Website of the Department of Health

 The system of pay put in place in 2004 for most NHS-employed staff. Pay is linked to job content, and the skills and knowledge staff apply to perform jobs. The system is underpinned by a job evaluation scheme

This is one type of contract Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) of Medical Services can have with primary care providers. This contract is (APMS) contracts particularly designed to bring in new types of provision, such as social enterprise and the voluntary sector. See also General Medical Services (GMS) and Personal Medical Services (PMS) contracts

 An independent body responsible for ensuring that public money is spent economically, efficiently and effectively in the areas of local government, housing, health, criminal justice and fire and rescue services

A government body with responsibility for taking forward Executive the Government's commitments to ensure regulation is necessary, the cost of administering regulation is reduced and inspection and enforcement regimes are rationalised in both the private and public sector

Specific mental health services for children and young mental health people services (CAMHS)

Children's Centres are local facilities designed to help families with young children by providing access to a range of key services under one roof such as health, social care and parenting support

 Children's Trusts are organisational arrangements which bring together strategic planners from relevant sectors to identify where children and young people need outcomes to be improved in a local area and to plan services accordingly

 Currently being introduced throughout England, Choose and Book is an NHS initiative that allows people to make their first outpatient appointment, after discussion with their GP, at a time, date and place that suits them

 The Choose and Book menu is the list of services available to be chosen by a patient following a search by a GP for a particular specialty or clinic

 A White Paper published on 16 November 2004 which set out proposals for supporting the public to make healthier and more informed choices in regard to their health

 The final stage in the Your health, your care, your say listening exercise which involved almost 1,000 people from across the country and from all walks of life discussing and agreeing priorities for community health and care services. They deliberated policy options and prioritised them, including options raised spontaneously by people in four previous regional events. See also Your health, your care, your say

 The single independent inspectorate for all social care  services in England

The full set of activities that local authorities and Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) undertake to make sure that services funded by them, on behalf of the public, are used to meet the needs of the individual fairly, efficiently and effectively

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

 Local hospitals serving relatively small populations (less than 100,000), providing a range of clinical services but not equipped to handle emergency admissions on a 24/7 basis

 Community matrons are case managers with advanced level clinical skills and expertise in dealing with patients with complex long-term conditions and high intensity needs. This is a clinical role with responsibility for planning, managing, delivering and co-ordinating care for patients with highly complex needs living in their own homes and communities

 Plans that promote the economic, environmental and social well-being of local areas by local authorities as required by the Local  Government Act 2000

The means by which professionals demonstrate to their  professional body that they are updating and maintaining their skills

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

 A website (www.directgov.uk) that provides a first stop for a wide range of information on national and local government and associated services, including education and learning, travel and transport and health and well-being

 A statutory post in local government with responsibility  for securing provision of social services to adults within the area

 A chief officer post in the NHS responsible for public  health, Directors of Public Health (DPHs) monitor the health status of the community, identify health needs, develop programmes to reduce risk and screen for early disease, control communicable disease and promote health

 Grants issued by councils towards meeting the cost of  providing adaptations and facilities (such as bath grab rails) to enable disabled people to continue to remain independent in their own homes

 A hospital which provides a range of clinical services  sufficient to meet the needs of a defined population of about 150,000 or more for hospital care but not necessarily including highly specialised services

 Schools that provide a range of services and activities, often at times outside the normal school day, to help meet the needs of children, their families and the wider community. The Government wants all children to be able to access a core set of extended school services by 2010

 A contract listing a range of suppliers who have demonstrated that they are able to supply specified goods or services. Once in place, the contract enables organisations to call upon one or more of the suppliers to supply the goods or services as they are required

This is one type of contract Primary Care Trusts (PCTs)  can have with primary care providers. It is a nationally negotiated contract that sets out the core range of services provided by family doctors (GPs) and their staff. See also Alternative Provider of Medical Services (APMS) contracts and Personal Medical Services (PMS) contracts

 The social care workforce regulator. It registers social  care workers and regulates their conduct, education and training

An independent review of public sector efficiency commissioned by HM Treasury and conducted by Sir Peter Gershon. The report, Releasing resources to the front line, was published in July 2004 and was incorporated into the 2004 Spending Review. To support implementation, the Department of Health established the Care Services Efficiency Delivery programme

General Practitioners with Special Interests (GPwSI) supplement their generalist role by delivering a clinical service beyond the normal scope of general practice. They may undertake advanced procedures or develop specific services. They do not offer a full consultant service. See also Practitioners with Special Interests (PwSI)

