The folllowing pages contain a handy guide to some of the Jargon surrounding Mental Health and Wellbeing. This is by no means an exhaustive list but is there to provide a guide to get you started. I would always recommend that if someone uses jargon that you ask them to explain what they mean.

ABLE-BODIED Dictionaries say that ‘able-bodied’ means someone who is ‘strong’, ‘healthy’ or ‘phyically fit’. The term is often used to refer to people who are not disabled.

ABLEISM Prejudice or discrimination aimed at disabled people. Ableism sees disabled people as lesser or not ‘normal’, suggesting disability people need fixing, treating or curing. Examples of ableism include asking what is ‘wrong’ with a disabled person, saying that a person ‘doesn’t look disabled’ or suggesting disabled people are inspirational or brave for doing everyday things like going to work. At a wider scale, ableism can include inaccessible buildings or a lack of reasonable adjustments in education or in the workplace.

ABROSEXUAL Refers to an individual whose sexuality is fluid and fluctuates between different sexualities. This can include changes in both sexual and romantic orientation.

ABUSE. Harm that is caused by anyone who has power over another person, which may include family members, friends, unpaid carers and health or social care workers. It can take various forms, including physical harm or neglect, and verbal, emotional or sexual abuse. Adults at risk can also be the victim of financial abuse from people they trust. Abuse may be carried out by individuals or by the organisation that employs them

ACCELERATED ACCESS COLLABORATIVE A group of health professionals who work with NHS England to speed up new treatments becoming available to patients on the NHS. They identify specific health conditions and types of treatment as priorities, and make sure that these treatments are developed and agreed for use as quickly as possible.

ACCELERATED ACCESS PATHWAY. A fast-track route for new medicines and treatments to reach patients on the NHS. Medicines with the greatest potential to be effective could be available on the NHS up to four years earlier than under the usual process.

ACCESS. The opportunity to use, get or benefit from something. Disabled people may need changes to be made so they have full access to things including information, transport, employment opportunities and buildings.

ACCESS TO WORK. A scheme run by the government that provides practical advice and financial support to help people with mental health challenges and disabled people to find or stay in work. It can pay for things like someone to help people communicate at a job interview, special equipment to help people do the job, or additional travel costs.

ACCOUNTABILITY. When a person or organisation is responsible for ensuring that things happen, and is expected to explain what happened and why.

ACQUIRED COGNITIVE IMPAIRMENT Any cognitive impairment that develops after birth, including traumatic brain injury, stroke, and neurodegenerative conditions such as dementia.

ACQUIRED IMPAIRMENT An impairment that a person is not born with but is caused, or develops during their life, by an injury or illness.

ACTIVATED PATIENT Someone who has a good understanding of their health condition and the treatment they are receiving, and is able to communicate confidently with people working in health care. Rather than just ‘receiving care’, ‘activated patients’ are actively involved in looking after their own health.

ACTIVE LISTENING A way of listening that means people are fully heard and understood. Someone who is actively listening to a person will not be making assumptions or jumping to conclusions. They will be giving the person their full attention and will be genuinely interested in what the person is communicating. They won’t be interrupting or doing other things. They will usually check with the person that they understand what is being communicated.

ACTIVE PARTICIPATION Participation means taking part in something, like people taking part in decisions that affect them, and being part of community life. Active participation is a way of working that supports people’s right to participate in everyday life with as much choice and control as possible. People are seen as equal citizens and active partners in their care and support rather than being a passive recipient of care.

ACTIVE SUPPORT Support based on what people can and want to do, that means they can take part in everyday life and do the things that matter to them.

ACTIVITIES OF DAILY LIVING Things people do every day to look after themselves, such as eating, washing, dressing and using the toilet.

ACUTE CARE Health care that people receive in hospital following an injury, operation or illness. It is different to any treatment people may receive for an ongoing health condition from their GP, community nurse or other health care workers in their local community.

