Social care glossary
The social care sector is filled with lots of jargon. We’ve created this handy glossary packed with common social care key terms that you and the person receiving care may need to understand.
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Duty of Care
A legal and professional obligation to provide a reasonable standard of care to patients, avoiding acts or omissions that could foreseeably cause harm.
CyberEssentials
A UK government-backed scheme to help organisations protect themselves against common cyber threats.
Customer Relations Manager
Customer Relations Manager is a management role overseeing the customer relations team.
Customer Relations Officers
Customer Relations Officers are staff members who manage relationships between clients and care workers.
CQC (Care Quality Commission)
The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is an independent regulator of health and adult social care in England. Unity Plus is proud to be regulated by the CQC giving individuals confidence in the care they receive from our staff.
CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation)
An emergency procedure that combines chest compressions, often with artificial ventilation, in an effort to manually preserve intact brain function until further measures are taken to restore spontaneous blood circulation and breathing in a person who is in cardiac arrest.
Corporate Governance Lead
A role ensuring an organisation operates at the highest regulatory standards.
Controlled Drugs
Medications that are subject to strict legal controls due to their potential for misuse.
Consent (Informed)
The principle is that a patient must be given sufficient information to make an informed decision about their treatment.
Compliance
Adherence to laws, regulations, and standards.
Communication Skills
Effective verbal and non-verbal communication with patients, families, and multidisciplinary team members, including de-escalation techniques and breaking bad news.
Clinical Observations
Clinical Observations are the regular measurement and recording of a patient’s vital signs (e.g., temperature, pulse, respiration rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, level of consciousness) to monitor their condition.
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Duty of Care
A legal and professional obligation to provide a reasonable standard of care to patients, avoiding acts or omissions that could foreseeably cause harm.
Controlled Drugs
Medications that are subject to strict legal controls due to their potential for misuse.
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Corporate Governance Lead
A role ensuring an organisation operates at the highest regulatory standards.
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Clinical Observations
Clinical Observations are the regular measurement and recording of a patient’s vital signs (e.g., temperature, pulse, respiration rate, blood pressure, oxygen saturation, level of consciousness) to monitor their condition.
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CPR (Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation)
An emergency procedure that combines chest compressions, often with artificial ventilation, in an effort to manually preserve intact brain function until further measures are taken to restore spontaneous blood circulation and breathing in a person who is in cardiac arrest.