This page provides an archive list of terms and abbreviations that will help you understand the information on this website. If you would like up to date information please go to www.sath.nhs.uk/future
Terms used in this website
Looking to the Future: Following the Keeping It In The County consultation, this is the name given to the current phase of the configuration of local hospital services project which will see us working with staff, patients and the public to shape the future of local hospital services over the next three years.
Keeping It In The County: This is the name given to consultation process which took place from December 2010 to March 2011 on the future shape of hospital services in Shrewsbury and Telford.
Developing Health and Health Care: This is the name of an earlier development process between 2008 and 2010 to develop a strategy for health and health care for Shropshire, Telford and Wrekin. The current work has built on the learning from Developing Health and Health Care (DH&HC).
Other NHS terms and abbreviations
Some of the main terms we use include:
Acute care: Acute care is normally administered in a hospital, for the treatment of a serious injury or illness. Medical conditions requiring acute care are typically characterised by rapid onset, severe symptoms and brief duration.
Commissioning: In the NHS this term is used to describe the continuous cycle of health needs assessment, planning, service specification, contract negotiation, target setting, monitoring and evaluation that takes place in the health service. The commissioning process is led by Primary Care Trusts (England) and Local Health Boards (Wales).
European Working Time Directive (EWTD):The EWTD is a directive from the Council of Europe (93/104/EC) to protect the health and safety of workers in the European Union. It lays down minimum requirements in relation to working hours, rest periods, annual leave and working arrangements for night workers.
Executive Director: Executive directors are salaried officers of the Trust and are responsible for the day-to-day running of the organisation. They include the Chief Executive and Finance Director. They are appointed by the Chairman and Non-Executive Directors and sit on the Board of Directors.
Governance: This refers to the “rules” that govern the internal conduct of an organisation by defining the roles and responsibilities of groups (e.g. Board of Directors) and individuals (e.g. Chairman, Chief Executive Officer, Finance Director) and the relationships between them.
Local Health Board (LHB): These are local NHS organisations. Every part of Wales is covered by one Local Health Board responsible for commissioning all NHS services in the area on behalf of local people – including local GP and other primary care services. Some LHBs are also responsible for directly providing some local services, such as community health services. See also Primary Care Trust.
Local health economy: This term refers to the different parts of the NHS working together within a geographical area. It includes GP practices and other primary care contractors (e.g. pharmacies, optometrists, dentists), mental health and learning disabilities services, hospital services, ambulance services, primary care trusts (England) and local health boards (Wales).
It also includes the other partners who contribute to the health and well-being of local people – including local authorities, community and voluntary organisations and independent sectors bodies involving in commissioning, developing or providing health services.
Non-Executive Director: Non-executive directors are lay people appointed to sit on the Board of PCTs, NHS Trusts and NHS Foundation Trusts. Non-executive directors of NHS Trusts are appointed by the independent NHS Appointments Commission. Non-executive directors of NHS Foundation Trusts are appointed by the Council of Governors.
Payment by Results: This term refers to the flow of money in the NHS in England. In the past, NHS Trusts agreed “block contracts” with commissioners. Under payment by results the money received by NHS Trusts directly relates to the number of operations and other activity undertaken.
Primary Care: This term is used to describe the range of services that are normally the first point of contact for patients – including GP practices, optometrists, pharmacies and dentists.
Primary Care Trust (PCT): These are local NHS organisations. Every part of England is covered by one Primary Care Trust responsible for commissioning all NHS services in the area on behalf of local people – including local GP and other primary care services. Many PCTs are also responsible for directly providing some local services, such as community health services. See also Local Health Board.
Secondary Care: The term secondary care describes the service provided by medical specialists who generally are not the first point-of-contact for patients and who patients are referred to by their GPs. Secondary care is made up of NHS, foundation, ambulance, children's and mental health trusts.
Social Care: This term refers to care services which are provided by local authorities to their residents, or which are commissioned by local authorities (for example, from community & voluntary organisations and from indepedent providers). A wide range of informal social care is also provided by individual carers and from other sources.
Strategic Health Authority (SHA): Strategic Health Authorities are the regional headquarters of the NHS in England. They manage the NHS locally on behalf of the Department of Health. They have an important strategic role to develop plans for improving health, health services and NHS organisations in their area. We are accountable to the West Midlands Strategic Health Authority (www.westmidlands.nhs.uk)