ADHD A form of neurodivergence that affects people’s behaviour. ADHD stands for Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder

ADP (ADULT DISABILITY PAYMENTS) is a non means tested benefit for people in Scotland who have a disability or long-term health condition

ADULT AT RISK An ‘adult at risk’ means an adult who is experiencing, or at risk of, abuse or neglect. Local councils have duties in relation to safeguarding adults at risk, who are defined as adults who have needs for care and support (whether or not the local council is meeting their needs) AND who are experiencing or at risk of abuse or neglect AND who, as a result of their care and support needs, are unable to protect themselves from either the risk or experience of abuse or neglect.

ADULT SOCIAL CARE The Care Act 2014 defines ‘adult social care’ as including “all forms of personal care and other practical assistance for individuals who, by reason of age, illness, disability, pregnancy, childbirth, dependence on alcohol or drugs, or any other similar circumstances, are in need of such care or other assistance.”

ADULT SOCIAL CARE OUTCOMES FRAMEWORK (ASCOF) A tool that the Department of Health and Social Care and NHS England use to measure how well care and support services do the things that matter most to people. The framework focuses on six main areas: people’s quality of life, independence, empowerment, safety, social connections, and continuity and quality of care.

ADULT SOCIAL CARE CHARGING REFORM. Changes proposed by the government in 2021 to the way local councils should charge people for adult social care. These changes were due to be made in October 2023 but were postponed until October 2025 in the government’s Autumn Statement in November 2023

ADULTS WITH CARE AND SUPPORT NEEDS. People over the age of 18 years who require care and support to live their life. Depending on the context, this could be adults accessing a particular care and support service, or adults who requires care and support who have needs that have not been met (for example, someone coming forward for an assessment).

ADULTS WITH COMPLEX NEEDS People aged 18 or over who require a high level of support with many aspects of their daily life, and who often draw on a range of health and social care services. This may be because of illness, disability, broader life circumstances or a combination of these.

AFTER CARE PLAN. A plan that a person makes to say how they would like to be supported in the future. Advance care plans can cover areas including what the person thinks about different types of care, support or treatment, money, and likes and dislikes. They aim to make sure that people are supported in line with their wishes, if they lack the capacity to make decisions when they need to be made.

AFTER CARE PLANNING When a person thinks ahead about wishes and preferences for future treatment and care, and makes sure that other people know what they want. It is an opportunity to think about what is important, and to let other people know about things a person would – or would not – like to happen if they can’t make a decision for themselves.

ADVANCE DECISION A decision a person makes about what medical treatment they would or would not want in the future, if they lack capacity to make the decision when it needs to be made. Unlike an advance statement, it is legally binding in England and Wales.

ADVANCE STATEMENT A written document that lets people know what a person’s wishes, feelings and preferences are about their future care and support, in case they become unable to communicate them. It may also be included in a person’s support plan. It can cover any aspect of their care and support, such as where they want to live and how they like to do things. A person can write it themself, with support from their family, friends, doctor and anyone else they wish. It isn’t a legal document, but it may help a person get the care and support they want. It is different to an ‘advance decision’ about medical treatment, which is a decision a person can make now about whether they want a particular type of treatment in the future.

ADVOCATE An advocate is a person who supports someone to understand and remember information, make decisions and communicate their wishes and feelings. They will also speak up for a person if the person needs them to. Advocates can be family members, friends or neighbours, or people working with and for people, like social workers. Advocates can help people to find support, make sure correct procedures are followed and challenge decisions made by local councils or other organisations. Councils have a duty to involve independent advocates to support people who would otherwise find it very difficult to be fully involved in conversations and decisions, and where there is no one else appropriate to advocate for the person

AFFECTIVE DISORDERS A type of mental health challenge that affects a person’s mood or feelings. The main examples are depression, bipolar disorder or anxiety, which may be mild or severe.

AFTER-CARE Mental health support provided to people after they leave hospital. Under Section 117 of the Mental Health Act 1983, the NHS and local councils have a duty to provide mental health after-care support for people who have been detained in hospital under certain sections of the 1983 Act. The support must meet the needs arising from their mental health challenges and reduce the risk of the person requiring further hospital treatment for their mental health.

AGE DISCRIMINATION When a person or group of people are treated differently because of their age, and not offered the same opportunities as other people.

