Acute Care Common Stem (CT1, CT2)

Acute Care Common Stem (ACCS) training is most commonly started after Foundation Year 2.  It allows for training in Emergency Medicine, Acute Medicine or Anaesthetics.  It includes placements in Emergency Medicine, Acute Medicine, Anaesthetics and Intensive Care Medicine.  There have recently been some changes to the training programme for Emergency Medicine, where they are piloting run through training.  

For more details on the ACCS programme, UK deaneries and recruitment then visit the national website.

A Reference Guide for Postgraduate Specialty Training in the UK - Gold Guide 2010

ACCS Curriculum

Competencies required

Here is a list of the competencies required during the ACCS programme for Emergency Medicine.  The links take you to the College of Emergency Medicine WBPA documents, although most trainees now use the e-portfolio.

During your 2 year ACCS programme you must also complete your MCEM part A and B.

Here are the Emergency Medicine WPBA assessment tools and forms 

Click here for a full list of presentations and procedures

During Emergency Medicine 6 months - the trainee must undertake:

• Summative assessment (Mini-CEX or CbD) in two of the following Major presentations:

  • CMP1 - