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SocietyGuardian - glossary of society Category: People and society Date & country: 14/09/2007, UK Words: 527

Market forces factor
Using an index called the market forces factor, geographical variations in the costs of providing health services are factored into the complex calculations which inform the allocation of the health service budget to NHS bodies. This effectively underpins the finances of NHS organisations in areas like London and the south east which are faced with unavoidable higher costs associated with regional pay weighting, land values, buildings and equipment.

Masterplan
A task usually completed by an architect on large sites earmarked for future development to provide a broad visual overview of proposals for an area. Masterplans, which are submitted for planning permission, typically show how proposed shops, houses, roads and parks will fit together under the new scheme. They are done before detailed designs of individual buildings are started, and give local people and other interested parties a chance to comment on the future of their area.

McFadden report
Report of the Scottish charity law review commission, chaired by Margaret McFadden. The commission was set up by the Scottish parliament in March 2000. It reported in May 2001, recommending that charities should be allowed to be more political, and should self regulate to prevent aggressive fundraising. In November, three subgroups were set up to look further at the definition of 'charity'; the role and functions of the proposed new statutory regulatory body, Charity Scotland; and the regulation of public charitable collections.

Medical negligence
A legal term (also known as clinical negligence) used to describe an error or 'a breach in the duty of care' by a clinician who has caused a medical injury to a patient - or resulted in their death - or complicated an existing medical problem. The patient, or their dependants, can sue the clinician for compensation.

Mental Health Act commission
This watchdog, consisting of more than 170 doctors, psychiatrists, social workers and lawyers, is a special health authority fully independent of mental health service providers. Its main function is to review the operation of the Mental Health Act 1983 in relation to detained patients.

Mental health review tribunal
The mental health review tribunal (MHRT) safeguards the rights of patients detained under the Mental Health Act 1983. The tribunals ensure that patients are justifiably detained on both medical and non-medical grounds, eg public safety. People admitted for assessment or treatment under section two or three, patients on a hospital order (section 37) or transferred or removed to hospital (section 47) can apply to have their case reviewed by the MHRT. The patient has the right to legal representation at the tribunal, funded by legal aid. Patients who are convicted offenders and are transferred from prison (sections 47 and 48) can also apply to the MHRT. The tribunal can recommend that the patient should be released, but in these cases the final decision rests with the Home Office. The draft mental health bill will reform the tribunal system if implemented.

Millennium village
New developments backed by the government that are supposed to set exemplary standards in design, planning and social and economic regeneration. The idea was launched in 1997 with the millennium village on the Greenwich peninsula. Others have followed in Allerton Bywater in Yorkshire, and the Cardroom estate in Manchester and the government is committed to around 10 more.

Ministerial design champions
Each government spending department has chosen a minister to promote the design and procurement of better public buildings. Under the initiative, which is being coordinated by the commission for architecture and the built environment, each minister will personally follow the construction of two building projects within their department.

Modern matron
Introduced in 2001, 35 years after the traditional role of matrons was officially abolished, the modern matron is New Labour's term for hospital ward sisters who are given extra responsibilities, including the management of ward level budgets for cleaning, catering and general ward environment.

Modernisation agency (NHS)
National body created in the NHS plan to help local clinicians and managers redesign services to make them more patient-friendly, quicker and efficient, and to secure continuous service improvements across the NHS. It also has responsibility for the NHS leadership centre, and the NHS beacon services programme.

Monitoring officer
Local government officer responsible for ensuring that his or her council's decisions are legal. Must report to their local authority if they think a decision might lead to an unlawful act or leave the council open to charges to maladministration.

Move on accommodation
Permanent accommodation to get homeless people out of hostels and other temporary homes.

Multidisciplinary team
A team or group consisting of representatives from several different professional backgrounds who all have different areas of expertise. For example, a community mental health team.

Multimodal study
A review of all modes of transport in an area, which identifies the main transport problems and proposes future solutions. A programme of such reviews which focuses mainly on road, rail and bus systems, was launched in 1999 to inform regional transport strategies.

National health performance fund
Discretionary fund worth £500m a year by 2003-04 set up to provide an incentive to NHS bodies and reward them. NHS authorities and trusts will be able to access up to £5m each from the fund to spend on new equipment, facilities and staff bonuses, depending on the organisation's annual performance and progress against agreed plans and targets.

National Housing Federation
The trade body for housing associations in England. It represents around 1,400 housing organisations, which between them own 1.7m homes.

National minimum wage
The lowest wage an employer can legally pay their staff in the UK. Set at £4.10 an hour in October 2001 for those over the age of 22, and at £3.50 for 18-22 year olds.

