Understanding Your Health: A Patient’s Jargon Buster

Visiting your GP, getting test results, or reading a medical letter can sometimes feel confusing. You might see unfamiliar words, abbreviations, or medical terms for diagnoses and conditions.

The good news? You don’t need a medical degree to understand your care.

This guide explains common terms, staff roles, and NHS services in plain language so you can feel confident managing your health.

Common medical terms you might hear

When you come to your GP, take a test, or get a prescription, you might hear medical words that sound complicated. Here’s a list of common terms explained in plain English so you know what your doctor or nurse is talking about.

• Acute – a condition that comes on suddenly, often needing quick treatment (for example, a chest infection).
• Chronic – a condition that lasts a long time or keeps coming back, like asthma or diabetes.
• Benign – not cancerous and usually not dangerous.
• Malignant – cancerous, and may spread if not treated.
• Target Blood Pressure – safe range for you based on age, gender and ethnicity.
• Hypertension – higher blood pressure than target range.
• Hypotension – lower blood pressure than target range.
• BMI (Body Mass Index) – a way of checking if your weight is in a healthy range, based on your height and weight.
• Cardiovascular – anything to do with the heart and blood vessels.
• Respiratory – to do with breathing and the lungs.
• Side effects – extra symptoms caused by a treatment or medicine, which may or may not be bothersome.
• Referral – when your GP arranges for you to see a specialist or another service.
• Self-referral – a specialsit service you can get in touch with without needing to see a GP first.
• Screening – a health check offered to people without symptoms, to spot problems early (like cervical screening).
• Vaccination/Immunisation/Inoculation – an injection or treatment that helps protect you from illness.
• Dosage – the amount of medicine you should take and how often.
• Symptoms – things you notice or feel in your body (like pain, cough, or tiredness).
• Diagnosis – the name or label for the condition your doctor thinks you have.
• Prognosis – what is likely to happen in the future with your illness or treatment.

Parts of the NHS

The NHS is made up of many different organisations and services, and it can sometimes feel confusing. Here’s a simple explanation of the parts you’re most likely to interact with.

• NHS – National Health Service, the public health system in the UK
• DHSC – Department of Health & Social Care, the government department responsible for the NHS.
• ICB – Integrated Care Board, regional organisations that plan and pays for health services.
• PCN – Primary Care Network, a group of neighbouring GP Practices that work together.
• GP Practice – your local surgery, normally owned and run by Partners and contracted to provide care for patients.
• Primary Care – first point of contact for health concerns, including GP practices or Pharmacists.
• Secondary Care – specialist care for a particular problem, usually in a hospital with a consultant or surgeon. GP practices refer you to Secondary Care.
• Community Care – care provided outside of a hospital or GP practice, for example District Nurses, Health Visitors.

Roles in Primary Care

Your GP practice and local Primary Care Network have many staff who work together to look after you. Here’s a quick guide to who does what (to see who is who at Roseworth Surgery, go to Our People)

• ACP (Advanced Clinical Practitioner) – a highly trained clinician who can assess, diagnose, and treat a wide range of health problems.
• ANP (Advanced Nurse Practitioner) – a nurse with extra training who can take on some duties similar to a GP, including prescribing and managing complex cases.
• APNP (Advanced Practice Nurse Practitioner) – another term for an advanced nurse who can assess, diagnose, and treat patients independently.
• Nurse Associate – a nurse who provides hands-on care and supports registered nurses in the practice.
• CPN (Community Psychiatric Nurse) – a nurse who supports people with mental health conditions in the community.
• HCA (Healthcare Assistant) – assists nurses and other staff with basic care, like checking blood pressure, helping with mobility, and supporting patients.
• SPLW (Social Prescribing Link Worker) – helps patients access non-medical support, like community activities, social groups, and wellbeing services.
• Clinical Pharmacist – works with your GP practice to review your medications, ensures they are safe, and advises on the best ways to take them.
• Pharmacy Technician – supports Clinical Pharmacists with prescriptions, medicine checks, and safe supply of medications.
• Community Pharmacist – a pharmacist based in your local pharmacy who gives advice, supplies medicines, and helps manage minor health problems.

Your Medical Records

When you use the NHS App, check your test results, or read letters from your GP or a Hospital, you might notice shorthand, abbreviations, or unfamiliar terms.

This section explains the most common ones in plain language, so you can understand your consultations, tests, diagnoses, and results more easily.

• Consultations/Examinations
  • F2F – face-to-face consultation
  • Tel / Tele – telephone consultation
  • VC – video consultation
  • Obs – observations (vital signs like BP, pulse, temperature)
  • Exam – physical examination
  • BP – blood pressure
  • HR / PR – heart rate / pulse rate
  • Temp – temperature
• Tests
  • FBC – Full Blood Count
  • U&E / EUC – Electrolytes and Kidney Function (Urea & Electrolytes)
  • LFT – Liver Function Test
  • HbA1c – blood test to check diabetes control
  • CRP – C-Reactive Protein (marker of inflammation)
  • X-ray / CT / MRI / USS – imaging tests (X-ray, CT scan, MRI scan, Ultrasound Scan)
  • ECG / EKG – heart tracing (electrocardiogram)
  • BP – blood pressure measurement
  • Chol / Lipids – cholesterol / blood fat levels
• Diagnoses
  • Dx – diagnosis
  • DDx – differential diagnosis (a list of possible conditions)
  • Chronic – long-term condition
  • Acute – short-term or sudden condition
  • Unconfirmed / Suspected – condition that is still being investigated
  • Confirmed – diagnosis verified after tests or review
  • Exacerbation / Flare – worsening of a long-term condition, like asthma or arthritis
• Results
  • WNL – Within Normal Limits
  • H / High – result is above normal range
  • L / Low – result is below normal range
  • Abn / Abnormal – outside expected range
  • Pending / In progress – result not yet available
  • Reviewed / Actioned – clinician has seen the result and may have recommended follow-up
  • CR – complete remission (often used in long-term conditions or cancer follow-up)
  • NR / No Result – test did not give a usable result

The NHS has a much longer list of abbreviations you may find in your health records.