 A preliminary discussion or consultation document often issued by the government in advance of the formulation of policy

 NHS-accredited staff who will help people in their community to make changes in their lifestyle in the interests of their health and well-being

The independent inspectorate in England and Wales that promotes improvement in the quality of the NHS and independent health care

 A secure place on the internet (www.healthspace.nhs.uk) where people can store personal health information such as the medication they take and details of height and weight

 A programme overseen by the Department of Health and  the Department for Education and Skills, which encourages schools to contribute to the improvement of children's health and well-being. To become a Healthy School, schools must meet certain criteria in four core areas: personal, social and health education (PSHE), healthy eating, physical activity and emotional health and well-being

Independence, Well-being and Choice Our Vision for the Future of Social Care for Adults in England is a Green Paper setting out the Government's proposals for the future direction of social care for adults of all ages in England

 An umbrella term for all non-NHS bodies delivering health care, including a wide range of private companies and voluntary organisations

 Individual budgets bring together a variety of income streams from different agencies to provide a sum for an individual, who has control over the way it is spent to meet his or her care needs

An NHS programme that integrates the planning and delivery of benefits from the investment in workforce reform, Connecting for Health and best practice from the Modernisation Agency and NHS Institute. The programme aims to drive delivery of efficiency through effective commissioning and integrated planning. The programme supports the delivery of savings as set out in Sir Peter Gershon's report on public service efficiencies to the Chancellor. See also Gershon Review

Local authorities are democratically elected local bodies with responsibility for discharging a range of functions as set out in local government legislation

 A plan that every Primary Care Trust (PCT) prepares and agrees with its Strategic Health Authority (SHA) on how to invest its funds to meet its local and national targets, and improve services. It allows PCTs to plan and budget for delivery of services over a three-year period

 LSPs bring together representatives of all the different  sectors (public, private, voluntary and community) and thematic partnerships. They have responsibility for developing and delivering the Sustainable Community strategy and Local Area Agreement

 Those conditions (for example, diabetes, asthma and arthritis) that cannot, at present, be cured but whose progress can be managed and influenced by medication and other therapies

An independent inquiry by Sir Michael Lyons which is examining the future role and function of local government before making recommendations on funding reforms to inform the 2007 Comprehensive Spending Review

The Minimum Practice Income Guarantee (MPIG) was introduced as part of the new General Medical Services  contract (introduced from April 2004) to provide income protection to general practices moving from the previous contract to the new, to prevent a reduction in income. It applies to those practices which hold General Medical Services contracts. See General Medical Services (GMS)

National Minimum Standards (NMS) are standards set  by the Department of Health for a range of services, including care homes, domiciliary care agencies and adult placement schemes. The Commission for Social Care Inspection (CSCI) must consider the NMS in assessing social care providers' compliance with statutory regulations

 Department of Health guidance that defines evidence-  based standards and good practice in a clinical area or for a patient group. Examples include mental health, coronary heart disease and older people

 An agency of the Department of Health that delivers  new, integrated IT systems and services to help modernise the NHS and ensure care is centred around the patient

 NHS Direct provides 24-hour access to health information and clinical advice, via telephone (0845 46 47 in England), as well as a website (NHS Direct Online www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk) and an interactive digital TV service (NHS Direct Interactive). A printed NHS Direct Healthcare Guide is also available

The NHS Care Records Service (NHS CRS) is being developed to provide a secure, live, interactive NHS Care Record for every patient in England, which will be accessible to all health and care professionals, whichever NHS organisation they work in

 The employers' organisation for the NHS in England, giving employers throughout the NHS an independent voice on workforce and employment matters

 NHS hospitals that are run as independent, public  benefit corporations, controlled and run locally. Foundation Trusts have increased freedoms regarding their options for capital funding to invest in delivery of new services

 A Government plan, published in June 2004, that sets objectives for the NHS and related agencies

 A Government plan for the NHS, published in July 2000, that set out a 10-year programme of investment and reform for the NHS

 NHS Walk-in Centres are centres staffed by nurses that offer fast and convenient access to treatment and information without needing an appointment

 A defined health and care need that continues over time, although the intensity of care and support needed will fluctuate

Cross-government strategy, published by the Department for Work and Pensions on 24 March 2005. The strategy aims to improve older people's access to public services, and make it possible for them to exercise more choice, and promote independence, enabling more older people to remain in their own homes

