Glossary

Acute services
Services offered to patients who are seriously ill or require complex treatments, or emergency assessment. 

Electronic Patient Record 
Information relating to an individual’s health held on computer. Every person in the country is to get a lifelong electronic health record from cradle to grave. It will stay with them even if they change doctor or move around the country. Safeguards for patient confidentiality will be guaranteed

Emergency Admissions Unit
This will be an area adjacent to A&E, offering a focal point for receiving medical and surgical emergencies admissions from GPs and the A&E department. The unit would provide a rapid assessment, diagnosis and stabilisation and/or treatment of patients prior to transfer to an appropriate ward or discharge within 48 hours of arrival. 

Intermediate Care
A range of services offered to provide care for people who need more support than GP or district or nursing care, though not the full services of a major hospital. Patients receive treatment and therapy (physiotherapy or occupational therapy) in a safe and supportive environment, which can be in the community or at home. 

Investing In Your Health (IIYH)
The strategy for re-organising health care services and provision in Bedfordshire and Hertfordshire for years ahead. IIYH was formally agreed by ministers, confirming that the strategy is part of government policy for the two counties. 

Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scans use magnets and radio waves to produce detailed pictures of the inside of the body. They provide information about almost all tissue types and can be used to differentiate between tissues of very similar density. MRI scans can show can show bones, muscles, joints, blood vessels, nerves and other structures in great detail. Several different scans may be taken of the body to build up a three-dimensional image that is then displayed on a computer screen.

Minor Injuries Unit
Minor Injuries Units are for patients with less serious injuries, such as sprains, cuts and grazes. The waiting times are usually much shorter than those in A&E, as staff must give priority to serious and life-threatening conditions. You do not need an appointment to visit a Minor Injuries Unit. Minor Injuries Units are led by highly qualified nurse practitioners with significant experience and expertise.

MRSA - Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus Aureus 
Staphylococcus aureus (SA) is a common type of bacteria that can cause illness. Methicillin is a powerful antibiotic drug. MRSA includes several strains of the SA germ that are not killed by powerful antibiotics.

Overview and Scrutiny Committees (OSC)
Part of the local authority, these will enable elected councillors to overview the delivery of local health services.

PCT: Primary Care Trust
Primary Care Trusts (PCTs) are the lead NHS organisations in planning and securing health care services for a local population. They control 75% of all NHS monies and are responsible for working with other parts of the health care system and local government to provide health care services to their catchment population.

Surgicentre 
A purpose built unit, designed to undertake large numbers of planned operations such as hernias or hip and knee replacements. The Surgicentre is part of the Government’s Independent Sector Treatment Centre initiative designed to cut waiting times in elective surgery and increase patient choice. The new building will contain the latest equipment and allow around 14,000 patients to be treated each year. 

Urgent Care Centre
An Urgent Care Centre will provide appropriate high quality care for up to 80% of the current A&E demand, treating patients with minor injuries and minor illnesses and offering urgent appointment services. It is likely to be staffed by a mixture of current A&E staff including nurses and therapists, GPs and primary care nursing and therapy staff, Out of Hours nursing and medical services and the Intermediate Care assessment team.

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