What does it mean?

What does it mean?

What does it mean?

Here you will find plain English definitions of some of the things we write and talk about!

Advocacy means speaking out for somebody. The job of an advocate is to speak out about another person's experience or opinions at that person's request. It does not mean giving advice. An advocate should be independent of any support service.

Autism and Asperger's Syndrome are also known as Autistic Spectrum Coniditions (ASC). People with these conditions have difficulty with social communication and making sense of people's thoughts, feelings and actions. It is sometimes called a hidden disability.

The Local Autism Strategy is written by Bradford Council and NHS Airedale, Bradford and Leeds. It is a plan for services in the district for people with Autistic Spectrum Conditions. The local plan is part of the government's first ever national strategy for adults with autism called Fulfilling and Rewarding Lives.

Clinical Commissioning Groups (CCGs) will have responsibility for how money is spent on health services in the areas they serve. Airedale, Craven and Wharfedale is an example of a new CCG.

Commissioning is planning and buying services.

A government consultation paper is a list of ideas for changes the government is thinking of making to a particular service (like the NHS). It asks people to comment on these ideas. These comments are then considered and might influence plans.

A constituted group is one that has set rules that members must follow. It also means they have written down what they want to achieve in an official document.

A dignity champion is someone who stands up for the rights of people using health and social care services. They will promise to take some action, no matter how small, to help work towards all services treating everyone who comes through their doors with dignity and respect.

A Foundation Trust is a hospital trust that is free from government control and manages its own affairs. Anyone can be a member and have a say on how services are run and provided.

Health and Wellbeing Boards, being introduced by the coalition government, will be in charge of health in an area. They will be run by Local Authorities like Bradford Council and be made up of decision-makers who plan health services in the district. Members of the public will also be abe to be part of these boards. Bradford LINk will have a place on the Health and Wellbeing Board here. We will be there to represent the views of the public. At the moment a Shadow Health and Wellbeing Board is meeting. This is to plan for the things the Board will do when it comes into existence.

Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA) is a report about health and social care issues affecting the many diverse communities in the district. It says:

  • What is being done in the district
  • What should be done
  • And what could be done differently

The information in this report is regularly updated throughout the year so it is as accurate as possible. The things written in the JSNA will help decision-makers what health and social care services need to be prioritised in the district.

Lymphoedema is a condition that can cause swelling to parts of the body such as the arms or legs. It can be caused by blockages to the lymphatic system that lead to a build up of fluid. People with this condition may need regular treatment to drain the fluid.

The OUR Project is a Bradford based community service working with people living with HIV. It is part of MESMAC which is a group of sexual organisations in Yorkshire.

An Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC) is a group of councillors that look at services offered by the council to make sure they meet the needs of local people and organisations in the district. There is a Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee and a Social Care Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Patient Participation Groups (PPGs) are made up of people who use particular GP surgeries. These people are able to talk directly to GPs and managers running a surgery about issues that are important to patients.

A pathfinder organisation is one that starts planning and trying out new structures to see how well they work before they are introduced across the country. It means the government can test the new organisation and see what changes need to happen to make them better.

Personalisation means having more control over the health and social care services you use. It might mean being given your own budget to buy support or it might mean making decisions about what services are best for you. Different people will use personalisation in different ways.

Health or Social Care Service Provider is an organisation that is responsible for making sure there are services that the public need like hospitals and doctors surgeries. They will often buy and design the services we use. In Bradford and district these providers include:

  • NHS Airedale, Bradford and Leeds (our Primary Care Trust)
  • Bradford Teaching Hospitals
  • Airedale NHS Trust
  • Bradford District Care Trust

A Quality Account is a report that a health care provider has to write so people know it's doing a good job. It tells people about that quality of their services. It also tells people how they intend to improve the quality of care. In these reports providers are asked to consider three things:

  • Whether patients have had a good experience
  • Whether services are safe
  • Clinical effectiveness. This is a measure of how effective a particular treatment is

A White Paper is something the government writes to tell people about what it wants to do. It then takes those ideas to MPs and the Houses of Parliament to vote whether they should become law.