ACCS is the Core training programme leading to Higher Specialist training in Anaesthesia, Intensive Care, Acute Medicine and Emergency Medicine.

The first 2 years, organised by the School of ACCS, has training posts in acute care specialties of Anaesthesia, Intensive Care, Emergency Medicine and Acute Medicine. The third training year (sometimes referred to as ST3 or CT3) is in the parent specialty, under the supervision of the appropriate School.

Application is by intended future specialty, entry into ST3/CT3 for this specialty is automatic. Entry into Higher Specialist training will require a further competitive selection process unless on run-through (Emergency Medicine only). Severn Postgraduate Medical Education School of ACCS runs rotation programmes in UBHT/Weston, North Bristol, Cheltenham/Gloucester, Bath, Swindon and Taunton. Most rotations involve 6 months Acute Medicine, 6 months Emergency Medicine, and 1 year Anaesthesia/Intensive Care.

There are 40 places each year, 15 linked to Anaesthesia/ICU, 16 Emergency Medicine and 9 Acute Medicine. Currently 15 of the 21 entry places for Anaesthesia in Severn are within the ACCS programme, as the extra experience it offers is seen as valuable for all future anaesthetists. For future Intensivists, this is one of the easier ways to get the 6 months Acute Medical experience that is required for Intensive Care training, and is likely to be the main route to Specialty training when Intensive Care becomes a separate specialty. ACCS is the only core training route to enter Emergency Medicine Higher Specialist Training. Acute Medicine trainees may also enter higher training in Acute Medicine via Internal Medical Training (please see School of Medicine website), although this way is likely to produce less competitive trainees as they will not have had such wide acute care experience.

Training and assessment are the same for all trainees (regardless of parent specialty), with an Annual Review of Competency Progression - further details under the ARCP section.

For further information please contact SevernACCS.SW@hee.nhs.uk.

Your trainee representative are Dr Izzy Lever and Dr Daniel Wait.