This page explains the acronyms (initial letter abbreviations) we have used in this directory - and some we have not.

AA    Automobile Association
AAU    Acute Assessment Unit
A&E    Accident and Emergency Department
AIDS    Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome
ALS    Association of Lipspeakers
ASBAH    Association of Spina Bifida and Hydrocephalus
AWP    Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership

BCHS    Better Care, Higher Standards
BCPC    Bath Centre for Psychotherapy and Counselling
BSL    British Sign Language
BSVP    Better Services for Vulnerable People

CAB    Citizens Advice Bureau
CAT Scan    Computerised Axial Tomogram (brain x-ray)
CCP    Community Care Plan
CES    Community Equipment Service
CHD    Coronary Heart Disease
CJD    Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease
CMHT    Community Mental Health Team
COPD    Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease
CPA    Care Programme Approach
CPN    Community Psychiatric Nurse
CPRS    Community Psychiatric Rehabilitation scheme
CRT    Community Rehabilitation Team
CSS    Crisis support Service
CST    Community Stroke Team
CTPLD    Community Team for People with Learning Disabilities
CVA    Cerebro-Vascular Accident (stroke)

DAT    Drug Action Team
DDA    Disability Discrimination Act
DIAL    Disability Information and Advice Line
DIS    Disability Information Service
DN    District Nurse
DOAP    Department of Old Age Psychiatry
DoH    Department of Health
DOME    Directorate of Medicine for the Elderly
DPPP    Disabled People’s Protection Policy (First Great Western Railway)
DRS    Disability Rights Commission
DSAs    Disabled Students’ Allowances
DWP    Department for Work and Pensions

ECG    Electrocardiogram (measures heart activity and regularity)
EDS    Emergency Duty Services
EMI    Elderly Mentally Ill

FACS    Fair access to Care Services
FIG    Finance Information Group

GP    General Practitioner

H&SC    Health and Social Care
HAZ    Health Action Zone
HDS    High Dependency Support
HIMP    Health Improvement and Modernisation Programme
HIRE    Head Injury Re-education
HIV    Human Immunodeficiency Virus
HSWT    Hospital Social Work Team

IC    Intermediate Care
ICES    Integrated Community Equipment Services

JIP    Joint Investment Plan
JCT    Joint Community Team

LAP    Local Action Plan
LPNS    Liaison Psychiatric Nursing Service

Magic    Mobility and General Information Centre (Ford)
MAU    Medical Assessment Unit
MChS    Member of the Society of Chiropodists and Podiatrists
ME    Myalgic Encephalomyelitis
MD    Muscular Dystrophy
MND    Motor Neurone Disease
MRI    Magnetic Resonance Imaging (makes detailed images of the body, including the brain)
MS    Multiple Sclerosis

NCSC    National Care Standards Commission
NGT    Naso-Gastric Tube
NHS    National Health service
NICE    National Institute for Clinical Excellence

OP    Older People
OT    Occupational Therapist

PALS    Patient Advice and Liaison Service
PCG    Primary Care Group
PCT    Primary Care Trust
PD    Parkinson’s Disease
PIG    Partnership Investment Grant
PROPS    Planning Partnership for Older Peoples’ Services

RA    Rehabilitation Assistants
RAD    Royal Association for Deaf People
RMN    Registered Mental Nurse
RNIB    Royal National Institute for the Blind
RNID    Royal National institute for the Deaf
RoSPA    Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents
RU    Rehabilitation Units

SALT (SLT)    Speech and Language Therapist
SAMS    Swindon Arthritis Self Help
SAP    Single Assessment Process
SAWA    Swindon Asian Women’s Association
SBC    Swindon Borough Council
SCAMP    Southern Communications and Media Project
SMT    Swindon and Marlborough NHS Trust
SUNS    Service Users’ Network Swindon (Mental Health)
SSD    Social Services Department
STAN    Swindon and District Talking Newspaper
SWADS    Swindon Alcohol and Drug Advisory Centre
SwICC    Swindon Intermediate Care Centre

TENS    Device to relieve pain
TIA    Transient Ischaemic Attack (mini stroke)
TGW    The Great Western Hospital
TWIGS    Therapeutic Work in Gardening in Swindon

U3A    University of the Third Age

VAS    Voluntary Action Swindon

WEA    Workers’ Educational Association
WHA    Wiltshire Health Authority
WRVS    Womens Royal Voluntary Service
WSUN    Wiltshire and Swindon Users’ Network