Glossary
Care Standards (for use in the regulated sector e.g. nursing homes, residential homes) These have been issued by the DHSSPS to provide a framework within and criteria against which organisational achievements and systems can be assessed and provides clear information to all stakeholders. The Care Standards are helpful to: Service users – information on the quality of services they should receive Providers of services - facilitating self assessment, testing validity and reliability of improvement systems General public - signals the promotion of consistently higher quality care and commitment to openness.
Children’s Homes An establishment is a children’s home if it provides care and accommodation wholly or mainly for children. An establishment is not a children’s home because a child is cared for and accommodated there by a parent or relative or by a foster parent or if the establishment is a hospital, school, residential care home, nursing home, juvenile justice centre, accommodation of homeless person or an establishment used primarily for the provision of cultural, recreational, leisure, social or physical activities. (The Health and Personal Social Services (Quality, Improvement and Regulation) (NI) Order 2003)
Clinical and social care governance is about organisations taking corporate responsibility for performance and will provide guarantees for the standards of clinical and social care. It is the framework within which HPSS organisations are accountable for continuously improving the quality of their services and safeguarding high standards of care and treatment. Clinical and social care governance will help those planning and delivering services to identify and build on good practice; to assess and minimise risk of untoward events; to investigate problems as they arise and to ensure that lessons are learnt. It will help professionals by ensuring that lifelong learning through continuous professional development is addressed by and within their organisation.’ (DHSSPS, April 2001 ‘Best Practice – Best Care’)
DHSSPS Department of Health, Social Services and Public Safety
EHSSB Eastern Health and Social Services Board
Governance Organisations must ensure that there are visible and rigorous structures, processes, roles and responsibilities in place to deliver, monitor and promote safety and quality improvements in the provision of health and social care. This process is known as Governance.’ (DHSSPS, April 2005 ‘Supporting Implementation of Clinical and Social Care Governance in the HPSS’ page 2 para 1.3)
The Health and Personal Social Services Regulation and Improvement Authority: This was established on 1 September 2003 under Part II of the Health and Personal Social Services (Quality, Improvement and Regulation) (Northern Ireland) Order 2003. It is now known as, ‘The Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority’ (RQIA) and is also referred to as ‘the Authority’
HPSS Health and Personal Social Services
Incident Any event or circumstance that could have or did lead to harm, loss or damage to people, property, environment or reputation. (DHSSPS, March 2006 ‘The Quality Standards for Health and Social Care’)
Independent sector Private and voluntary establishments that provide services in nursing homes, residential homes, children’s homes and in other settings.
NHSSB Northern Health and Social Services Board
Nursing Homes Means any premises used, or intended to be used for the reception of and the provision of nursing for, persons suffering from any illness or infirmity. The Health and Personal Social Services (Quality, Improvement and Regulation) (NI) Order 2003)
Quality There are many definitions of quality, such as “fitness for use”, “customer satisfaction”, “conformance to requirements”. Each of these statements represents a facet of quality and are incorporated into the following international definition:
“The totality of features and characteristics of a product or service that bear on its ability to satisfy stated or implied needs.” ISO8402-1986’ (Office of Government Commerce, April 2006, ‘Successful Delivery Toolkit’)
Quality Standards (for use in health and social services organisations e.g. hospitals) These have been issued by the DHSSPS to provide a framework within and criteria against which organisational achievements and systems can be assessed and provides clear information to all stakeholders. The Quality Standards are helpful to: Service users – information on the quality of services they should receive Providers of services - facilitating self assessment, testing validity and reliability of improvement systems General public - signals the promotion of consistently higher quality care and commitment to openness
Regulated services Health and social care services such as those provided in nursing homes, residential homes and children’s homes that are inspected by staff from the Regulation and Quality Improvement Authority. The appropriate regulations flow from the Health and Personal Social Services (Quality, Improvement and Regulation) (NI) Order 2003.
Residential Care Homes An establishment is residential care home if it provides or is intended to provide, whether for reward or not, residential accommodation with both board and personal care for persons in need of personal care by reason of old age and infirmity, disablement, past or present dependence on alcohol and drugs or past or present mental disorder. (The Health and Personal Social Services (Quality, Improvement and Regulation) (NI) Order 2003)
Service Provider A person who provides services in accordance with the agreements under Article 15 C of the Health and Personal Social Services (Northern Ireland) Order 1972 (NI 14) or Part VI services (within the meaning of that Order). (The Health and Personal Social Services (Quality, Improvement and Regulation) (NI) Order 2003)
Service User This term refers to patients, clients, carers, patient representatives, the local community or the wider public.
SHSSB Southern Health and Social Services Board
Statutory sector Health and social services trusts that provide services in nursing homes, residential homes, children’s homes and in other settings.
WHSSB Western Health and Social Services Board