National service framework (NSF)
Introduced in 1998, NSFs establish a set of minimum national standards of clinical quality and access to services in a series of major care areas and disease groups (including, so far, mental health, diabetes, older people and coronary heart disease). The aim is to drive up performance and decrease geographical variations in care standards.

Need
A person's requirement for a service, which has been accepted by the organisation providing it.

Negative equity
A problem affecting homeowners in areas where property prices have fallen so much that value of their home is worth less than their mortgage.

Neighbourhood
The government's approach to regeneration attempts to target deprived areas as defined by local people rather than administrative boundaries. These 'neighbourhoods' might include a council estate or part of an inner city centred around communal facilities such as a shopping centre.

Neighbourhood manager
Appointed by local authorities and housing associations to ensure that deprived areas get their fair share of regeneration funding, and that the cash is used properly. Also have a brief to help public service providers tailor their work to the needs of deprived communities.

Neighbourhood renewal fund
A programme currently worth £525m a year to help the 88 most deprived areas in the country. It is aimed at kick-starting regeneration initiatives and helping to reduce crime and inequalities.

Neighbourhood renewal strategy
The government's master plan for regenerating deprived parts of the country. Published in 2001 with the aim of ensuring that within 10-20 years no one should be seriously disadvantaged by where they live.

Neighbourhood renewal unit (NRU)
A separate part of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister charged with implementing the Neighbourhood renewal strategy.

Neighbourhood statistics service
Provides a wide range of information on council wards, from employment data to population to deprivation ranking. Designed to provide better information for the government's ambitious regeneration plans.

Neighbourhood wardens
Civilian staff who patrol suburban areas in an attempt to control low-level crime such as vandalism. Generally employed by local authorities and housing associations.

New Deal
Scheme that aims to move the long-term unemployed into the job market through training, work placements and subsidised employment.

New Deal for Communities
Government initiative to tackle deprivation by providing intensive financial and other support to run-down parts of the country. Aimed at tackling poor job prospects, crime, educational under-achievement, poor health and poor housing and physical environment. Nearly £2bn has been committed to the scheme.

New Deal Partnership
Organisations charged with delivering the New Deal for Communities. Partnerships are made up of local communities, voluntary organisations, businesses and public services. Nearly 40 had been created by 1999, and the government has pledged almost £2bn to the scheme.

New Local Government Network
Left-of-centre thinktank that has promoted policies such as directly elected mayors, best value and partnership working between local councils and the private sector.

New localism
Buzzphrase used by all major political parties to describe their plans to devolve power to frontline public servants and local communities. Emerged as a reaction to the perceived centralism of the New Labour government. The term was first used in a 2000 pamphlet from the New Local Government Network thinktank.

New Opportunities Fund
See Big Lottery Fund.

NHS Direct
Telephone helpline and website that gives access to a 24-hour nurse advice and health information service, providing confidential information on: what to do if you or your family are feeling ill; particular health conditions; local healthcare services such as doctors, dentists or late night opening pharmacies, and self help and support organisations.

NHS plus
A network of occupational health services based in NHS hospitals. The network provides an occupational health service to NHS staff and sells services to the private sector. Services include: pre-employment screening, health checks, immunisation, drug and alcohol screening, and ergonomic advice.

NHSnet
The secure national electronic network for the NHS, enabling all parts of the service to communicate over the internet. Its services include an NHS message handling service, high speed internet access and a national email system and electronic address book.

Nimby
An acronym for 'not in my back yard' used when discussing planning issues particularly the development of new social housing. The term is used to define the opposition of residents who are against new developments that will devalue their properties.

Nomination agreement
A contract under which councils can place those in housing need into housing association homes as they become available. In areas where affordable housing is in short supply councils usually have the right to nominate all new housing association tenants.

Normalisation
A policy that enables someone with a physical or mental disability to live as full a life as possible and to have access to all public services.

North-south divide
The belief that the north of England is more deprived and therefore worthy of more public spending than the south. Often disputed by the government, which claims the situation is far more complex.

Not-for-profit
Generally used in the US to mean a voluntary sector or charity sector organisation.

Notifiable disease
Certain infectious diseases are notifiable. This means clinicians are legally required to report incidences to the public health authorities in order to prevent epidemic and contagion. A notification triggers an investigation in to how the infectious disease started and prompts action to control its spread. Notifiable diseases include cholera, typhoid, smallpox, anthrax, measles, meningitis, tuberculosis and whooping cough.

Nursing home
A residential home that has qualified nursing staff available to provide nursing care.

