M-O
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M
MDG - Millennium Development Goals
International development targets set out by the United Nations (UN) Millennium summit in 2000, and which are the remit of the Department for International Development (DfID) in the UK.
www.developmentgoals.org
MEP - Member of European Parliament
MEVS - Minority Ethnic Voluntary Sector
MP - Member of Parliament
MV - Millennium Volunteers
Government-funded initiative aiming to increase volunteering amongst young people in the UK aged 16-24.
www.millenniumvolunteers.gov.uk
N
NatPaCT - National Primary and Care Trust Development Programme
Part of the National Health Service (NHS) Modernisation Agency, it provides organisational development support to Primary Care Trusts (PCTs).
www.natpact.nhs.uk
NCB - National Children's Bureau
A nationally recognised authority on policy, research and best practice relating to children and young people in England and Northern Ireland.
www.ncb.org.uk
NCVO - National Council for Voluntary Organisations
Works with and for the voluntary sector in England by providing information, advice and support and by representing the views of the sector to government and policy-makers.
www.ncvo-vol.org.uk
NDC - New Deal for Communities
Programme in the Government's strategy to tackle multiple deprivation in the most deprived neighbourhoods in the country, aiming to give some of the poorest communities the resources to tackle their problems in an intensive and co-ordinated way.
www.neighbourhood.gov.uk/page.asp?id=617
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ND - New Deal
A key part of the government's strategy to get people off benefits and into work. It matches unemployed people to work placements to help them develop skills and experience. Options include New Deal for Young People (NDYP), Environmental Task Force (ETF) and Voluntary Sector Option (VSO).
NDPB - Non Departmental Public Body
A body which has a role in the processes of national government, but is not a government department or part of one, and which accordingly operates to a greater or lesser extent at arm's length from Ministers - e.g. The Audit Commission and The Health and Safety Executive. Can also be referred to as a quango.
NDYP - New Deal for Young People
One of a number of New Deal (ND) programmes delivered by Jobcentre Plus. It aims to improve the employability of young people, aged 18-24, by providing work experience, training and job search skills.
http://www.newdeal.gov.uk
NFP - Not for profit
NGO - Non Governmental Organisation
NHS - National Health Service
Set up in 1948 to provide healthcare for all citizens in the UK, based on need, not the ability to pay. It is made up of a wide range of health professionals, support workers and organisations.
www.nhs.uk
NHSE - National Health Service Executive
The top level of administration of the National Health Service (NHS).
NHS LIFT - Local Improvement Finance Trust
A private limited company set up by the National Health Service (NHS) and private sector property developers under the public-private partnership initiative (PPP) in order to fund, replace and refurbish primary care premises in England.
www.dh.gov.uk
NI - National Insurance
Tax collected from income earners in the UK to provide funds for the provision of welfare benefits such as retirement pensions, maternity pay and sickness and unemployment benefits.
NICE - National Institute of Clinical Excellence
A partnership between the Department of Health (DoH), the National Health Service (NHS), health professionals and patients, to promote the highest quality of treatment and technology in the NHS and the cost-effectiveness of NHS services.
www.nice.org.uk
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NIMBY - Not in my back yard
'Describes the strong personal interests of individuals that can conflict with the needs of a marginalised group within a community – for example, residents who oppose a halfway house for people recovering from mental illness.'
Source: Developing Healthier Communities training book, Health Development Agency
NOCN - National Open College Network
The UK's provider of accreditation services for adult learning.
www.nocn.org.uk
NOS - National Occupational Standards
Statements of competence written to measure performance outcomes at work. Developed by representatives of each occupational area, they form the basis of the National Vocational Qualifications (NVQ) / Scottish Vocational Qualifications (SVQ).
NPS - National Probation Service
Section within the government's Home Office, committed to minimising the impact of crime on communities, the rehabilitation of offenders, and probation.
www.probation.homeoffice.gov.uk
NRF - Neighbourhood Renewal Fund
Funding from the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit (NRU) aiming to improve services and reduce inequalities in the 88 most deprived authorities in England, in collaboration with their Local Strategic Partnership (LSP).
www.neighbourhood.gov.uk
NRS - Neighbourhood Renewal Strategy
Local government strategy developed to enable the area, through the Local Strategic Partnership (LSP), to address deprivation and social exclusion according to the government's National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal (NSNR).
NRU - Neighbourhood Renewal Unit
Government unit responsible for driving progress across government in the area of neighbourhood renewal.
NSF - National Service Framework
National Health Service (NHS) strategy to help establish clear national standards for services. There are NSFs for coronary heart disease, mental health, older people, children, diabetes, renal services and the NHS Cancer Plan.
NSNR - National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal
Strategy from the Neighbourhood Renewal Unit (NRU) setting out the Government's vision for narrowing the gap between deprived neighbourhoods and the rest of the country, so that within 10 to 20 years, no-one should be seriously disadvantaged by where they live.
http://www.neighbourhood.gov.uk/publications.asp?did=85
NVQ - National Vocational Qualification
Work-related nationally recognised qualification, based upon national occupational standards (NOS).
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O
OCN - Open College Network
ODPM - Office of the Deputy Prime Minister
Now disbanded with many responsibilities now sitting with theDepartment for Communities and Local Government (DCLG)
OFSTED - Office for Standards in Education
Non-ministerial government department aiming to help improve the quality and standards of education and childcare through independent inspection and regulation.
www.ofsted.gov.uk
OLAF - European Anti-Fraud Office
Provides support to European Union (EU) member states in fighting fraud as well as carrying out investigations into suspected fraud.
http://europa.eu.int/comm/dgs/olaf
ONS - Office for National Statistics
Collects and distributes official UK statistics on behalf of the government, including the Census and the Labour Force Survey (LFS).
www.statistics.gov.uk
OSC - Overview and Scrutiny Committee
Optional board run by local councils to scrutinise local health and related services. They have the power to refer major concerns to the Secretary of State for Health.
OU - Open University
Distance-learning university in the UK.
www.open.ac.uk
OWW - One World Week
A development education programme, which oversees a week of events each year in October to raise awareness about what’s going on in the world and take action on injustice, poverty and degradation.
www.oneworldweek.org
