2FA – two-factor authentication
3G – 3rd generation
4G – 4th generation
5G – 5th generation
ACO – accountable care organisation
AI – artificial intelligence
Android – Google's mobile operating system (OS).
Antivirus – software designed to prevent, detect, and remove viruses and other malware.
App – application
Apple – makers of the iPhone, iPad, Apple Watch, and the Mac range of personal computers (PCs).
AVR – Accredited Voluntary Registers
BAME – Black Asian and Minority Ethnic
Bandwidth – the amount of data you can send through a network or modem connection.
Blog – an online journal or discussion website.
Bluetooth – short-range, wireless technology allowing compatible devices to talk to each other.
BMA – British Medical Association
Broadband – high-speed data transmission in which a single cable can carry a large amount of data at once.
CC – Care Coordinator
CCG – clinical commissioning group
CD–ROM – Compact Disc Read-Only Memory
CD–RW – Compact Disc Re-Writable
CHC – community health council
CQC – Care Quality Commission
DH, DoH or DHSC – Department of Health and Social Care
DNS – Domain Name System
Download – the process in which data is sent to your computer.
DPA – Data Protection Act
DVD – Digital Versatile Disc
E&D – equality and diversity
eBook – electronic book
EDI – equality, diversity and inclusion
EHR – electronic health record
Email – messages distributed electronically from one computer user to one or more recipients via a network.
EPR – electronic patient record
EPS – electronic prescription service
Facetime – a video calling app for Apple mobile devices.
FB – Facebook
FT – foundation trust
GB – gigabyte
GDC – General Dental Council
GHz – gigahertz
Gmail – Google Mail
GMC – General Medical Council
GP – general practitioner
GPSI or GPwSI – general practitioner with a special interest
HA – health authority
HCA – health care assistant
HCHS – hospital and community health services
HCSW – Healthcare Support Worker
HDD – hard disk drive
HSCDS – Health and Social Care Digital Service
HWE – Healthwatch England
IC – information commissioner
ICO – Information Commissioner's Office
ICP – integrated care pathway
ICT – information and communication technology
IDCR – integrated digital care record
Internet – a global network of countless smaller networks and computers, allowing billions of
people to share information. The World Wide Web (www) and email are two of the internet’s many features.
iOS – Apple’s mobile operating system
IP – internet protocol
ISP – internet service provider
IT – information technology
Kbit – kilobit
Kbps – kilobits per second
KHz – kilohertz
LA – local authority
LGA – Local Government Association
LHA – Local Health Authority
LINk – local involvement network
Logging in – the process of entering your login details.
Login – the details (username and password) used to authenticate your identity.
Malware – software designed to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorised access to a computer system.
Mb – megabit
MB – megabyte
MDT – multi-disciplinary team
MHz – megahertz
Modem – a box that connects your home network to the internet
NCVO – National Council for Voluntary Organisations
NHS – National Health Service
NHSD – NHS Digital
NHSE – NHS England
NHST – NHS trust
ONS – Office for National Statistics
OOH – out of hours
OP – outpatient
OS – operating system
OTC – over-the-counter
PAG – Patient Advisory Group
Password – a string of characters used for authenticating a user on a computer system.
PC – personal computer
PCT – primary care trust
PDF – Portable Document Format
PHE – Public Health England
Phishing – the practice of sending spoof emails to trick you into revealing personal information, like passwords and credit card numbers.
PHR – Personal Health Records
PIN – personal identification number
PKB – Patients Know Best
PPE – patient and public engagement
PPG – patient participation group
Q&A – questions and answers
QA – quality assurance
QR Code – Quick Response Code
Router – a box that lets your devices talk to each other and connect to the internet via a modem.
RSS – Really Simple Syndication
SAR – subject access request
SCR – summary care record
SD – Secure Digital e.g., ‘SD card’
SIM card – Subscriber Identity Module card
SPAM – unsolicited, or junk, email.
SPF – Social Partnership Forum
SPN – special patient notes
SSD – solid-state drive
Teams – a Microsoft app for making video calls, among other things.
TEG – trust executive group
TTS – text-to-speech
Upload – the process of sending data from your device or computer to another system.
URL – Uniform Resource Locator i.e., the address of a web page or other resource on the
internet.
USB – Universal Serial Bus. USB is the most common type of physical computer connection.
Username – a name that uniquely identifies someone on a computer.
VCS – voluntary and community sector
VFM – value for money
Virus (computer) – a self-replicating program capable of corrupting a system or destroying data.
VPN – virtual private network
WAP – Wireless Application Protocol
Web browser – often just called a 'browser', these programs allow you to access the World
Wide Web e.g., Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Safari.
Webmail – an email service that can be used in a web browser.
Website – a collection of web pages and other content published under a common domain name.
WEP – Wired Equivalent Privacy
WGA – Windows Genuine Advantage
WhatsApp – a messaging app that lets you send text messages and make voice and video calls.
Wi-Fi – a wireless networking standard. Wi-Fi allows computers and other devices to
connect through wireless routers to other systems on the internet.
Window – and area on a screen that displays information for a specific program.
Windows – personal computer (PC) operating systems (OS) developed by Microsoft.
World Wide Web – often simply called ‘the web’. The web consists of pages that can be accessed using a web browser. ‘The web’ isn’t the same as ‘the internet’. It’s one of the many features of the internet.
www – stands for World Wide Web.
YouTube – a video sharing website owned by Google.
Zip – A zip file (.zip) is a 'zipped' or compressed file.
Zoom – Zoom is a video conferencing app that lets you meet virtually with others.
