Plain-English explanations of the technical terms and legislation used in this document.
- Amenorrhoea
- The absence of menstrual periods, which can be a sign of severe weight loss or an eating disorder.
- Anorexia nervosa
- An eating disorder in which a person keeps their body weight very low by restricting food, driven by an intense fear of gaining weight.
- Asynchronous care
- A model of care where the patient and clinician are not in contact at the same time, for example a questionnaire completed online and reviewed later by a prescriber.
- Avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID)
- An eating disorder where a person avoids or limits food for reasons other than concern about weight or shape, such as taste, texture or fear of choking.
- Beat
- The main United Kingdom charity supporting people affected by eating disorders.
- Best interests
- A decision made for someone who cannot decide for themselves, choosing the option that is best for them.
- Binge eating disorder (BED)
- An eating disorder involving recurring episodes of eating large amounts of food while feeling a loss of control.
- Blood-borne virus (BBV)
- An infection such as hepatitis B, hepatitis C or HIV that can be passed on through blood.
- Body Mass Index (BMI)
- A measure of weight relative to height (kilograms per metre squared) used as one indicator of whether someone is underweight, a healthy weight or overweight.
- Bradycardia
- An abnormally slow heart rate, which can be a sign of physical instability in severe eating disorders.
- Bulimia nervosa
- An eating disorder marked by cycles of overeating followed by behaviour such as vomiting or laxative use to avoid weight gain.
- Care Act 2014
- The main law setting out councils' duties to protect adults who have care and support needs from abuse or neglect.
- Care Quality Commission (CQC)
- The independent regulator of health and social care services in England.
- Compensatory behaviour
- Actions taken to counteract eating, such as self-induced vomiting, laxative misuse or excessive exercise.
- Contemporaneous record
- A record made at the time of, or very soon after, the event it describes.
- Contraindication
- A reason a particular treatment should not be given because it would be unsafe for that person.
- Duty of candour
- The legal duty to be open and honest with a person and their family when something goes wrong with their care.
- Eating disorder
- A mental health condition involving an unhealthy relationship with food, eating and body weight or shape.
- Electrolyte disturbance
- An imbalance of salts and minerals in the blood that can become dangerous and is common in eating disorders.
- General Pharmaceutical Council (GPhC)
- The body that regulates pharmacists, pharmacy technicians and registered pharmacies in Great Britain.
- General practitioner (GP)
- A family doctor who provides general medical care in the community.
- GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist
- A medicine (such as tirzepatide) that acts on two gut hormone pathways to reduce appetite and support weight loss.
- GLP-1 receptor agonist
- A type of medicine (such as semaglutide or liraglutide) that helps control blood sugar and appetite and is used in some weight loss treatments.
- Health and Social Care Act 2008 (Regulated Activities) Regulations 2014
- The regulations setting out the fundamental standards of safety and quality that registered care providers must meet.
- Hypotension
- Abnormally low blood pressure, which can cause dizziness or fainting and may signal physical instability.
- Informed consent
- Agreement to treatment given freely after the risks, benefits and alternatives have been clearly explained.
- Lanugo hair
- Fine, soft body hair that can grow in response to severe undernutrition or very low body weight.
- Liraglutide
- A GLP-1 receptor agonist medicine used in the treatment of obesity and type 2 diabetes.
- Local authority
- The council responsible for local public services, including adult and children's social care and safeguarding.
- 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 health and social care in England.
- Nominated Individual
- The senior person responsible to the regulator for supervising how a service is provided.
- Non-medical prescriber
- A trained health professional, such as a pharmacist or nurse, who is qualified to prescribe medicines without being a doctor.
- Notifiable event
- An incident a provider is legally required to report to the regulator, such as a death or serious injury.
- Other specified feeding or eating disorder (OSFED)
- An eating disorder that causes significant distress or harm but does not fit the exact criteria for anorexia, bulimia or binge eating disorder.
- Paediatrician
- A doctor who specialises in the medical care of children and young people.
- Parotid swelling
- Enlargement of the salivary glands near the jaw, which can occur with repeated vomiting.
- Prescription-only medicine (POM)
- A medicine that may lawfully be supplied only on the instruction of an appropriate prescriber.
- Red flag
- A warning sign that indicates a possible serious problem requiring the consultation to stop and the case to be escalated.
- Registered dietitian
- A regulated health professional qualified to give expert advice on diet and nutrition.
- Registered Manager
- The person registered with the regulator as responsible for the day-to-day running of a service.
- Responsible Pharmacist
- The pharmacist legally accountable for the safe and effective running of a pharmacy at a given time.
- Risk assessment
- A structured check identifying what could cause harm and what is being done to prevent it.
- Russell's sign
- Calluses or scarring on the knuckles caused by repeatedly inducing vomiting.
- Safeguarding
- Protecting people's health, wellbeing and rights and keeping them safe from abuse, harm or neglect.
- SCOFF
- A short five-question screening tool used to help identify whether someone may have an eating disorder.
- Section 42 enquiry
- A formal investigation a council must make under the Care Act 2014 when an adult with care and support needs may be at risk of abuse or neglect.
- Semaglutide
- A GLP-1 receptor agonist medicine used for weight management and type 2 diabetes.
- Signposting
- Directing a person to another service or source of support that can help them.
- Summary care record
- An electronic record holding key information about a patient's medicines, allergies and conditions that authorised clinicians may access with appropriate permission.
- Superintendent Pharmacist
- The senior pharmacist with overall professional responsibility for how a registered pharmacy business operates.
- Syncope
- A temporary loss of consciousness, commonly known as fainting.
- Tirzepatide
- A GIP/GLP-1 receptor agonist medicine used for weight management and type 2 diabetes.
- Very low calorie programme
- A strictly limited eating plan, usually below 800 calories a day, that should only be used under clinical supervision.
- Working Together to Safeguard Children 2023
- The statutory guidance setting out how organisations and agencies must work together to keep children safe.