Glossary

1. Accident and Emergency – There are Accident and Emergency Departments at Musgrove Park Hospital, Taunton, and Yeovil District Hospital. They deal with life threatening emergencies and major trauma such as a road traffic accident.

2. Acute hospital – Provide services such as Accident and Emergency Departments, outpatient services and complex diagnostic tests (eg breast biopsy or specialist scans), inpatient services, operations and in some cases very specialist care.

3. Adult and children’s services – These span personal care and social support services to children or adults in need or at risk, or adults with needs arising from illness, disability, or old age.

4. Community hubs – Community hubs bring together a range of health and care services and professionals, which could include a nurse, physiotherapist, social care worker or mental health worker, to provide more joined up care in a single location. In addition, diagnostic tests such as x-ray
or ultrasound and specialist outreach clinics will be based here, making sure as much of your care as possible is managed close to where you live. People may be referred to their community hub (either in person or virtually, by telephone or video conferencing) by members of their GP surgery or other health or social care professional.

5. Health coach – A health coach will listen to a person’s own health story and help them to set goals that will assist them in staying well, helping people to gain the knowledge, tools and confidence that will help them to take a more active personal role in their own health and wellbeing.

6. Health connector – Health connectors are very knowledgeable about activities, support and services available locally in the individual’s community, and will support people to access the activities and/or services that will help them to maintain their own health and wellbeing.

7. Health and Care Teams – This team may include GPs, practice nurses, asthma or diabetes nurses, district nurses, physiotherapists, pharmacists, health connectors or mental health workers (among others) to make sure people get the right care at the right time without the waits that currently exist for many people. Everyone in the team who a person has contact with, will be able to see their records, know their history and work with them (and the people who support them) to help them resolve or manage the challenges they face.

8. Long term conditions – Chronic diseases for which there is no cure and which are managed with medication and lifestyle changes, such as diabetes, hypertension, angina or asthma.

9. Minor Injury Unit (MIU) – Current service provided at 7 sites across Somerset, each with differing services and opening hours, providing nurse led same day urgent care including some x-rays (no blood tests), and some routine care (dressings or follow up appointments) outside of GP surgeries or A&E.

10. Public health – This is a branch of medicine dealing with the health and wellbeing of the population, including the causes of disease and disease prevention.

11. Same day urgent care – This includes medical attention for a symptom, illness or injury that is not life threatening but which is perceived to need rapid treatment or support and can’t wait for a routine appointment with a GP.

12. Urgent Treatment Centre (UTC) – A nationally mandated change to the provision of ‘same day urgent care’, with a greater range of services than provided within our current Minor Injury Units, including a minimum of 12hour opening, a greater range of diagnostic services 7 days per week (for example, x-ray and some blood tests), supported by GPs, and with an ability to book appointments in advance through NHS111 or primary care.