Objective One
Scheme that aims to reduce deprivation in the European Union's most affected areas. Partly funded by the EU, and partly by national governments, Objective One targets the highest priority areas in the union - defined as those where per capita gross domestic product is less than 75% of the EU average. Cornwall, much of Wales, South Yorkshire and Merseyside are included in the scheme's current round.

Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
Formerly the Department for Transport, Local Government and the Regions. The department no longer handles transport, but is responsible for housing, regeneration and elections.

Online giving
Donating to a charity via its website, or a generic website which handles donations for a number of charities, by entering credit card or bank details. The Charities Aid Foundation takes online donations for nearly 2,500 charities.

Out of area treatment (Oats)
One-off treatments relating to emergency or specialist episodes carried out in an NHS setting that is outside the patient's home health authority and that is not covered by existing service agreements. Often occurs when holidaymakers require urgent treatment. Each recorded Oat results in the financial allocation to the home health authority being adjusted downwards, and that of the health authority in which the treatment is carried out being adjusted upwards.

Out of town development
The practice of building new retail and leisure facilities in cheap locations outside traditional community centres. Blamed by some for running down high streets and diminishing the distinctive character of towns and cities.

Outpatient
A patient who attends hospital for treatment, consultation and advice but does not require a stay in hospital.

Outsourcing
Awarding a contract to a private, public or voluntary sector organisation to supply a service previously run by a public sector body such as a council or hospital.

Palliative care
The care of patients whose disease is no longer curable, eg cancer, HIV/Aids, and motor-neurone disease. It takes into account the physical, psychological, social and spiritual aspects of care of patients, with the aim of providing the best quality of life for them. Palliative care was developed by and is still largely provided by voluntary hospices.

Paperless direct debit
Allows charities to take 'direct debit instructions' from donors, without having to send them forms to sign - including bank account details, the frequency and amount of donation. Details can be taken by telephone, internet or face to face and requires the charity to be signed up to Automated Direct Debit Instruction Service (AUDDIS) and the material has to be approved by their bank.

Paramedic
Ambulance paramedics in the UK are highly experienced ambulance technicians who undertake at least two months' additional clinical training in lifesaving procedures, anatomy and physiology, advanced trauma management and treatment of serious medical emergencies. Paramedics learn a range of invasive skills and how to administer a wide range of drugs.

Parental responsibility
All the rights, duties, powers, responsibility and authority which by law a parent of a child has in relation to the child and his property - Children Act 1989 section 3 (1). A care order grants parental responsibility to a local authority but does not remove it from a child's parents.

Part M
The section of the building regulations aimed at ensuring homes and other properties are accessible to disabled people.

Pathway plan
Under the Children (Leaving Care) Act 2000, all looked after children should have a pathway plan set up by their 16th birthday. The plan should set out the support that the young person will receive in transition to independent life, and should cover the period up to the age of 18 or when they are living independently.

Patient forums
After the government legislated to abolish community health councils, patient forums were created as the key public representative body in trusts and primary care trusts (PCTs). Their role will be to monitor the range and effectiveness of services provided by their host organisation, to seek out patients' views, and oversee the trust's patient advice and liaison committee. They will report their findings to the trust and to other stakeholders. A member of the patient forum will have a seat on the trust executive board. PCT patient forums will have additional responsibilities to work with other local patient forums to provide an area-wide strategic view of service-user issues and promote public involvement in health matters.

Patient transport service (PTS)
The PTS transports patients with non-urgent conditions to and from a range of treatment settings including outpatients, disablement service centres, routine discharges and admissions, geriatric and psycho-geriatric day care, and non-urgent interhospital transfers. It is staffed by ambulance care assistants, who are trained in first aid, driving skills, and lifting and handling techniques.

Pay review body (PRB)
The PRBs are independent panels that take evidence annually from the Department of Health and staff unions before making a recommendation on remuneration to the secretary of state for health, who (usually) accepts - and authorises - the recommended pay rise . There are two panels: one covering doctors and dentists and one for nursing staff, midwives, health visitors and professions allied to medicine.

Payment by results
A concept adopted by ministers as a way of injecting competition and incentives into the NHS. This has led to proposed reforms of the way the health service commissions treatment. In future, hospital trusts will receive funding not for simply providing capacity (beds, doctors and nurses) but according to the number of patients they treat - in other words 'by results'. Patients will be able to choose which hospital they are treated in, thereby increasing consumer choice, and the most efficient trusts, those who manage to cut their waiting times, will attract more funding. The concept has also been used to influence drug prescribing patterns and investment in public health: for example, primary care trusts which exceed agreed targets on smoking cessation prescriptions will receive a 'cashback' payment from pharmaceutical companies.

