    
The Department of Health supports ministers in leading the nation’s health and social care to help people live more independent, healthier lives for longer.

Diabetes            
Diabetes is a lifelong condition that causes a person's blood sugar level to become too high. There are two main types of diabetes: Type 1 diabetes is where the body's immune system attacks and destroys the cells that produce insulin. Type 2 diabetes is where the body doesn't produce enough insulin, or the body's cells don't react to insulin.

DiP                      
The Drug Intervention Programme is a multi-agency programme that plays a key role in tackling drugs and reducing crime. It aims to get adult offenders who misuse specified Class A drugs (heroin and cocaine/crack cocaine) out of crime and into treatment and other support.

Disengagement              
Loss of contact with services by the person using them.

District nursing
Community nursing services include district nurses and community matrons. District nursing teams assess, plan and provide nursing clinical care to those people who are often housebound due to ill health, either in their own home, or in a care home that does not provide nursing.           

DNA     
Did not attend. Used to indicate if a person did not attend a scheduled meeting, activity or engagement.           

DQ                      
Data quality refers to the state of qualitative (forums/interviews/surveys, etc) or quantitative (analysis) pieces of information.

DSD                    
Delayed Service Discharge - When a patient has been staying in hospital but it has been agreed they are clinically ready to leave. However they stay in hospital beyond the date they are scheduled to leave. This might be because they are waiting for support in the community to be ready for them.

Early intervention service            
Services offering prompt interventions to young people experiencing their first episode of psychiatric illness. Earlier interventions are associated with better outcomes.           

Eating disorders                           
Eating disorders are serious mental illnesses that involve disordered eating behaviour, such as restricting food intake, eating large quantities of food at once, or getting rid of food through unhealthy means (purging, laxative misuse, excessive exercise). When someone has an eating disorder they may do a combination of these behaviours. Eating disorder diagnosis, include anorexia nervosa, avoidant restrictive food intake disorder, binge eating disorder, and bulimia nervosa.

Equal opportunity          
Aims to ensure the workforce is representative of the local community. 

Family/Systemic Therapy            
Difficulties in relationships with your family, partners and friends can be bad for your mental health. If this is the case, a family or couple can be seen together. The therapy helps people to see both their strengths and limitations and to try different ways of getting on together. Family therapy can be helpful if the mental illness of a family member affects the rest of the family.        

FDT                     
First Definitive Treatment
The first clinical intervention intended to manage a person's disease, condition or injury and avoid further clinical interventions. 

Forensic Service             
Specialist health services for offenders with mental health problems.     

Foundation Trust                          
NHS foundation trusts were created to move decision making from central government to local organisations and communities. This means they have greater freedom to decide how services are delivered.

General Practitioner (GP)           
Your local doctor - or family doctor - who will usually be the first person you see if you have a physical illness or emotional problem. They can help you directly but can also refer you on for specialist care or assessment. Many GPs have a community psychiatric nurse, psychiatrist or counsellor who works at the GP surgery.    

Grade 3-4 pressure ulcers                         
Grade 3-4 pressure ulcers are the most serious pressure ulcers. Pressure ulcers (also known as pressure sores or bedsores) are injuries to the skin and underlying tissue, primarily caused by prolonged pressure on the skin. They can happen to anyone, but usually affect people confined to bed or who sit in a chair or wheelchair for long periods of time.

Group therapy 
Any form of psychotherapy can be done in a group. Some groups are very brief, focused and educational (such as parent training groups), while others are unstructured and may last for several years (such as group analytic therapy). All groups make use of the input from other group members as well as the group leader to help people understand and change their thoughts, feelings and behaviours.

Health and Social Care (HASC) Scrutiny Committees                      
A health and social care scrutiny committee is responsible for reviewing local healthcare services, agreeing and implementing an annual work programme, and receiving and taking account of the views of relevant stakeholders and service providers by inviting representations to be made at meetings.

Healthcare Associated Infections                           
These are infections that occur in a health care setting that were not present before the patient entered the care setting. This might include catheter-associated urinary tract infections, surgery site infections and pneumonia.

Healthcare professional              
CPFT staff who are qualified to administer mental health or community health care services. 

Health of the Nation Outcome Score (HoNOS)   
A way of measuring how well someone is doing in their treatment and recovery.           

Health promotion                        
Health promotion is the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve their health.

Healthcare governance
How we make sure we carry out treatments safely and effectively and encourage a culture of excellence in our staff to continuously improve quality of care  

Home treatment            
Home treatment (sometimes called crisis resolution) is a way of helping people at home rather than in hospital. This can help to avoid the stress, anxiety and upheaval that can happen with a hospital admission. This can include daily or twice daily visits, and help with medication and sorting out practical matters such as accommodation and shopping.