AGENCY An independent organisation that offers care and support to people. Local councils may arrange for people to access care and support from an agency, or people may arrange this support themselves. Agency can also mean having influence or control over actions.

AGENDER "Not having a gender or a “lack of” a gender. Agender people see themselves as neither a man nor a woman, or both. They’re gender-neutral and often are described as gender-free or genderless" according to GenderGP.

ALLIED HEALTH PROFESSIONAL People who provide different types of health care who are not doctors, nurses or pharmacists. The description includes a wide range of roles, including physiotherapists, occupational therapists, dietitians, and podiatrists.

ALLY (or ALLIES) Usually a straight and/or non-trans person who supports the LGBTQ+ community.

ALLOCATED CASE. A way of referring to a person that a social worker is supporting. A social worker might talk about “my allocated cases”, and a team manager or team leader might talk about allocating cases to workers in their team.

ALTERNATIVE AND AUGMENTATIVE COMMUNICATIONS SYSTEMS Alternative and augmentative communication systems are a variety of methods (for example, signing, use of visual symbols and eye gaze technology) that can be used to help disabled people to communicate. These systems or methods of communication can be used as an alternative to speech or to supplement it.

ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES This refers to therapies which people use as an alternative to Western Medicine such as Herbal Medicine

ANNUAL HEALTH CHECK. An NHS initiative for everyone over the age of 14, who is on their doctor’s learning disability register, to have a health check once a year.

ANTI-OPPRESSIVE PRACTTICE. A way of working that considers the impact of power, inequality and prejudice on people and seeks to lessen the exclusion of individuals and groups of people. Anti-oppressive practice may include: recognising the barriers that people might face, such as personal, cultural or structural barriers; recognising a person’s place in a structure or culture and how this might affect other people; working to understand people’s experience of oppression; recognising people’s attributes and contribution; supporting people to realise their rights.

APPEARANCE OF NEEDS When it seems that a person requires some care or support to live their life. The law (Care Act 2014) says that local councils must complete an assessment for any adult with an appearance of need for care and support, even if the council thinks the person might not have eligible needs, and regardless of their financial situation.

APPROPRIATE ADULT A person who is aged 18 or over and who supports a child, or an adult who is perceived to be vulnerable, who is suspected of a criminal offence. An appropriate adult can be a family member, social worker or another responsible adult who does not work for the police. They are there to make sure that people are treated fairly, with respect for their rights and entitlements, and are able to take part in conversations and decisions.

APPROPRIATE INDIVIDUAL Someone who can help a person to be involved in conversations and decisions. The individual will not be appropriate if
– they are already paid to support the person (for example, the person’s doctor or social worker)
– the person does not wish to be supported by them
– they are not in a position to support and represent the person, for example because they live too far away, or they also find it difficult to understand, retain or use information.

Under the Care Act 2014, councils have a duty to involve independent advocates to support people who would otherwise find it very difficult to be fully involved in conversations and decisions, and where there is no one else appropriate to advocate for the person. May also be referred to as a ‘suitable person’.

APPROVED MENTAL HEALTH PROFESSIONAL (AMHP) Someone with specialist training who can be called on to arrange for a person to have their mental health assessed, to decide whether they should be admitted to hospital for their own safety or the safety of others. The approved professional’s main job may be social worker, occupational therapist, community mental health nurse or psychologist Approved Mental Health Professionals are often referred to as AMHPs.

APPROVED SOCIAL WORKER is an old role that has been replaced by the Approved Mental Health Professional.

AROMANTIC A person who experiences little or no romantic attraction to others.

ASCH CONFORMITY STUDIES The Asch conformity experiments were a series of psychological experiments conducted by Solomon Asch in the 1950s. The experiments revealed the degree to which a person's own opinions are influenced by those of a group. Asch found that people were willing to ignore reality and give an incorrect answer in order to conform to the rest of the group.

ASEXUAL A person who doesn't feel sexual attraction.

