Glossary of NHS Terms

APPROACH - Agreed Pathways and Programmes for Accessing Care in Health

C.H.C. - Community Health Council. The "patient watchdog" body whose role includes assisting patients with complaints and visiting NHS premises.

CONTRACTING /COMMISSIONING - Purchasers negotiate contracts with providers for the provision of health care for the coming year.

E.C.R. - Extra Contractual Referral. Referral of a patient for secondary care by a GP to a provider unit which has not formally negotiated a contract with the health authority of the patients residence.

GP FUNDHOLDER - a GP practice which has elected to hold its own funds for negotiating contracts and purchasing a range of health care services for its patients.

HAZ - Health Action Zone. A new initiative to bring together organisations within and beyond the NHS to develop and implement a locally agreed strategy for improving the health of local people.

J.C.C. - Joint Consultative Committee (Health & Social Services). A statutory committee whose membership consists of members of the health authority, local authority and voluntary organisations. The Committee has a certain amount of joint funding available to it which supports joint projects in a health/social context.

J.C.P.T. - Joint Care Planning Team. An officer group of health and local authority officers which reports to the J.C.C.

M.A.A.G. - the Medical Audit Advisory Group. A statutory group, chaired by a GP, which manages a small staff unit who organise the audit of clinical practice in the district.

MULTI-AGENCY GROUP - a group or committee whose membership consists of representatives from different agencies - e.g. health authority, NHS Trust, Local Authority, voluntary organisations.

MULTI-DISCIPLINARY GROUP - a group or committee whose membership consists of representatives of different disciplines - e.g. doctors, nurses, physiotherapists, social workers.

PRIMARY CARE - health care provided by GPs, Dentists, Pharmacists and Opticians.

PRIMARY CARE 2000 - the title given to the Total Purchasing group established in the Dearne Valley area.

PCGs - Primary Care Groups. Replaces GP fundholding. They bring together GPs, community nurses and social services across a number of practices in each locality. They will contribute to the local Health Improvement Programme and have a budget reflecting their population’s share of the available resources.

PROVIDER - an NHS Trust (hospital, community unit or ambulance service) or independent health care organisation from which health care is purchased.

PURCHASER - a Health Authority, GP Fundholder or Total Purchasing Group responsible for assessing the needs of their local populations or patients and for purchasing the best possible care for them.

SECONDARY CARE - health care provided by hospitals and community services.

TARGET - Time for Audit, Review, Guidelines, Education and Training. Allows GPs to attend dedicated training events as an integral part of their working week. The aim is to keep health care professionals up to date with new research and techniques and to ensure that patients benefit from all the latest medical developments.

TOTAL PURCHASING GROUP - a group of GP practices who have joined together to hold a fund to negotiate contracts and purchase all the health care for their patients.

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