Why is TALOIA bandied about in clinics and on wards? Who - or what - is DAN? If someone mentioned Practice Based Commissioning or the Standardised Mortality Ratio, would you understand what they meant? Like any specialised area, the NHS generates clouds of terms, acronyms and shorthand vital for those in the know but virtually impenetrable to outsiders or those new to healthcare. New acronyms or the jargon of areas outside their immediate expertise can be utterly baffling even to old hands. This book brings together an up-to-date, clearly explained glossary of specialised terminology and acronyms used at all levels of the NHS, from primary care surgeries to hospital wards, admin departments to executive boardrooms. It is essential reading for workers in the NHS at all levels, including managers, administrators and clinical professionals, and for managers and staff at commercial companies working with the NHS. Specialty registrars and consultants can also find this information, and much more, in The Doctor's Handbook Parts 1 and 2, by the same author. NHS Jargon Explained will also be of interest to campaigners, patient interest groups, researchers and journalists, and patients and their relatives may also find it useful and enlightening! 'There is no more important time than now to have a quick reference guide that enables the greatest number of people to quickly come to terms with the language of the health service. I welcome this book for being both comprehensive and concise'- from the Foreword by Sir Ian Carruthers

Used properly jargon can be effective, but used incorrectly it can damage communications, waste time and money, and harm public, patient and staff relations. This book will enable and encourage readers to use language that the intended audience will understand. It provides practical advice based on the author's experience of producing National Health Service documents and contains explanations of common NHS jargon, with alternatives. Plain speaking and writing techniques are included, and there are numerous examples from real NHS management communications. This is an invaluable book for Health Service managers, clinicians with management responsibilities and all those responsible for communicating information about healthcare.

To maximise the effectiveness of their work, NHS employees need a clear understanding of the structures and systems of the organisation in which they work. However, this information can be widely spread, hard to access and difficult to gain a working overview of, and the pace of changes and initiatives can seem almost dizzying. This book draws together a clear picture of the modern NHS, from funding and governance to reports, inquiries and overarching legislation. The book is clear and easy to understand and crucially includes full references to provide a one-stop point of access to the most detailed and up-to-date information available. This book is essential reading for workers in the NHS at all levels, including managers, administrators and clinical professionals. It is vital reading for managers and staff at commercial companies working with the NHS. It will also be of interest to campaigners, patient interest groups, researchers and journalists with an interest in the NHS. Specialty registrars and consultants can also find the information from the book, and much more, in The Doctor's Handbook Parts 1 & 2, by the same author. 'Rather than long narrative histories or complex explanations, the author signposts readers to sources of further information, making this book the quick guide so many of us need' - from the Foreword by Sir Ian Carruthers

Accurate diagnosis is the foundation of medical practice, but at the start of the diagnostic process, uncertainty is inevitable. The clinician's skills and cognitive attributes determine the quality of the initial differential diagnosis and thus the crucial first phases of investigation and treatment; mistakes are often self-propagating. Diagnostic error is a major cause of avoidable morbidity and mortality, and is the commonest reason for successful litigation. Risk and Reasoning in Clinical Diagnosis is an accessible and readable look at the diagnostic process. Dr. Cym Ryle presents the insights and concepts developed in cognitive psychology which have led to the consensus that in all domains human reasoning is primarily driven by unconscious, intuitive mechanisms; the contribution of structured, analytical thinking is variable and inconsistent. He notes that the risk of error is inseparable from these mechanisms. Dr. Ryle then develops a description of the diagnostic process which encompasses its form, strengths and fallibility, and illustrates this description with examples from his work as a general practitioner. He argues that improving diagnostic accuracy should be a priority, and that there is sufficient evidence to guide changes in medical training, in clinical practice, and in the culture and organisation of our institutions. He identifies specific, practical steps that can be taken by individual clinicians and by clinical teams, suggests priorities for action in our institutions, and considers the obstacles to progress.

Equity and Excellence : Liberating the NHS: Presented to Parliament by the Secretary of State for Health by Command of Her Majesty

This review incorporates the views and visions of 2,000 clinicians and other health and social care professionals from every NHS region in England, and has been developed in discussion with patients, carers and the general public. The changes proposed are locally-led, patient-centred and clinically driven. Chapter 2 identifies the challenges facing the NHS in the 21st century: ever higher expectations; demand driven by demographics as people live longer; health in an age of information and connectivity; the changing nature of disease; advances in treatment; a changing health workplace. Chapter 3 outlines the proposals to deliver high quality care for patients and the public, with an emphasis on helping people to stay healthy, empowering patients, providing the most effective treatments, and keeping patients as safe as possible in healthcare environments. The importance of quality in all aspects of the NHS is reinforced in chapter 4, and must be understood from the perspective of the patient's safety, experience in care received and the effectiveness of that care. Best practice will be widely promoted, with a central role for the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence (NICE) in expanding national standards. This will bring clarity to the high standards expected and quality performance will be measured and published. The review outlines the need to put frontline staff in control of this drive for quality (chapter 5), with greater freedom to use their expertise and skill and decision-making to find innovative ways to improve care for patients. Clinical and managerial leadership skills at the local level need further development, and all levels of staff will receive support through education and training (chapter 6). The review recommends the introduction of an NHS Constitution (chapter 7). The final chapter sets out the means of implementation.

As a field, health and social care is facing considerable challenge and debate, in the UK and internationally. This clear and succinct text offers a valuable introductory guide to this multidisciplinary subject, helping people who want to study or work in health and social care understand why these services matter, how they have developed and how they work. Framed by vital historical and social policy context, the book considers: · The social context in which health and social care are delivered · The history and nature of current services · Organising, funding and delivering services · How to be a professional in practice Including chapter summaries and links to further reading, this text will be invaluable to undergraduate students on programmes in Health and Social Care, Social Work, Nursing, Allied Health Professions, Social Policy and related applied social science subjects, as well as to A-level and Foundation programmes prior to University.

Communicating effectively when addressing psychiatric and psychological problems in everyday practice can be difficult. This book provides a clear and concise guide on how to run consultations, using the Calgary-Cambridge Model. The model is applied to an extensive variety of mental health conditions, ranging from taking a good psychiatric history to specialist scenarios such as working with families and young people or breaking bad news in mental health. There are also practical and comprehensive chapters on anxiety, depression, psychosis, risk to self, mental capacity, dealing with emotions and mental health consultations in primary care. An accompanying downloadable resource enhances knowledge and promotes greater understanding through a series of simulated consultations which explore and answer the OSCE questions posed in the text. The practical, accessible and comprehensive approach helps clinicians increase their confidence in mental health consultations. It is also of great benefit to students wishing to improve their clinical skills and ultimately to pass their exams.

Clinical audit is at the heart of clinical governance. Provides the mechanisms for reviewing the quality of everyday care provided to patients with common conditions like asthma or diabetes. Builds on a long history of doctors, nurses and other healthcare professionals reviewing case notes and seeking ways to serve their patients better. Addresses the quality issues systematically and explicitly, providing reliable information. Can confirm the quality of clinical services and highlight the need for improvement. Provides clear statements of principle about clinical audit in the NHS.