ICT                      
Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) refers to all communication technologies, including internet, mobile phones, social networking, video conferencing and computers.

IGT       
Information Governance Toolkit - an online system that allows NHS organisations and partners to assess themselves against Department of Health information governance policies and standards.  

Improving Access to Psychological Therapy         
The Improving Access to Psychological Therapies (IAPT) programme aims to improve access to talking therapies in the NHS by providing more local services and psychological therapists. IAPT services have now been set up across the NHS.

Improving Working Lives (IWL)                
An initiative to encourage healthcare organisations to support their staff in a work life balance

INCA    
The Integrated Compliance Assessment tool used by internal governance to record compliance records for the Trust.             

Integrated Compliance Assessment tool (InCA)                
The Integrated Compliance Assessment Tool supports us in ensuring our services meet the standards of care that the CQC monitors.

Incidence                         
The number of people who get a particular illness or have a particular disability.

Inpatient                          
Someone who stays in hospital to be given care and treatment.

Independent sector                     
Voluntary sector, charitable and private care providers. A list of local charity providers can be found on the Keep Your Head website.

Intermediate care                        
Intermediate care services are provided to patients after leaving hospital or when they are at risk of being sent to hospital. It helps people stay as independent as possible. These services can be provided in different places like your home or a residential home.

Investor in People (IIP)                
An award that shows we are committed to supporting our staff in their personal development.

Learning disabilities                     
If someone has a learning disability, it means that they may find it more difficult to learn, understand and communicate. Learning disabilities are not a "mental illness", but can be caused by illness or problems that occur before or during birth, or that develop during childhood or as the result of an illness.

Learning Disability Partnerships (LDPs)                 
Responsible for commissioning and providing health and social care services for all adults with a learning disability. The LDP Boards in Peterborough and Cambridgeshire were set up in 2001. They bring together a range of people, including people with a learning disability and their family carers. They help us to meet the goals set out in the White Paper 'Valuing People'. This looks at how best to support people with Learning Disability.

Local Involvement Networks (LINks)       
The aim of LINks is to give people an opportunity to communicate their views about how their health and social care services are delivered. LINks are created and run by local people to monitor local services.    

Local Strategic Partnerships                     
A group of people from the public, voluntary, private, business and community sectors. They work together to improve the economic, social and environmental wellbeing of the local community.

Looked After Children (LAC)       
Looked After Children are provided with somewhere to live by social services for more than 24 hours, as a result of a court order, or after agreement with their parents. Children become 'looked after' when their birth parents are unable to provide ongoing, temporary or permanent, care.    

MAPPA               
Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements or MAPPA is the process through which the police, probation and prison services work together with other agencies to assess and manage violent and sexual offenders in order to protect the public from harm.

Medium-Secure Unit     
Medium-Secure Units, also known as MSUs, provide hospital care for people with complex mental health problems who may have become involved in the criminal justice system. 

Mental disorder                           
Mental disorders are conditions that affect your thinking, feeling, mood, and behaviour. They may be occasional or long-lasting. They can affect your ability to relate to others and function each day.

Mental health                 
An individual’s ability to manage and cope with the stresses and challenges of life, feeling safe and a sense of connection with people, communities and the wider environment.

Mental Health Act 1983              
The Mental Health Act (1983) is the main piece of legislation that covers the assessment, treatment and rights of people with a mental health disorder

Mental Health Act Committee                 
A group of people who make sure that CPFT follows the policies and procedures in the Mental Health Act (1983)

Mental health organisations                    
Health and social care organisations that offer specialist mental health care.

Mental Health Minimum Data Set                         
The Mental Health Minimum Data Set (MHMDS) contains record-level data about the care of adults and older people using secondary mental health services (services where you need a referral from your GP)

Modern Matron                           
A Modern Matron is a skilled, clinically experienced nurse who is empowered to bring about improvements to the patient experience in hospitals. The Modern Matron role provides nursing and leadership to a ward, or small group of wards, and will build on the strengths and good practice within inpatient nursing care. Modern Matrons will be visible, accessible, and focused on improving the experiences of those using services.

Morbidity          
Illness or disability         

Monitor             
The independent regulator of NHS Foundation Trusts.   

MRSA   
Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus Aureus - a type of bacterial infection that is resistant to a number of widely used antibiotics. 

Multi-disciplinary team 
A team of health and social care staff. It includes professionals such as nurses, doctors, social workers, psychologists and benefits workers. It can also include service users and non-professionals in certain jobs. 

Named nurse   
The nurse with special responsibility for you when you are in hospital. He/she will work closely with you and your consultant to design your care plan and review its progress. Also known as a primary nurse.      

