A&E Accident and Emergency
AAC Administrative Appeals Chamber
AC Approved Clinician
ACT Assertive Community Treatment
AD Absolute Discharge
ADLs Activities of Daily Living
AEDS Adult Eating Disorders Inpatient Service
AMHP Approved Mental Health Practitioner
AMHT Adult Mental Health Team
AO Assertive Outreach
AOA Adult and Older Adult (Services)
AOT Assertive Outreach Team
ASD Autistic Spectrum Disorder
ASW Approved Social Worker
AWOL Absent Without Leave
BIAs Best Interest Assessors
BPAD Bi-polar Affective Disorder
BPSD Behavioural and Psychological Symptoms of Dementia
CAMHS Child and Adolescent Mental Health Services
CATT Crisis Assessment and Treatment Team
CBF Challenging Behaviour Foundation
CBT Cognitive Behavioural Therapy
CCG Clinical Commissioning Group
CD Conditional Discharge
CDAT Community Drug and Alcohol Team
CDW Community Development Worker
CIN Child In Need
CJA Criminal Justice Act (2003)
CLDT Community Learning Disability Team
CMHT Community Mental Health Team
CoP Court of Protection
CPA Care Programme Approach
CPC Child Protection Conference
CPD Continuing Professional Development
CPN Community Psychiatric Nurse
CQC Care Quality Commission
CRHT Crisis Resolution and Home Treatment
CTM Clinical Team Meeting
CTO Community Treatment Order
CTR Care and Treatment Review
DAAT Drug and Alcohol Action Team
DBT Dialectic Behavioural Therapy
DLS Daily Living Skills
DNA Did Not Attend
DoH Department of Health
DOLS/DoLS Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards
DPA Data Protection Act 1998
DSPD Dangerous and Severe Personality Disorder
DTC Day Treatment Centre
EBP Evidence-Based Practice
ECA Extra Care Area
ECHR European Convention on Human Rights
ECT Electro-Convulsive Therapy
ECtHR European Court of Human Rights
EDS Eating Disorder Service
EHCP Education, Health and Care Plan
EIS Early Intervention Service
EPA Enduring Power of Attorney
EUPD Emotionally Unstable Personality Disorder
EQ Equality Act 2010
GP General Practitioner
HCR Historical/ Clinical/ Risk Management
HDRU High Dependency Rehabilitation Unit
HDU High Dependency Unit(s)
HMCTS Her Majesty’s Courts and Tribunal Service
HNA Health Needs Assessment
HoNOS Health of the Nation Outcome Scale
HRA Human Rights Act 1998
IAPT Improving Access to Psychological Therapies
IC Infection Control
ICN Integrated Care Network
ICP Integrated Care Pathway
IMCA Independent Mental Capacity Advocate
IMHA Independent Mental Health Advocate
IP In-patient
IPP Imprisonment for Public Protection
LA Local Authority
LAA Legal Aid Agency
LAC Looked After Child
LD Learning Disabilities
LPA Lasting Power of Attorney
LSC Legal Services Commission
LSU Low Secure Unit
MAPPA Multi Agency Public Protection Arrangements
MCA Mental Capacity Act 2005
MDT Multi-Disciplinary Team
MH Mental Health
MHA Mental Health Act 1983 as amended by the Mental Health Act 2007
MHAA Mental Health Act Administrator
MHLA Mental Health Lawyers Association
MHRT Mental Health Review Tribunal First-tier Tribunal (Health and Social Care Chamber) (Mental Health), i.e. the Mental Health Tribunal
MHT Mental Health Tribunal
MHU Mental Health Unit of the Ministry of Justice
MoJ Ministry of Justice
MSU Medium Secure Unit
NHS National Health Service
NIC Nurse in Charge
NICE National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence
NOK Next of Kin (can be chosen by patient)
NR Nearest relative (defined in MHA)
OBD Occupied Bed Days
OP Out-patient
OPG Office of the Public Guardian
OPMH Old People’s Mental Health
OSCA Outreach Service for Children and Adolescents
OT Occupational Therapist/Therapy
PACE Police and Criminal Evidence Acts 1984
PALS Patient Advice and Liaison Service
PCL R Psychopathy Checklist - Revised
PCL SV Psychopathy Checklist - screening version
PCLT Primary Care Liaison Team
PCS Professional Clinical Services
PCT Primary Care Trust
PD Practice Direction
PD Personality Disorder
PDP Personal Development Plan(s)
PICU(s) Psychiatric Intensive Care Unit(s)
POVA Protection of Vulnerable Adults
PRN Pro re nata - as needed medication
PTSD Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder
RC Responsible Clinician
RCJ Royal Courts of Justice
RMN Registered Mental Nurse
RMO Responsible Medical Officer, now the RC
RSU Regional Secure Unit
Rx Treatment
- section
SALT Speech and Language Therapy
SCT Supervised Community Treatment
SEN Special Educational Needs
SFMHS Secure Forensic Mental Health Service
SHA Strategic Health Authority
SLAs Service level agreements
SMS Substance Misuse Services
SOAD Second Opinion Appointed Doctor
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SSHD Secretary of State for the Home Department (i.e. the Home Secretary)
SSJ Secretary of State for Justice
STJ Salaried Tribunal Judge
SW Social Worker
VLO Victim Liaison Officer
UT Upper Tribunal
Contact Georga Godwin: Mental Health Solicitor Oxfordshire, Buckinghamshire, Berkshire
Contact Georga using the online contact form or by calling 01865 596717. You can also email Georga on This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..
