Plain-English explanations of the technical terms and legislation used in this document.
- Adult at risk
- An adult who needs care and support and, because of those needs, cannot protect themselves from abuse or neglect.
- Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD)
- A condition that develops in childhood and affects attention, activity levels and impulse control, and can continue into adult life.
- Best interests
- A decision made for someone who cannot decide for themselves, choosing the option that is best for them.
- Care Act 2014
- The main law setting out councils' duties to assess and meet adults' care and support needs and to protect adults at risk.
- Care Quality Commission (CQC)
- The independent regulator of health and social care services in England.
- Children Act 1989 and Children Act 2004
- The laws that set out how children's welfare is protected and how agencies must work together to safeguard children.
- Coexisting condition
- Another health condition a person has at the same time as ADHD, such as anxiety, depression or substance misuse, which can change the risks involved.
- Contemporaneous record
- A note written at the time of, or very soon after, the event it describes, so it is accurate and reliable.
- Controlled drug
- A medicine whose supply, storage and records are tightly restricted by law because of its potential for misuse; many ADHD stimulants fall into this group.
- Data Protection Act 2018
- The UK law that governs how organisations may collect, store and use people's personal information.
- Diversion
- Passing prescribed medication, such as a stimulant, to someone it was not prescribed for, by selling, sharing or giving it away.
- Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency (DVLA)
- The government body that issues driving licences in Great Britain and must be told about medical conditions that can affect safe driving.
- Duty of candour
- The legal duty to be open and honest with a person and their family when something goes wrong with their care.
- Fitness to drive
- Whether a person's medical condition or its treatment is compatible with driving safely.
- General practitioner (GP)
- A family doctor who provides everyday medical care in the community and often coordinates a patient's wider care.
- Governance
- The systems and meetings an organisation uses to oversee quality and safety and to act on what it learns.
- Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014
- The regulations setting out the fundamental standards that providers of regulated care must meet, including safe care (Regulation 12) and safeguarding (Regulation 13).
- Mental capacity
- Whether a person can understand and make a particular decision for themselves at the time it needs to be made.
- Mental Capacity Act 2005
- The law that protects and supports people who may be unable to make particular decisions for themselves.
- National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
- The national body that produces evidence-based guidance on treatments and care for the health and care system.
- Near miss
- An event that could have caused harm but did not, by chance or because it was caught in time.
- NICE guideline NG87
- The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence guideline on diagnosing and managing ADHD, which sets the expected standard of care.
- Notifiable event
- An incident a provider is legally required to report to the regulator, such as a death or serious injury.
- Public-interest disclosure
- Sharing confidential information without consent when it is necessary to prevent serious harm to the patient or to others.
- Registered Manager
- The person registered with the regulator as responsible for the day-to-day running of a service.
- Regulated activity
- A type of care or treatment the law requires a provider to register with the regulator to deliver.
- Responsible clinician
- The clinician with overall responsibility for a patient's assessment, treatment and risk decisions.
- Risk assessment
- A structured check identifying what could cause harm to a patient or others and what is being done to prevent it.
- Safeguarding
- Protecting people's health, wellbeing and rights and keeping them safe from abuse, harm or neglect.
- Safeguarding lead
- The named member of staff who advises on safeguarding concerns and supports the team to act on them.
- Single assessment framework
- The structure the regulator uses to judge a service, built around quality statements and five key questions (safe, effective, caring, responsive, well-led).
- Stimulant
- A type of medicine commonly used to treat ADHD that increases alertness and concentration and is controlled because it can be misused.
- Substance misuse
- Harmful use of alcohol or drugs, including using prescribed medicines in a way other than directed.
- Titration
- Gradually adjusting the dose of a medicine to find the amount that works best with the fewest side effects.
- UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR)
- The UK's main data-protection law governing how personal information is collected and used.