ASPD - ANTISOCIAL PERSONALITY DISORDER describes an ingrained pattern of behaviour in which individuals consistently disregard the rights of others around them and have little regard for boundaries or rules. Individuals with antisocial personality disorder may behave aggressively, recklessly, or impulsively, often with little regard for the wants and needs of others. The symptoms of antisocial personality disorder can vary in severity, and consequences can include imprisonment, high risk of drug abuse, alcoholism, and a higher risk of dying young.

ASPERGER SYNDROME / ASPERGER'S. A term that used to be used for some autistic people who did not also have a diagnosis of a learning disability. It is now agreed that what was referred to as Asperger syndrome is part of the autism spectrum. Asperger syndrome should no longer be given as a diagnosis and there is no need for a separate term. However some people might still wish to describe themselves using the term.

ASSERTIVE OUTREACH TEAM (AOT) A specialist service that may be offered in the place where people live if they have severe mental health challenges that affect their ability to manage their daily life. The team is made up of highly experienced staff, who can help people cope with all aspects of daily living, such as shopping, cooking, cleaning, taking medicine, finding education or employment, or finding somewhere to live. People are usually referred to an Assertive Outreach Team by their community mental health team rather than their GP

ASSESSMENT. An assessment is a way of understanding or judging something. In social care, there are various different assessments, including a needs assessment, supported self-assessment, carers assessment, young carers assessment, child’s needs assessment, transition assessment, combined assessment, joint assessment, financial assessment, risk assessment Social workers complete assessments to find out information so they can decide if a person requires care and support to help them live their day-to-day life and do the things that matter to them, and how this support should be funded. The law (Care Act 2014) says that local councils must undertake an assessment for any adult with an appearance of need for care and support, even if the council thinks the person might not have eligible needs, and regardless of their financial situation.

ASSET BASED APPROACH A way of helping people by looking at what is present and what people and communities have, rather than what is missing. This approach helps people make use of their existing skills, knowledge and relationships. It is also called a ‘strengths-based approach’, and can be used as a way of improving local areas, by promoting what is good about an area rather than focusing on problems.

ASSETS People, and things people have that may be valuable in money terms (such as a house), or useful in other ways (such as particular skills, knowledge or relationships).

ASSISTED DISCHARGE. Help that people may be offered if they are well enough to go home from hospital but if they don’t have much support at home – for example, if they live on their own. This service may be provided by a home care service or by volunteers, who can help people get home from hospital and get settled in their home, preparing food and doing any necessary shopping for them.

ASSISTED LIVING Housing for older or disabled people, usually privately owned, where people have their own apartment within a larger development, and support (such as help with meals or laundry) is provided to meet their own particular needs.

ASYLUM the protection granted by a state to someone who has left their home country as a political refugee.

ASYLUM SEEKER Refers to an individual who travels to a different state to seek Asylum

ATTENDANCE ALLOWANCE A none means tested benefit for people above state retirement age who need extra care due to disability or ill health

ATTENTION DEFICIT HYPERACTIVITY DISORDER (ADHD) A form of neurodivergence that affects people’s behaviour, usually referred to as ADHD.

ATTORNEY An attorney is someone that you appoint to make decisions on your behalf. Theycan make decisions about your welfare, money and housing.

AUDIT A check to understand what is happening. Audits let people and organisations know what is being done well and where there could be improvements.

AUTHORISED PERSON A person who is allowed to request a direct payment from a local council on behalf of someone who requires care and support and has been assessed as lacking capacity to request the direct payment themselves. The local council must be satisfied that the authorised person will act in the adult’s best interests, that they are capable of managing the direct payment, and that this is an appropriate way to meet the adult’s needs.

AUTISM A lifelong condition that affects how people communicate and interact with the world. Being autistic does not mean people have an illness or disease. It means their brain works in a different way from other people. There is no treatment or cure for autism, but some autistic people may need support to help them with certain things.

AUTISM SPECTRUM DISORDER The medical name for autism

AUTONOMY. When a person has control and choice over their life and the freedom to decide what to do and what will happen to them

AvPD - AVOIDANT PERSONALITY DISORDERS

AWOL ABSENT WITHOUT LEAVE Leaving a hospital ward for any amount of time without permission from the hospital.