P-S
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P
PAT - Policy Action Team
Government policy-making team set up by the Social Exclusion Unit (SEU) to provide the basis for the National Strategy for Neighbourhood Renewal (NSNR).
PAYE - Pay As You Earn
Scheme where an employer takes tax from weekly or monthly earnings and pays it over to the Inland Revenue.
PCO - Primary Care Organisation
Generic term for an organisation responsible for initial health care, such as GP practices and non-hospital based NHS services. PCOs are managed by the local PCT in England, the LHB in Wales and LHCB in Scotland.
PCT - Primary Care Trust
Local health organisations responsible for managing primary care services in the local area. They work with local authorities and other agencies that provide health and social care locally to make sure the community's needs are being met.
www.nhs.uk/thenhsexplained/glossary.asp#g13
www.nhs.uk/root/localnhsservices/list_orgs.asp?ot=5__ (list of PCTS in England)
PDF - Portable Document Format
A universal file format, created by software company Adobe, that is often used for documents on the web. It reduces the size of large files, is searchable, and preserves the original layout of any document.
PFI - Private Finance Initiative
A form of leasing where public authorities pay charges for buildings and services (such as hospitals, schools, prisons and roads) over 25 or 30 years rather than borrowing money to pay for the building.
www.hm-treasury.gov.uk
http://society.guardian.co.uk/privatefinance/0,8145,390100,00.html
PPI - Patient and Public Involvement
National Health Service (NHS) term for enabling patients to be as involved as they want to be in decisions about their care and enabling communities to be involved in their local health service.
PPIF - Patient and Public Involvement Forum
Independent statutory body in every National Health Service (NHS) Trust and Primary Care Trust (PCT), which monitors and reviews local services and the effectiveness of Patient Advocacy and Liaison Service and activity in GP practices.
PPP - Public Private Partnership
A contract for work between the public sector, such as a local authority or the NHS, and a private sector organisation. See also PFI.
PQASSO - Practical Quality Assurance System for Small Organisations
A simple, flexible, self-assessment tool developed by Charities Evaluation Service (CES) specifically for small voluntary organisations with up to 20 paid staff.
www.ces-vol.org.uk/html/about_pqasso.htm
PRG - Project Review Group
Part of the Treasury in central government that oversees Private Finance Initiative (PFI), deciding whether a PFI Project can go ahead and how much government money each project receives.
www.hm-treasury.gov.uk
PSA - Public Service Agreement
Contract which sets out what a government department or local authority will deliver in the form of measurable targets over the Spending Review (SR) period, in return for its agreed expenditure.
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Q
QUANGO - Quasi-Autonomous Non-Governmental Organisation
Bodies which are part of national government but operate at arm's length from government departments - e.g. The Audit Commission and The Health and Safety Executive. Can also be referred to as a non departmental public body (NDPB).
R
RB - Responsible Body
Government term for the organisation accountable for programme spend.
RCC - Rural Community Council
County-based charities working to promote the welfare of local rural communities through voluntary effort and by encouraging people to help themselves.
RCO - Refugee Community Organisations
Term for organisations that are initiated and led by asylum seekers and refugees themselves.
RDA - Regional Development Agency
Non-departmental public bodies (NDPBs) which promote economic development and regeneration in the English regions. Examples include Yorkshire Forward and Advantage West Midlands.
www.rdauk.org
RDA - Rural Development Area
Rural areas of England which are seen to be of the greatest economic and social need, and which become a target area for regeneration assistance.
RDP - Rural Development Programme
All European Union (EU) member states are required to operate RDPs, which aim to create a productive and sustainable rural economy and conserve and enhance the rural environment.
RES - Regional Economic Strategy
Strategy from each Regional Development Ageny (RDA) in England, which sets out and assesses the current economic, social and environmental picture in the region and outlines how the RDA will address key issues for the region over the next 5 - 10 years.
RSL - Registered Social Landlord
Social landlords that are registered with the Housing Corporation — most are housing associations, but there are also trusts, co-operatives and companies.
RVSN - Regional Voluntary Sector Network
A network in each of the nine English regions, made up of largely grassroots organisations that have evolved from the local scene in response to the voluntary and community sector's (VCS) need to keep track of the changing face of regional government.
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S
SBS - Small Business Service
Agency within central government, aiming to promote the UK as one of the best places in the world to start and grow a business.
www.sbs.gov.uk
SCVO - Scottish Council for Voluntary Organisations
The umbrella body for voluntary organisations in Scotland.
www.scvo.org.uk
SDA - Sex Discrimination Act
British law since 1975, which prohibits sex discrimination against individuals in the areas of employment, education, and the provision of goods, facilities and services and in the disposal or management of premises.
SEN - Special Education Needs
Term to describe a child who has a learning difficulty that needs special teaching.
SEO - Social Entrepreneurial Organisation
Term for organisations that apply the techniques of business entrepreneurship to achieve social goals.
SLA - Service Level Agreement
A contract for the provision or receipt of any important service, which defines the parameters for the delivery of that service, for the benefit of both parties.
SMART - Specific, Measurable, Achievable, Realistic, Time related
Performance management term which outlines the criteria for objectives, activities or targets to ensure their appropriateness for the task.
SME - Small or Medium Sized Enterprise
Companies employing less than 250 employees.
SMP - Statutory Maternity Pay
Payment from an employer to female employees who take maternity leave or leave employment because of pregnancy or childbirth, paid for up to 26 weeks.
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SOFA - Statement of Financial Activities
A requirement of all charity accounts, introduced by the Statement of Recommended Practice (SORP), it is a method of analysing all income and capital in a way that shows what happened to it.
SORP - Statement of Recommended Practice
Recommendations issued by the Charity Commission on the way in which a charity should report annually on the finances and resources entrusted to it.
SR - Spending Review
Document which sets three-year Departmental Expenditure Limits (DEL) for government and (through Public Service Agreements) defines the key improvements that the public can expect from these resources.
SSC - Sector Skills Council
Independent, employer-led UK-wide organisation developed by groups of employers in industry or business sectors. They aim to tackle the skills and productivity needs of their sector.
SSP - Statutory Sick Pay
An earnings replacement to help employees when they are unable to work because they are sick.
SSP - Sub-regional Strategic Partnership
Partnerships which bring together a wide range of interests – including business, public sector, voluntary and community groups - to help see the Regional economic Strategy (RES) delivered in local communities. It is overseen by the Regional Development Agency (RDA).
SSSC - Scottish Social Services Council
The employment-led body leading on education, training and workforce development strategy for social care in Scotland.
www.sssc.uk.com
SU - Strategy Unit
Government unit accountable to the Cabinet Office, aiming to improve the government's capacity to address strategic, cross-cutting issues and promote innovation in the development of policy and the delivery of the objectives.
www.strategy.gov.uk
SWOT - Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats
Business management term used to provide a framework which an organisation can use to conduct a structured analysis of its operations and identify growth opportunities.
