Glossary of terms
We try to be as clear as possible when we talk to you about your health.
This page covers some of the terms you may come across when you speak to our staff or use our services.
You can always ask a member of our staff if you’re ever unsure about a word or phrase.
Conditions and treatments
Your GP or a care professional will talk to you about your symptoms and care needs.
They will talk to you about the right treatment to improve your health and wellbeing.
Your treatment may be combination of medication, therapy sessions, assessments, or activities for you to do at home.
You can find more details about health conditions and treatments on the NHS website.
Visit the NHS website (opens new browser tab)
Discharge from care
When you leave our services, inside our buildings or in the community, and return home.
We may offer guidance on how to manage your condition yourself.
Visit the NHS website to read more about being discharged (opens new browser tab)
Referral
When you’re guided to a service or specialist, after seeing your GP.
They may arrange an assessment with you, to understand your needs and talk to you about treatment.
Self-referral
When you ask to see a specialist or access a service directly, without seeing a GP first.
Only some of our services allow self-referrals.
You can check to see if the service you need accepts self-referrals.
See a full list of our adult and community services (opens new browser tab)
See a full list of our Children, Young People, and Families (CYPF) services (opens new browser tab)
Urgent help
Contact us if you need urgent help
Call 999 if it's a medical emergency
Freedom of Information (FOI)
We support a culture of honesty and openness, and fully comply with the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act 2000.
You can submit an FOI request to view information held by us to find out how we’re providing services, and the standards and targets we’re meeting.
View our FOI service on our website (opens new browser tab)
Medical Records
Your medical records contain your personal, contact, and condition and treatment information. You can find out more, and request to access your record, by contacting our Medical Records team.
View our Medical Records service (opens new browser tab)
Our charity
Our Berkshire Health Charity fund helps support our patients and their families during difficult times, and boost morale for our hard-working teams.
It also helps us improve our services in ways that aren’t normally covered by NHS funding.
Find out more about our charity (opens new browser tab)
Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS)
Our Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) is a free, informal service you can contact to share your suggestions or concerns to help us improve.
View our PALS service on our website (opens new browser tab)
Berkshire Healthcare
We (Berkshire Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust) are a community and mental health trust.
When the term ‘we’ is used on our website, leaflets, and videos, it broadly refers to our the trust as a whole, or our care teams, staff, and patient groups.
We provide a wide range of services to people of all ages living in Berkshire and in some neighbouring counties. We often do this in partnership with other NHS organisations, charities, or private companies.
View a full list of our Adult Mental Health and Community services (opens new browser tab)
View a full list of our Children, Young People, and Families (CYPF) services (opens new browser tab)
Visit our Talking Therapies website (opens new browser tab)
Care Quality Commission (CQC)
The CQC are the independent regulator of health and social care in England.
We have achieved a CQC rating of ‘Outstanding’.
View our rating on the CQC website (opens new browser tab)
Clinical Commissioning Group (CCG)
CCGs are groups of general practices (GPs) which come together in local areas to decide and refer (also known as ‘commission’) the best services for patients.
National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE)
NICE is a non-departmental public body of the Department of Health and Social Care in England.
They publish guidelines to make sure hospitals and clinics provide patients with the right, and best care for them.
Visit the NICE website (opens new browser tab)
Adult Mental Health and Wellbeing, and Physical and Community Health Services
View our services on our website (opens new browser tab)
Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAHMS)
Our Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS) works with young people who are experiencing difficulties with their mental health.
View our CAHMS services on our CYPF website (opens new browser tab)
Children and Young People’s Integrated Therapies (CYPIT)
Children and Young People’s Integrated Therapies. We support you and your children (up to the age of 19) with occupational therapy, physiotherapy, speech and language therapy and specialist dietetic services to help you achieve the outcomes you want.
View our CYPT services on our CYPF website (opens new browser tab)
Children, Young People, and Families (CYPF)
Services dedicated to supporting Children, Young People, and Families (CYPF).
CYPF includes:
- Children and Adolescent Mental Health Services (CAMHS)
- Children and Young People’s Integrated Therapies (CYPIT)
Visit our CYPF website (opens new browser tab)
Gateway
This is our single referral point for our adult mental health referrals across Berkshire.
It provides one main contact number and email address if you need help finding the most appropriate mental health support.
Call 0300 365 2000
- Press option 2 – for Talking Therapies
- Press option 3 – for The Wellbeing Service and Mental Health Integrated Community Services (MHICS) - East Berkshire only
- Press option 4 – for adult specialist mental health services, Veterans Mental Health Services, and CPE
- Press option 5 – for the Perinatal Team
Email gateway@berkshire.nhs.uk
Talking Therapies
Talking Therapies (sometimes listed as ‘TT’) is our friendly and approachable service that offers support if you’re coping with challenges like depression, stress, anxiety or phobias.
If you’re aged 17 and over and living in Berkshire, we can help you overcome the mental health challenges you’re facing.
Visit our Talking Therapies website (opens new browser tab)
You can search online if you need to know more about a condition or a treatment.
We encourage you to use approved NHS and non-departmental public body websites, such as NICE, to make sure you’re getting the correct information.
Visit the NHS website (opens new browser tab)
Visit the NHS Health Careers website (opens new browser tab)
Visit the NICE website (opens new browser tab)