An international organisation with a core membership  of 30 countries which promotes democratic government  and the market economy. It is best known for its  publications on economic issues and its statistics

 A committee made up of local government councillors that offers a view on local NHS and social care matters

 A scheme that sets fixed prices (a tariff) for clinical (PBR) procedures and activity in the NHS whereby all trusts are paid the same for equivalent work. See also Tariff and Tariff unbundling

This is one type of contract Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) can have with primary care providers. This contract is  locally negotiated with practices. See also General Medical Services (GMS) and Alternative Provider of Medical Services (APMS) contracts

PBC gives GPs direct responsibility for managing the  funds that the Primary Care Trust (PCT) has to pay for hospital and other care for the GP practice population

The term covering all primary care professionals working  with an extended range of practice. A PwSI will specialise in a particular type of care in addition to their normal role, eg a PwSI in dermatology would see patients with more complex skin ailments. See also GPwSI

The collective term for all services which are people's first point of contact with the NHS

Free-standing statutory NHS bodies with responsibility  for delivering health care and health improvements to their local areas. They commission or directly provide a range of community health services as part of their functions

 An agreement between each government department  and HM Treasury which specifies how public funds will be used to ensure value for money

 Secondary prevention aims to limit the progression and effect of a disease at as early a stage as possible. It includes further primary prevention

Single assessment An overarching assessment of older people's care needs process (SAP) to which the different agencies providing care contribute

 Skills for Care is responsible for the strategic development of the adult social care workforce in England. It supports employers in improving standards of care through training and development, workforce planning and workforce intelligence. Alongside the new Children's Workforce Development Council, it is the English component of Skills for Care and Development, the UK-wide Sector Skills Council (SSC) for social care, children and young people

 Skills for Health is the Sector Skills Council (SSC) for the health sector in the UK, covering all roles and functions within the NHS and independent sectors. It helps the sector develop solutions that deliver a skilled and flexible workforce to improve health and health care

The Social Care Institute for Excellence (SCIE) is an  independent registered charity established in 2001 to develop and promote knowledge about good practice in social care

Businesses involved in social enterprise have primarily social objectives. Their surpluses are reinvested principally in the business or community

Social exclusion occurs when people or areas suffer from a combination of linked problems including unemployment, poor skills, low incomes, poor housing, high-crime environments, bad health and family breakdown. It involves exclusion from essential services or aspects of everyday life that most others take for granted

Part of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister, the  Social Exclusion Unit (SEU) provides advice and produces reports with recommendations on tackling specific social exclusion issues

The 88 Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) (70 local authorities)  in the areas with the worst health and deprivation in England

Part of intermediate care facilities that are outside acute hospitals, enabling people who strongly value their independence to leave acute hospital and get ready to return home

Part of intermediate care facilities that are outside acute hospitals, enabling people who strongly value their independence to receive more support than is available at home

The local headquarters of the NHS, responsible for ensuring that national priorities are integrated into local plans and for ensuring that Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) are performing well. They are the link between the Department of Health and the NHS

 A grant programme providing local housing-related programme support to services to help vulnerable people move into or stay independently in their homes

Sure Start is a government programme to achieve better outcomes for children and parents through increased availability to childcare, improved health and emotional development for young people, and better parental support

Current tariffs include several stages of a procedure, for example the follow-up outpatient appointments after an operation as well as the operation itself. Unbundling breaks the tariff down to cover these constituent parts

A combination of equipment, monitoring and response that can help individuals to remain independent at home. It can include basic community alarm services able to respond in an emergency and provide regular contact by telephone as well as detectors which detect factors such as falls, fire or gas and trigger a warning to a response centre. Telecare can work in a preventative or monitoring mode, for example, through monitoring signs, which can provide early warning of deterioration, prompting a response from family or professionals. Telecare can also provide safety and security by protecting against bogus callers and burglary

Includes the full range of non-public, non-private organisations which are non-governmental and 'valuedriven'; that is, motivated by the desire to further social, environmental or cultural objectives rather than to make a profit

 An 'umbrella term' referring to registered charities  as well as  non-charitable non-profit organisations, associations, self-help groups and community groups, for public or community benefit

Documents produced by the government setting out details of future policy on a particular subject

The listening exercise with the public about what their  priorities are for future health and social care services. It comprised four regional events, a range of local events and other activities including questionnaires. The process culminated in a national Citizens' Summit. The events were deliberative, with a Citizens' guide given to participants beforehand to introduce the key issues