Neighbourhood Team   
Neighbourhood teams (NTs) are the physical and mental health care hub of the local community for over 65-year-olds and adults requiring community services. They work closely with GPs, primary care, social care and the third and independent sector to provide joined-up responsive, expert care and treatment. Teams include integrated support workers, district nurses, mental health nurses, community matrons, occupational therapists, physiotherapists, and administrative staff.          

Never event      
Never events are serious, largely preventable patient safety incidents that should not occur if the available preventative measures have been implemented.   

NHS Trusts        
Provide most NHS services, through annual agreements with Primary Care Trusts. 

National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
NICE is responsible for promoting clinical excellence and cost-effectiveness and producing and issuing clinical guidelines to ensure that every NHS patient gets fair access to quality treatment.      

NMC                   
The Nursing and Midwifery Council. A group of people that maintains a register of nurses, midwives and health visitors.

National Service Frameworks (NSFs)                     
NSFs bring together the best clinical and cost-effective evidence to decide the best ways of providing particular services. They set national standards and define the way services operate for a specific service or care group.

NVQ                   
The NVQ is a work-based qualification which recognises the skills and knowledge a person needs to do a job.

Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD)                 
Obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) is a long-term mental health condition that is usually associated with both obsessive thoughts and compulsive behaviour. Obsessions are unwelcome thoughts, images, urges, worries or doubts that repeatedly appear in your mind. Compulsions are repetitive activities that you do to reduce the anxiety caused by the obsession.

Occupational Therapist (OT)      
The person who will work with you to develop your skills and confidence in everyday life - including work, social and leisure activities and personal care.    

Overview and Scrutiny of the Health Service Committee
This local authority council covers the review and scrutiny of any matter relating to the planning, provision and operation of the health services in Cambridgeshire.            

Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)                           
The Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) provides service users, their carers and families with help, information and support to resolve concerns quickly and efficiently. Every NHS organisation will have a PALS to support patients and the public.

Patient Environment Action Teams (PEAT)                         
These teams assess and improve cleanliness, safety, privacy and dignity of inpatient care areas within NHS services. All Trusts are assessed and scored by these teams every year.

Payment by Results (PbR)                         
Payment by Results (PbR) provides a transparent, rules-based system for paying trusts. It will reward efficiency, support patient choice and diversity and encourage activity for sustainable waiting time reductions.

Personality disorder                    
Our 'personality' is the collection of ways that we think, feel and behave that makes us all individuals. If you have significant difficulties in how you relate to yourself and others, and have problems coping day to day, you may have a personality disorder.

PDCS                  
The Personality Disorder Community Service is made up of people who support those who have a personality disorder to manage their condition in the community rather than in a hospital setting.

Pharmacist        
Someone who has expert knowledge of the use of medicines. They work closely with doctors and nurses and advise them on the safe and effective use of drugs. They are responsible for supplying medication and making sure it is available in the right form.       

Phobia 
A phobia is an extreme or irrational fear, for example a fear of heights or animals. Phobias are estimated to affect 1 in 40 adults a year.    

PI          
Performance indicator. 

Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder               
If you have experienced a traumatic event, you may develop post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) after the incident. Although such events can be very difficult to come to terms with, confronting your feelings and seeking professional help is an important way of effectively treating PTSD.

Post-natal depression   
The birth of a baby is an emotional experience and, for many new mothers, feeling tearful and depressed is also common. However, sometimes longer periods of depression, known as postnatal depression (PND), can occur during the first few weeks and months of the baby's life. PND can have a variety of physical and emotional symptoms, but it can be treated.          

Primary care     
Primary care services provide the first point of contact in the healthcare system, acting as the ‘front door’ of the NHS. Primary care includes general practice, community pharmacy, dental, and optometry (eye health) services.            

Private Finance Initiative (PFI)   
A government-led programme to enable the private sector to become involved in the provision of facilities which will then be run by the NHS  

Providers
Hospital trusts, GPs, voluntary organisations and sometimes private institutions that provide the health according to contract with the Strategic Health Authority or Primary Care Trust  

Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU)                   
A ward to look after those who are at particular risk to themselves or others because of their mental health. These Wards have more intensive support.

Psychiatrist       
A medical doctor with specialist experience and qualifications in mental illness and emotional disorders. He or she has overall responsibility for your care. This includes any medication you may take, and any activities you may be involved in whilst in hospital, or in the community. 

Psychologist                    
Someone who is trained in helping people with emotional or psychological problems. Psychologists can offer you therapy which involves talking about your difficulties and working together to overcome them. They are different from psychiatrists in that they are not medically trained and do not prescribe medication.

Psychological therapies
Talking therapies, including psychotherapy, counselling, family therapy and cognitive-behaviour therapy.    

Psychosis                         
Disorders which mean the person can experience distorted reality. For example they may see or hear things others don't.