Payroll giving
A method of giving to charity through an employee's pay packet. Donations come straight from their gross pay before tax, effectively making the donation cheaper for the person donating. Until April 2003, the government has promised to add 10% to all payroll donations.

Peer review
A voluntary council inspection carried out by local government professionals and politicians rather than Whitehall inspectors. These voluntary reviews are organised by the Improvement and Development Agency (IDeA) and are designed to show councils how they can improve their work. Also known as the local government improvement programme.

Performance support
Programme developed by the local government Improvement and Development Agency that provides intensive support to poorly-performing local authorities. Involves sending experienced local government officials and politicians in to help solve the problems faced by troubled councils.

Permanent endowment
Permanent endowment is property of the charity - including land, buildings, cash or investments - that the trustees may not spend as if it were income. It must be held permanently, either to be used in furthering the charity's purposes, or to produce an income for the charity. The trustees cannot normally spend permanent endowment without the charity commission's authority.

Personal allowance
The weekly allowance that the government states people in residential or nursing homes should receive.

Phoenix fund
Created in 1999 by the government, the phoenix fund's job is to help entrepreneurs in deprived areas to start up businesses.

Placements
Arrangements made by social services for a person to be placed in foster, residential or nursing care on a short or long-term basis.

Policy action team
These expert teams were set up by the government to produce reports that formed the basis of the neighbourhood renewal strategy, published in 2001. The 18 PATs looked into issues that include unpopular housing, social enterprise and joined-up government.

poor
weak

Poor council
Category in the local government league table system that covers councils that provide inadequate services and show no sign of improvement. Most will be trying to improve their performance but lack the ability to do so effectively. The audit commission, which compiles the tables, says these councils are unlikely to make lasting changes without outside help. Of the 150 larger councils, 13 were ranked in this category in 2002.

Possession order
A legal document issued by a court giving a landlord the right to evict a tenant or leaseholder. Eviction itself is carried out by bailiffs.

Poverty trap
A problem affecting people with low earnings claiming benefit who get stuck on low incomes because of the way their benefits are withdrawn as they earn more. For those affected the trap can act as a disincentive to taking on extra employment.

PPG 13
The planning policy guidance note 13 on transport is aimed at encouraging councils to promote planning decisions that reduce our reliance on the car. The guidance, which was launched in 1994 and updated in 2001, advocates making work, shops and leisure facilities more accessible by cycling, walking and public transport.

PPG 3
The planning policy guidance note three on housing, issued in 2000, urges councils to negotiate with private developers to provide more affordable housing in developments that mix different income groups. It also calls for better designs and more housing on brownfield sites.

Precept
The way in which county councils, police authorities, parish councils and some fire authorities raise funds through the council tax. Their charges are all included in a single bill issued by a billing authority.

Preserved rights
The preserved rights benefit rates are the higher rates of income support paid to people who received public funding towards the cost of an independent nursing or residential care home place before the Community Care Act 1990 was implemented in 1993. The Health and Social Care Act 2001 abolished the scheme, transferring responsibility for care assessment, arrangement and funding to councils in April 2002.

Primary care
Services provided by family doctors, dentists, nurses, midwives, health visitors, pharmacists, optometrists and opthalmic medical practitioners.

Primary care group (PCG)
Forerunners of primary care trusts, PCGs are voluntary GP-led groups with a range of duties from advising the local health authority on commissioning care for their local population, to commissioning care themselves. All PCGs are expected to become PCTs by April 2004.

Primary care trust (PCT)
Evolved from primary care groups, PCTs are free-standing statutory bodies that provide primary and community services and commission secondary (hospital) care on behalf of their local population. By April 2004, all PCG's are expected to be PCTs, which will commission 75% of the NHS budget.

Priority despatch
A system of telephone triage used by ambulance services to ensure that the most urgent emergency calls, such as heart attacks, receive priority treatment. The system enables the call taker in the ambulance service control room to classify the telephone request into one of three categories: A (life threatening); B (serious but not life threatening); and C (minor emergencies). Traditionally, all 999 calls have to be answered by immediately sending an ambulance with paramedic crew; if used to full capability criteria despatch would allow the service to delay sending an ambulance to category C calls, or to refer the caller to another agency such as NHS Direct.

Priority need
Term used for various categories of homeless people who must be housed by a council. Groups include families with children and, since 2002, people who are fleeing domestic violence as well as those leaving care or prison.

Private finance initiative (PFI)
A controversial method of providing new public buildings and projects such as schools, hospitals, roads and homes by using private sector money up front that is later repaid with interest by the state.

Procurement
The process of buying in goods or services from an external provider. Covers everything from determining the need for new goods to buying, delivering and storing them.

