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National Association of Councils for Voluntary Service (NACVS)
Umbrella body of more than 280 local councils for voluntary service (CVS). Local CVS provide support, advice and information for local voluntary organisations, and the NACVS provides training, services and a national voice.
See also: National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO)
Useful link: about NACVS and CVS

National care standards commission (NCSC)
The NCSC is the independent regulatory body responsible for inspecting and regulating almost all forms of residential care and other voluntary and private care services in England from April 2002. It can order the withdrawal of a home's licence and the exclusion of individuals from the residential care sector.
Big issue: social care reform and performance
Related articles
Useful link: national care standards commission

National clinical assessment authority
Special health authority set up in April 2001 to provide rapid and objective expert assessment of a doctor's performance, where concerns about the doctor have been raised locally. It produces a report to the referring employer recommending a course of action to address those concerns.
Related articles
Useful link: national clinical assessment authority

National Council for Voluntary Organisations (NCVO)
National umbrella body for voluntary organisations and charities in England. Represents more than 1,000 organisations in negotiations with the government over service levels, charity law and consultation. Also provides support and services to organisations.
See also: National Association of Councils for Voluntary Service (NACVS)
Useful link: NCVO mission and values

National health performance fund
Discretionary fund worth £500m a year by 2003-04 set up to provide an incentive to NHS bodies and reward them. NHS authorities and trusts will be able to access up to £5m each from the fund to spend on new equipment, facilities and staff bonuses, depending on the organisation's annual performance and progress against agreed plans and targets.
Big issue: public finances
Useful link: NHS performance fund - guidance for 2001-02

National Housing Federation
The trade body for housing associations in England. It represents around 1,400 housing organisations, which between them own 1.7m homes.
Related articles
Useful link: National Housing Federation - about us

National institute for clinical excellence (Nice)
Body set up in April 1999 to decide which health treatments and technologies - from drugs to artificial hips - should be available on the NHS in England and Wales (the equivalent body in Scotland is the Scottish health technology board).
Big issue: NHS quality and performance
Useful link: Nice

National institute for mental health in England (NIMHE)
The NIMHE was set up to provide research and expertise to help the NHS implement the national service framework on mental health. From spring 2003, the institute will coordinate and disseminate research and good practice, facilitate training and improve mental health services.
Big issue: mental health
Useful link: Department of Health - mental health institute

National lottery
UK-wide lottery established in 1993 to raise money for government and "good causes" as defined by parliament. Currently two draws take place a week, and there are also instant win scratchcards. On average, 28% of each £1 goes to good causes; 50% to prize winners; 13% to the government in lottery duty; 5% to retailers in commission, 3% towards operating costs and 1% in profit for Camelot, which runs the game.
See also: lottery boards
Big issue: the national lottery and good causes
Useful link: national lottery - good causes FAQs

National minimum wage
The lowest wage an employer can legally pay their staff in the UK. Set at £4.10 an hour in October 2001 for those over the age of 22, and at £3.50 for 18-22 year olds.
Related articles
Useful link: Inland Revenue - minimum wage

National patients' access team (NPAT)
NPAT was set up in June 1998 to help the NHS achieve the government's waiting list targets. It identifies and disseminates good practice in the field of waiting list management, and assists staff in introducing efficient elective care processes, such as booked admissions.
See also: booked admissions
Big issue: NHS quality and performance
Related articles
Useful link: NPAT

National patient safety agency (NPSA)
Special health authority set up in July 2001. It manages a reporting system analysing medical errors and adverse incidents, taking information from NHS organisations, patients and carers. Learns lessons and ensures they are fed back into practice, service organisation and delivery. Where risks are identified NPSA will produce solutions to prevent mistakes re-occurring, specify national goals and establish mechanisms to track progress.
Big issue: NHS quality and performance
Related articles
Useful link: national patient safety agency

National service framework (NSF)
Introduced in 1998, NSFs establish a set of minimum national standards of clinical quality and access to services in a series of major care areas and disease groups (including, so far, mental health, diabetes, older people and coronary heart disease). The aim is to drive up performance and decrease geographical variations in care standards.
Big issue: NHS quality and performance
Related articles
Useful link: Department of Health - national service frameworks

Need
A person's requirement for a service, which has been accepted by the organisation providing it.

Negative equity
A problem affecting homeowners in areas where property prices have fallen so much that value of their home is worth less than their mortgage.
See also: low demand
Related articles
Useful link: the Halifax - mortgages

Neighbourhood
The government's approach to regeneration attempts to target deprived areas as defined by local people rather than administrative boundaries. These "neighbourhoods" might include a council estate or part of an inner city centred around communal facilities such as a shopping centre.
See also: neighbourhood renewal unit
Related articles
Useful link: neighbourhood renewal unit

Neighbourhood manager
Appointed by local authorities and housing associations to ensure that deprived areas get their fair share of regeneration funding, and that the cash is used properly. Also have a brief to help public service providers tailor their work to the needs of deprived communities.
Related articles
Useful link: neighbourhood renewal unit - neighbourhood management

Neighbourhood renewal fund
A programme currently worth £525m a year to help the 88 most deprived areas in the country. It is aimed at kick-starting regeneration initiatives and helping to reduce crime and inequalities.
Related articles
Useful link: neighbourhood renewal unit - neighbourhood renewal fund

