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GLOSSARY OF TERMS
Community Health Index ( CHI)
The CHI is a computerised index for patients within the NHS in Scotland. It holds name, address including postcode, date of birth, gender and details of registered GP and date joined GP lists. Each patient on the CHI has a unique 10 digit number ( CHI number) which is used for communications within the NHS.
Compulsory Treatment Order ( CTO)
A CTO authorises the detention in hospital and/or treatment of a person for a period of 6 months. It has a built-in review mechanism. Only the Mental Health Tribunal for Scotland may grant one. A compulsory treatment order may:
authorise the detention in hospital and/or treatment of the person concerned, or impose certain requirements on the person concerned, for example that he or she resides at a specified place or attends a specific place for treatment. This is known as a community-based compulsory treatment order.
NHS Business Services Authority ( BSA) - formerly known as the Prescription Pricing Authority
The NHS Business Services Authority ( BSA) is a Special Health Authority within the National Health Service Executive. The BSA has four main functions: to scrutinise pricing and payment to contractors for the dispensing of National Health Service ( NHS) prescriptions; to provide prescribing and dispensing information to the NHS (excluding hospital dispensing; to manage the National Health Service Low Income Scheme ( LIS); and to prevent prescribing and dispensing fraud within the NHS.
Patient co-payment systems
This is a system in which patients contribute to the cost of their medication.
Prescription Pre-payment Certificate ( PPC)
A PPC is a more cost effective way for higher users to purchase their medication. People who have to pay for more than 5 prescription items in 4 months, or 14 items in 12 months could save money by buying a PPC. At present a 4 month PPC costs £34.65 and a 12 month costs £95.30.
NHS Low Income Scheme ( LIS)
The LIS provides income related help with health costs for people who are not exempt, nor automatically entitled to remission from NHS chargeable services, but who may nevertheless be entitled to help with health costs on low income grounds, for example, NHS prescriptions. Individuals are means tested under the LIS to determine whether they are entitled to help with health costs. LIS assessments are broadly based on Income Support arrangements to determine how much, if anything, a person should contribute towards their health costs.
HC1 form
LIS claims are made using an HC1 form.
HC2 and HC3 certificates
At present, depending on the outcome of the means test under the LIS, applicants will receive either a HC2 or HC3 certificate. The HC2 entitles the holder to exemption from a number of NHS charges including NHS prescriptions. The HC3 entitles the holder to partial help with health charges but no help with prescriptions.
Monetary cap
A monetary cap is where a patient would cease to pay a fee for a pre-determined period of time. For example, an £8 cap might be applied to prescriptions in any one month. Therefore no patient would pay more than this in any one month.
Concessionary rate
A concessionary rate is where a patient would pay a reduced rate for prescriptions for a pre-determined amount of time. For example, a patient could pay £6.65 (full price) for the first item they need in a month and a reduced rate for every other item they need within that month.
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