Psychotherapist
Someone who has trained to carry out one or more of the psychotherapies. They can be from any professional background - or none. They should be registered with a professional psychotherapy organisation in the UK.      

Psychotropic drugs        
Medication used in the treatment of mental disorder.   

R&D     
Research and Development       

Referral             
When a person is recommended to see another service. For example your GP may refer you to see a specialist in mental health like a Psychiatrist.

Regional Secure Units (RSUs)     
Medium-secure units for people who are thought to pose special risks, particularly violence to others.  

Risk management          
Risk management places special emphasis on identifying circumstances which put users, carers and staff at risk of harm and then acting to prevent or control those risks. This helps us to improve the quality of care we provide.             

Root Cause Analysis (RCA)          
Systematic process to analyse the causes of incidents, learn from them and where possible reduce the risk of recurrence.    

RTT       
Referral to treatment. Time taken for a patient to be referred to an appropriate CPFT service.           

Schizophrenia                 
Schizophrenia is a mental health condition that causes a range of different psychological symptoms including hallucinations (hearing or seeing things that do not exist) and delusions (believing in things that are untrue).  It can also lead to disorganised thinking and speech.

Schedule 5                       
Schedule 5 of the Coroners and Justice Act 2009 gives the coroner power to compel the production of documents or other evidence by giving written notice.

Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD)           
Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD) is a type of depression that has a seasonal pattern. It is characterised by recurrent episodes of depression at the same time each year.           

Secondary care
Health care provided in hospital setting.

Self-harm                        
Self harm is when you hurt yourself as a way of dealing with very difficult feelings, painful memories or overwhelming situations and experiences.

Serious incident (SI)                     
An incident that occurred in relation to NHS-funded services resulting in one of the following: unexpected or avoidable death of one or more patients, staff, visitors or members of the public; serious harm to one or more patients, staff, visitors or members of the public; a scenario that prevents or threatens to prevent the Trust's ability to continue to deliver healthcare services; allegations of abuse; adverse media coverage or public concern about the Trust or the wider NHS.

Service user/s  
People who need health and social care for their mental health problems. They may live in their own home, stay in care, or be cared for in hospital.             

Seven-day follow up                    
Follow up (by phone or face-to-face) within seven days of discharge from psychiatric inpatient care to help reduce the patient experiencing difficulties once they are in the community again.

SITREP 
Situation Report compiled to describe the detail surrounding a situation, event, or incident.         

Social Anxiety Disorder 
Social Anxiety Disorder (also known as social phobia). If you have a social phobia, the thought of being seen in public or appearing at social events can make you feel very anxious and frightened. 

Social care         
Personal care for vulnerable people, including people with special needs which stem from their age, physical or mental disability and children who need care and protection.          

Social care package                      
A combination of services put together to meet a person's needs as part of a care plan.

Social worker   
A professional who can help you with practical aspects of life, and who will often also have had training in psychological help. They work closely together with other organisations that are also able to provide you with help.    

Speech and language therapy                  
Speech and language therapy provides treatment, support and care for children and adults who have difficulties with communication, or with eating, drinking and swallowing. Speech and language therapists (SLTs) work with parents, carers and other professionals, such as teachers, nurses, occupational therapists and doctors.

Spend agency                 
A group who monitor and/or control spending.

Stakeholder                    
Someone involved in or interested in an organisation or service.

Supervised discharge                   
When a healthcare professional supports you in the community after you have been discharged from Hospital. They may take you to appointments and help you access your treatments.

Support Time Recovery (STR) workers                  
Staff within community teams who have dedicated time to support patients to access resources in the community and promote their independence.

Sustainability and Transformation Partnerships (STP)     
STPs are partnerships between the NHS and local councils in 44 areas covering all of England to improve health and care. Each area has developed proposals built around the needs of the whole population in the area, not just those of individual organisations. You can view the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough STP here.     

Talking therapy / treatment       
A general term for treatments which involve talking in individual or group sessions with a trained mental health professional.        

Teaching Trust                
This means the Trust has a focus on teaching. This usually means teaching to those who are training to become qualified healthcare professionals. The Trust receives extra funding to support the teaching of psychological medicine to doctors from the Cambridge University School.

Tertiary care     
Specialist care, usually for less common illnesses.            

Transfer            
Internal referral - transfer of a patient from one CPFT service to another CPFT service.    

‘Two ticks’         
An award recognising employers’ innovative work on disability and implementing the Disability Discrimination Act 1995.      

Voluntary Sector            
See Independent Sector above 

Ward manager 
The senior nurse in charge of running a hospital ward.   

Wait     
Waiting times for a service to be provided or allocated.          

White Paper     
Government document which outlines the way policy and services will operate in the future.   

WTE     
Whole-time equivalent - measure of NHS staff resourcing or allocation