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Glossary of acronyms commonly used in pharmacy

Glossary of acronyms commonly used in pharmacy

The world of pharmacy and the NHS is constantly evolving, with new acronyms, and names for services and systems emerging on a regular basis. It can be difficult to keep up with the acronyms and many of them look and sound similar to each other. PSNC has compiled the below list of acronyms that are commonly used in community pharmacy and NHS policy.

This page will be updated regularly. Last updated 24th February 2022.

Click on a heading below to view a list of acronyms:

A-F

Acronym Meaning
ABPI Association of the British Pharmaceutical Industry
AHSN Academic Health Science Network
AIMp/AIM Association of Independent Multiple Pharmacies
AIV Average Item Value
APPG All-Party Pharmacy Group
APTUK Association of Pharmacy Technicians UK
AUR Appliance Use Review
BNF British National Formulary
CAS Central Alerting System
CAS Clinical Assessment Services
CCA Company Chemists’ Association
CCG Clinical Commissioning Group
CD Controlled Drug
CEV Clinically Extremely Vulnerable
CG Clinical Governance
CIS Care Identity Service
CPAF Community Pharmacy Assurance Framework
CPCF Community Pharmacy Contractual Framework
CPCS Community Pharmacist Consultation Service
CPD Continuing Professional Development
CPFV Community Pharmacy Forward View
CPN Community Pharmacy News
CPNI Community Pharmacy Northern Ireland
CPPE Centre for Pharmacy Postgraduate Education
CPPQ Community Pharmacy Patient Questionnaire
CPS Community Pharmacy Scotland
CPW Community Pharmacy Wales
CQC Care Quality Commission
CSU Commissioning Support Unit
DDA Disability Discrimination Act 1995
DHSC Department of Health and Social Care
DM+D Dictionary of Medicines and Devices
DMIRS Digital Minor Illness Referral Service
DMS Discharge Medicines Service
DoC Declaration of Competence
DoS Directory of Services
DSP Distance Selling Pharmacy
DSP toolkit Data Security & Protection toolkit
DT Drug Tariff
EHC Emergency Hormonal Contraception
EPS Electronic Prescription Service
eRD Electronic Repeat Dispensing
ESP Essential Small Pharmacies
FMD Falsified Medicines Directive
FTP Fitness to Practise

G-K

Acronym Meaning
GDPR General Data Protection Regulation
GPhC General Pharmaceutical Council
HCV Hepatitis C Virus 
HEE Health Education England
HLP Healthy Living Pharmacy
HMR Human Medicines Regulations
HUHY Help Us Help You (campaign)
HWB Health and Wellbeing Board
ICB Integrated Care Board
ICS Integrated Care System
IG Information Governance
IIF Investment and Impact Fund
IPMO Integrating NHS Pharmacy and Medicines Optimisation programme
JCVI Joint Committee on Vaccination and Immunisation
JHWS Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategies
JSNA Joint Strategic Needs Assessments

L-P

Acronym Meaning
LA Local Authority
LASA Look-Alike Sound-Alike
LES Local Enhanced Service 
LFD Lateral Flow Devices
LFPSE Learn From Patient Safety Events
LPC Local Pharmaceutical Committee
LPN Local Professional Network
LPS Local Pharmaceutical Services
LSA Local Smartcard Administrator
LVS Local Vaccination Services
MDS Monitored Dosage System
MECC Making Every Contact Count
MHRA Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency
MSO Medication Safety Officer 
MUR Medicines Use Review
MYS Manage Your Service
NAPC National Association of Primary Care
NCSO No Cheaper Stock Obtainable
NES National Enhanced Service
NHS LTP NHS Long Term Plan
NHSBSA NHS Business Services Authority
NHSE&I NHS England and NHS Improvement
NHS SPS NHS Specialist Pharmacy Service 
NIB National Information Board
NICE National Institute for Health and Care Excellence 
NIHR National Institute for Health Research
NMS New Medicine Service 
NPA National Pharmacy Association
NPSA National Patient Safety Agency
NRLS National Reporting and Learning System 
NUMSAS NHS Urgent Medicine Supply Advanced Service
ODN Operational Delivery Network
ODS Organisation Data Service
OHID Office for Health Improvement and Disparities
OOH Out of Hours
PAGB Proprietary Association of Great Britain
PCN Primary Care Network
PCN Penalty Charge Notice
PCN DES PCN Directed Enhanced Service
PCSE Primary Care Support England
PEPS Pharmacy Earlier Payment Scheme
PGD Patient Group Direction
PhAS Pharmacy Access Scheme
PHE Public Health England
PhIF Pharmacy Integration Fund
PMR Patient Medication Record
PNA Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment
PPC Prescription Prepayment Certificate
PPE Personal Protective Equipment
PQS Pharmacy Quality Scheme (formerly Quality Payments Scheme)
PTP Pandemic Treatment Protocols
PWID People Who Inject Drugs

Q-Z

Acronym Meaning
QPS Quality Payments Scheme (now Pharmacy Quality Scheme)
RA Registration Authority
RMOC Regional Medicines Optimisation Committee
RP Responsible Pharmacist
RPS Royal Pharmaceutical Society
RTEC Real Time Exemption Checking
SAC Stoma Appliance Customisation
SAF Single Activity Fee
SCR Summary Care Record
SCS Smoking Cessation Service
SMR Structured Medication Reviews
SPS Specialist Pharmacy Service
SSB Sugar Sweetened Beverage
SSP Serious Shortage Protocol
STP Sustainability and Transformation Partnership
TCAM Transfer of Care Around Medicines
UEC Urgent and Emergency Care
UKHSA UK Health Security Agency
WHO World Health Organization


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