Website of the Department of Health

B

Balanced scorecard

A system to assess an organisation’s performance, to judge overall progress, achievement and goals.

BCG (Bacille Calmette Guérin)

Vaccination against Tuberculosis (TB).

Benchmarking

Process that helps practitioners to take a structured approach to share, compare, identify and develop the best practice.

Better Regulation

A government body responsible for ensuring regulation is necessary, the cost of administering regulation is reduced, and that inspection and enforcement regimes are rationalised in both the private and public sector.

Better Regulation Task Force (BRTF)

Independent body that advises government on actions to take to ensure that regulation and its enforcement comply with the five principles of good regulation.

Bird flu

See Avian flu.

BMA (British Medical Association)

Professional association that represents UK doctors and acts as an independent trade union, scientific and educational body, and publisher. 

Booked admissions

System that will give all patients a choice of a convenient appointment or admission date within a guaranteed maximum waiting time.

British Medical Association

See BMA.

BSE (Bovine Spongiform Encephalopathy)

Disease found in cattle related to the fatal human brain disease CJD.

C

Caldicott Guardians

Senior staff in the NHS and social services appointed to protect patient information.

Caldicott Report

Report that identified weaknesses in how areas of the NHS handled confidential patient data. 

Care home

A residential home that provides accommodation with nursing and personal care.

Care package

Following an assessment, a care package is agreed to enable a patient to receive care appropriate to their needs. Where necessary this covers both NHS and social care.

Care plans

Written agreements setting out how care will be provided within the resources available for people with complex needs.

Care pathway

A pre-determined plan of care for patients with a specific condition.

Care programme approach (CPA)

The process mental health service providers use to coordinate care for mental health patients.

Care services

Services that ensure the well being of the most vulnerable people in society.

Care trusts

Organisations working in both health and social care offering either social care, mental health services or primary care services.

Care worker

Paid workers that support people with everyday tasks who may be elderly, ill, have physical or learning disabilities, or emotional or social problems.

Carer

Person who provides a substantial amount of care on a regular basis, and is not employed to do so by an agency or organisation. Carers are usually friends or relatives looking after someone at home who is elderly, ill or disabled.

C.difficile

See Clostridium difficile

CDO

See Chief Dental Officer (CDO)

CFS

See Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS).

Charging for residential accommodation guide

See CRAG.

CHD (Coronary heart disease)

Preventable disease of the heart that is still the biggest killer of people in the UK. 

Chief Dental Officer (CDO)

The CDO provides professional leadership for dental advisors in the Department.

Chief Executive

Appointed heads of bodies such as Executive Agencies (eg, the MHRA), NHS bodies and local authorities. The NHS Chief Executive heads the NHS leadership team and is employed by the Department of Health.

Chief Health Professions Officer (CHPO)

The Government’s most senior allied health professions advisor.

Chief Medical Officer (CMO)

The Government's principal medical adviser and the professional head of all medical staff in England.

Chief Nursing Officer (CNO)

Responsible for delivering the Government's strategy for nursing, and leading all of England's nurses, midwives, health visitors, and allied health professionals.

Chief Pharmaceutical Officer (CPO)

The professional lead within DH on the carrying out of the Government’s Pharmacy in the Future programme.

Chief Professional Officers

Leading figures in an area of health and social care that provide the Department with expert knowledge about their disciplines.

Chief Scientific Officer (CSO)

Responsible for building the capacity and development of the healthcare science workforce.

Children’s centres

Local facilities designed to help families with young children.

Children’s trusts

Trusts that identify what needs to be improved in a local area for children and young people, and then plan services around those needs.

Choice

System that gives patients more choice about where and when they receive surgery and other NHS services.

Choose and Book

System that allows patients to make their first outpatient appointment, at a time, date and place that suits them.

Choosing Health

2004 White Paper that set out how the Government will support the public to make more informed choices about their health.

Chronic

Term used to describe a disease, condition or health problem which persists over a long period of time. The illness may recur frequently and in some cases may lead to partial or permanent disabilities. Examples include arthritis, diabetes and hypertension.

CHPO

See Chief Health Professions Officer (CHPO).

Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)

Condition with symptoms of long term tiredness that do not go away with sleep or rest.

Circulars

Communication tool used by the Department to explain aspects of health and social care policy and regulation more fully to health and social care professionals.

CJD (Creutzfeld Jakob Disease)

A rapidly progressing disease of the nervous system, which destroys brain tissue.

Clinical governance

The system through which NHS organisations are accountable for continuously improving the quality of their services and safeguarding high standards of care.

Clinical network

Health professionals from different NHS organisations working together across institutional and local boundaries to provide care for a particular disease or patient group.

Clostridium difficile (C.difficile)

A healthcare associated intestinal infection that mostly affects elderly patients with other underlying diseases.

CMO

See Chief Medical Officer (CMO)

CNO

See Chief Nursing Officer (CNO)

Command papers

Papers of interest to Parliament such as White Papers, consultation documents and certain departmental reports or reviews.

Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI)

See CSCI.

Commissioning

The processes local authorities and primary care trusts (PCTs) undertake to make sure that services funded by them meet the needs of the patient.

Communicable diseases

Illnesses that can be transmitted from one infected person or animal to another.

Community care

Care provided by social services departments and the NHS to assist people in their day to day living.

Community equipment

The range of equipment used for home nursing such as pressure relief mattresses and commodes, and equipment for daily living that is usually provided by local authorities such as shower chairs and raised toilet seats.

Community health services

Local services provided outside a hospital. Many community staff are attached to GP practices and to health centres.

Community hospitals

Local hospitals serving populations of less than 100,000 that provide a range of clinical services.

Community matrons

Case managers with advanced clinical skills and expertise in dealing with patients with complex long term conditions and high intensity needs.

Community strategies

Local authority plans that promote the economic, environmental and social well-being of local areas.

Confidentiality

The legal and ethical obligations that prevent the disclosure of patient information to third parties.

Configuring hospitals

Department of Health project that reconfigured acute hospitals to bring secondary care closer to patients' homes.

Consent

Patients have to give their permission to a doctor or health professional before they examine or treat them.

Consultations

Consultations are an opportunity for stakeholders and the wider public to contribute to government policies.

Continuing care

The criteria for assessing long term care eligibility.

Contracting out

The practice of organisations purchasing services from the private sector, charities or other bodies rather than providing the services themselves.

Coronary heart disease (CHD)

See CHD.

CPA

See Care programme approach.

CPO

See Chief Pharmaceutical Officer (CPO).

CRAG (Charging for residential accommodation guide)

Guidance for local authorities on charging for residential accommodation.

Creutzfeld Jakob Disease (CJD)

See CJD (Creutzfeld Jakob Disease).

Crisis resolution teams

Teams providing intensive support for people with severe mental illness to help them through periods of crisis and breakdown.

Critical Care

An integrated service for critically ill patients when they are in the health system.

CSCI (Commission for Social Care Inspection)

The single, independent inspectorate for social care services in England.

CSO

See Chief Scientific Officer (CSO).