Plain-English explanations of the technical terms and legislation used in this document.
- Anaphylaxis
- A severe, life-threatening allergic reaction needing immediate emergency treatment.
- Aseptic non-touch technique
- A way of carrying out a procedure that avoids touching the parts that must stay clean, to prevent infection.
- Basic life support (BLS)
- Emergency first-aid measures such as chest compressions and rescue breaths used to keep someone alive until help arrives.
- Best interests
- A decision made for someone who cannot decide for themselves, choosing the option that is best for them.
- Care Quality Commission (CQC)
- The independent regulator of health and social care services in England.
- CE or UKCA marking
- A manufacturer's mark showing a device meets the safety standards required to be sold in Europe (CE) or Great Britain (UKCA).
- Cold urticaria
- A condition where the skin reacts to cold with hives, swelling or, rarely, a severe whole-body reaction.
- Contraindication
- A reason why a particular treatment should not be given to a specific person because it could cause harm.
- Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Regulations 2002 (COSHH)
- The law for safely managing chemicals and other hazardous substances at work.
- Cryocautery
- Destroying unwanted skin tissue, such as a wart, by freezing it.
- Cryogen
- A very cold substance, such as liquid nitrogen or carbon dioxide, used to produce freezing temperatures.
- Cryoglobulinaemia
- A blood condition in which certain proteins clump together in the cold, which can make cold treatments unsafe.
- Cryolipolysis
- A non-surgical fat-reduction treatment that uses controlled cooling to break down fat cells (also called fat freezing).
- Cryosurgery
- The use of extreme cold to remove or destroy abnormal tissue.
- Cryotherapy
- The controlled use of extreme cold to treat skin conditions or for aesthetic purposes.
- Decontamination
- The combined process of cleaning, disinfecting and, where needed, sterilising equipment so it is safe to reuse.
- Dewar
- An insulated container designed to store and transport very cold liquids such as liquid nitrogen.
- Duty of candour
- The legal duty to be open and honest with a person and their family when something goes wrong with their care.
- Erythema
- Redness of the skin caused by irritation, inflammation or treatment.
- Fundamental standards
- The minimum standards of safety and quality below which care must never fall.
- General practitioner (GP)
- A doctor who provides general medical care in the community and can refer patients to specialists.
- Hepatitis B
- A virus that infects the liver and can be passed on through blood and body fluids; staff can be vaccinated against it.
- Informed consent
- Agreement to treatment given freely after the risks, benefits and alternatives have been clearly explained.
- Liquid nitrogen
- An extremely cold liquid used to freeze tissue in cryotherapy; it can cause cold burns and, in enclosed spaces, displace oxygen.
- Mental capacity
- Whether a person can understand and make a particular decision for themselves at the time it needs to be made.
- Near miss
- An event that could have caused harm but did not, by chance or because it was caught in time.
- Paradoxical adipose hyperplasia
- An uncommon side effect of fat-freezing where the treated fat area grows larger instead of smaller.
- Personal protective equipment (PPE)
- Items such as gloves, aprons, masks and face shields worn to protect against harm or infection.
- Pressure Systems Safety Regulations 2000
- The law requiring equipment holding gases or liquids under pressure, such as gas cylinders, to be safe and properly maintained.
- Provision and Use of Work Equipment Regulations 1998 (PUWER)
- The law requiring work equipment to be suitable, safe, maintained and used only by trained people.
- Raynaud's phenomenon
- A condition where cold or stress causes blood vessels in the fingers and toes to narrow, reducing blood flow.
- 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.
- Reporting of Injuries, Diseases and Dangerous Occurrences Regulations 2013 (RIDDOR)
- The law requiring certain workplace injuries, diseases and dangerous events to be reported to the Health and Safety Executive.
- Residual risk
- The level of risk that remains once the existing controls and safety measures are taken into account.
- Risk assessment
- A structured check identifying what could cause harm and what is being done to prevent it.
- Risk register
- A central record of the main risks a service faces, together with the controls and actions in place to manage them.
- Safeguarding
- Protecting people's health, wellbeing and rights and keeping them safe from abuse, harm or neglect.
- Seborrhoeic keratosis
- A common, non-cancerous, wart-like growth on the skin that increases with age.
- 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).
- UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR)
- The UK's main data-protection law governing how personal information is collected and used.