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NHS Confederation / NHS Acronym Buster

Acronym Buster

Want the definitions of more than 700 commonly used acronyms and abbreviations in the NHS? Browse our comprehensive list below..

And if you're baffled by acronyms within general medical services (GMS), check out NHS Employers' handy GMS acronym buster.

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A

  • A&E

    accident and emergency

  • AAA

    abdominal aortic aneurysm

  • AAC

    Appointments Advisory Committee

  • AACE

    Association of Ambulance Chief Executives

  • AAR

    Accelerated Access Review

  • AAR

    after action review

  • AAU

    acute assessment unit

  • ABHI

    Association of British Healthcare Industries

  • ABPI

    Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry

  • AC

    Audit Commission

  • ACAD

    ambulatory care and diagnostic unit

  • ACC

    acute care collaboration

  • ACCEA

    Advisory Committee on Clinical Excellence Awards

  • ACDP

    Advisory Committee on Dangerous Pathogens

  • ACEVO

    Association of Chief Executives of Voluntary Organisations

  • ACG

    adjusted clinical group

  • ACO

    accountable care organisation

  • ACP

    accountable care partnerships

  • ACP

    advanced care plan

  • ACRA

    Advisory Committee on Resource Allocation

  • ACS

    ambulatory care-sensitive (conditions)

  • ACS

    accountable care systems

  • ADASS

    Association of Directors of Adult Social Services

  • ADCS

    Association of Directors of Children's Services

  • AEC

    ambulatory emergency care

  • AF

    atrial fibrillation

  • AfC

    Agenda for Change

  • AfPP

    Association for Perioperative Practice

  • AGNSS

    Advisory Group for National Specialised Services

  • AGS

    Annual Governance Statement

  • AHCS

    Academy for Healthcare Science

  • AHP

    allied health professional

  • AHSC

    academic health science centre

  • AHSN

    academic health science network

  • AIR

    (strategic health authority) annual innovation report

  • AKI

    acute kidney injury

  • ALB

    arm’s-length body

  • ALE

    auditors’ local evaluation

  • ALTO

    arm's-length trading organisation

  • AM

    Assembly Member (Wales)

  • AMD

    age related macular degeneration

  • AME

    annually managed expenditure

  • AMHP

    Approved Mental Health Professional

  • AMR

    antimicrobial resistance

  • AMU

    acute medical unit

  • AND

    allow natural death

  • ANP

    advanced nurse practitioner

  • AoMRC

    Academy of Medical Royal Colleges

  • AP

    assistant practitioner

  • APB

    Autism Partnership Board

  • APC

    admitted patient care

  • APMS

    alternative provider medical services

  • APT

    anatomical pathology technologist

  • AQI

    ambulance quality indicator

  • AQP

    any qualified provider

  • AQuA

    Advancing Quality Alliance

  • ARCP

    annual review of competency progression

  • ASCOF

    Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework

  • ASI

    appointment slot issues

  • ASN

    Ambulance Service Network

  • ASPC

    Association of Surgeons in Primary Care

  • ASPiH

    Association for Simulated Practice in Healthcare

  • AT

    area team

  • ATO

    Assistant Theatre Operator

  • AVR

    Accredited Voluntary Registers

  • AWD

    agency workers directive

  • AWR

    agency workers regulations

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Implementing the NHS Long Term Plan is a matter of local translation | Michael Wood

16 / 1 / 2019 2.25pm

Much will be written in the coming weeks and months about how the new NHS Long Term Plan is regarded nationally by the various parts of the health service – from think tanks to membership bodies to Royal Colleges. What is perhaps more important, explains Michael Wood, local growth advisor at the NHS Confederation, is how it is seen on the ground by external, local partners. After all, there isn’t much the NHS can achieve in the plan that doesn’t need their support, resources or input

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