Neighbourhood renewal strategy
The government's master plan for regenerating deprived parts of the country. Published in 2001 with the aim of ensuring that within 10-20 years no one should be seriously disadvantaged by where they live.
Related articles
Useful link: neighbourhood renewal unit - renewal strategy

Neighbourhood renewal unit (NRU)
A separate part of the Office of the Deputy Prime Minister charged with implementing the Neighbourhood renewal strategy.
Related articles
Useful link: neighbourhood renewal unit - overview

Neighbourhood statistics service
Provides a wide range of information on council wards, from employment data to population to deprivation ranking. Designed to provide better information for the government's ambitious regeneration plans.
Related articles
Useful link: neighbourhood statistics service

Neighbourhood wardens
Civilian staff who patrol suburban areas in an attempt to control low-level crime such as vandalism. Generally employed by local authorities and housing associations.
Related articles
Useful link: neighbourhood renewal unit - neighbourhood wardens

New Deal
Scheme that aims to move the long-term unemployed into the job market through training, work placements and subsidised employment.
Related articles
Useful link: how does the New Deal work

New Deal for Communities
Government initiative to tackle deprivation by providing intensive financial and other support to run-down parts of the country. Aimed at tackling poor job prospects, crime, educational under-achievement, poor health and poor housing and physical environment. Nearly £2bn has been committed to the scheme.
Related articles
Useful link: neighbourhood renewal unit - new deal for communities

New Deal Partnership
Organisations charged with delivering the New Deal for Communities. Partnerships are made up of local communities, voluntary organisations, businesses and public services. Nearly 40 had been created by 1999, and the government has pledged almost £2bn to the scheme.
Related articles
Useful link: neighbourhood renewal unit - new deal for communities

New Local Government Network
Left-of-centre thinktank that has promoted policies such as directly elected mayors, best value and partnership working between local councils and the private sector.
Related articles
Useful link: New Local Government Network

New localism
Buzzphrase used by all major political parties to describe their plans to devolve power to frontline public servants and local communities. Emerged as a reaction to the perceived centralism of the New Labour government. The term was first used in a 2000 pamphlet from the New Local Government Network thinktank.
Related articles
Useful link: New Local Government Network

New Opportunities Fund
See Big Lottery Fund.

NHS Direct
Telephone helpline and website that gives access to a 24-hour nurse advice and health information service, providing confidential information on: what to do if you or your family are feeling ill; particular health conditions; local healthcare services such as doctors, dentists or late night opening pharmacies, and self help and support organisations.
Big issue: NHS quality and performance
Related articles
Useful link: NHS Direct
Useful link: NHS Direct Wales

NHSnet
The secure national electronic network for the NHS, enabling all parts of the service to communicate over the internet. Its services include an NHS message handling service, high speed internet access and a national email system and electronic address book.
Big issue: the internet and information technology
Related articles
Useful link: NHS information authority

NHS plus
A network of occupational health services based in NHS hospitals. The network provides an occupational health service to NHS staff and sells services to the private sector. Services include: pre-employment screening, health checks, immunisation, drug and alcohol screening, and ergonomic advice.
Big issue: NHS staff
Useful link: NHS plus

Nimby
An acronym for "not in my back yard" used when discussing planning issues particularly the development of new social housing. The term is used to define the opposition of residents who are against new developments that will devalue their properties.
Related articles
Useful link: Royal Town Planning Institute - nimbys are still alive and kicking (pdf)

Nomination agreement
A contract under which councils can place those in housing need into housing association homes as they become available. In areas where affordable housing is in short supply councils usually have the right to nominate all new housing association tenants.
Related articles
Useful link: Scottish executive - nominations agreements in Scotland

NGOs (non-governmental organisations)
Mainly used in the UK to refer to not-for-profit organisations - often campaigning groups - that have an interest in making clear that they are not part of any government apparatus. Although the term is often used of some charities, particularly aid and development agencies, the terms charity and NGO are not interchangeable. NGOs do not necessarily have charitable status.
Big issue: international aid and development
Related articles
Useful link: NGO global

Normalisation
A policy that enables someone with a physical or mental disability to live as full a life as possible and to have access to all public services.
Big issue: mental health

North-south divide
The belief that the north of England is more deprived and therefore worthy of more public spending than the south. Often disputed by the government, which claims the situation is far more complex.
Related articles
Useful link: Learn.co.uk - north-south divide statistics

Northern Ireland social care council (NISCC)
This regulatory body, set up in October 2001, has two key responsibilities: to register and regulate the social care workforce and draw up codes of practice for staff and employers, and to ensure that staff are properly trained and qualified for their jobs.
See also: general social care council
Big issue: social care reform and performance
Useful link: Northern Ireland social care council

Not-for-profit
Generally used in the US to mean a voluntary sector or charity sector organisation.
See also: NGO (non-governmental organisation).
Useful link: USA nonprofit FAQs

Notifiable disease
Certain infectious diseases are notifiable. This means clinicians are legally required to report incidences to the public health authorities in order to prevent epidemic and contagion. A notification triggers an investigation in to how the infectious disease started and prompts action to control its spread. Notifiable diseases include cholera, typhoid, smallpox, anthrax, measles, meningitis, tuberculosis and whooping cough.
Big issue: public health
Related articles
Useful link: Public Health Laboratory Service

Nursing home
A residential home that has qualified nursing staff available to provide nursing care.
Useful link: Registered Nursing Homes Association

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