Producer interests
Phrase used by politicians to describe (and often dismiss) groups within the public services' establishment (usually trade unions) which are opposed to its attempts to build flexible services around the needs of the service recipient ('the consumer interest') rather than the convenience of the workers who provide it ('the producer interest'). Thus at the 2002 Labour party conference, the party chairman, Charles Clarke attempted to undermine the revolt by the party's rank and file over the private finance initiative by suggesting it was driven by selfish 'producer interests'. Medical consultants, NHS ancillary staff, and local government workers can all be expected to be labelled as producer interests, as they fight attempts to change their working practices and contracts.

Provider
Any body providing health or social care under contract arrangements with a purchasing body.

Prudential borrowing
New regime for council borrowing that will replace the current system of central government deciding how much debt a local authority can run up. Promised by ministers, but not yet introduced, the scheme will give councils much more freedom to decide how much they can afford to borrow.

Public benefit test
Under the draft charities bill, organisations seeking charitable status will have to pass a public benefit test to show they are benefiting the wider community. At present, organisations such as private schools that charge high fees have charitable status because their charitable purpose - the advancement of education - is presumed to be of public benefit, although few members of the public understand why Eton College is a charity. Ministers want to remove the presumption and have all charities' public benefit tested by the charity commission. Debate on the draft bill has centred on how public benefit should be defined and how it can be tested.

Public charitable collection
Or 'tin rattling'. Describes volunteers or employees of a charity collecting cash donations on the street or door to door. Collectors carry and display a badge and certificate of authority.

Public interest company (PIC)
Organisations usually set up to deliver a public service with public money, but run along the lines of a business with operational independence from Whitehall. They are often accountable instead to local service users, staff or commissioners. The government's planned foundation hospitals are a form of public interest company, and the model has been used in local government to run leisure centres and recycling services. Also known as public benefit organisations and mutuals.

Public service agreements (PSA)
Agreements between local authorities and central government, under which councils are rewarded with extra funding in return for achieving set objectives.

Public-private partnerships
Where an organisation, such as a council or government department, strikes a deal that allows the private sector to deliver a public service. The term is a catch-all and can cover anything from the building of a private finance initiative hospital to a contract for a business to collect domestic rubbish. Whether this amounts to privatisation continues to be a moot point.

Purchaser
Any budget-holding body that buys health or social care services from a provider on behalf of its resident population or service users.

Quality adjusted life year (Qaly)
Health economists' measure used to assess the potential health benefits and cost-effectiveness of a particular healthcare intervention (eg an operation, or course of drugs) by taking into account the effect on a patient in terms of subsequent quality and length of life. Qalys are used by health planners to prioritise treatment, for example, in the deliberations of the national institute for clinical excellence in determining which procedures should be made available on the NHS.

Quality Protects
This government programme, launched in 1998, aims to transform children's services by 2004. Local authorities must show they are meeting 11 key objectives that cover children in need, looked children after and children in need of protection. Each council must produce an annual management action plan outlining their strategy for transforming their services in order to receive a share of the children's service grant - worth £885m over five years - that supports the initiative. Councils must work in partnership with the NHS and the voluntary sector.

Quality standards task group (QSTG)
Established by the National Council for Voluntary Organisations, but overseen by an independent board, the QSTG works with charities and voluntary organisations to improve quality standards in all aspects of work.

Quality status
Gives parish councils the opportunity to take on more responsibilities from larger district, country and unitary authorities. Awarded to those parishes that can pass a series of tests, including having a trained clerk, holding regular elections and publishing a newsletter.

Quango
Quasi-autonomous non-governmental organisation sometimes referred to as a non-departmental public body. Quangos are part of national government but operate at arm's length from government departments. There are around 1,000 such organisations in the UK which between them spend more £24bn. Examples include the housing corporation, the audit commission, the health and safety executive, and English Partnerships. Concern is often expressed about the accountability of such bodies. In response attempts have been made to make quangos more open to public scrutiny and increase the proportion of women and black and minority ethnic people to their boards.

Quick wins
A term used in the regeneration sector to refer to relatively cheap and easy initiatives that can be quickly implemented in an attempt to secure community support for a regeneration scheme. Quick wins are also designed to head off community frustration at delays to more substantial improvements that often dog major regeneration initiatives.

Race Relations (Amendment) Act 2000
Attempts to deal with racism in the public sector by forcing bodies such as councils, hospitals and schools to take steps to promote good race relations.

Read codes
A numeric coding system, developed by Dr James Read, used to develop common terminology and protocols for the electronic communication of patient records and other clinical information. Also known as clinical terms.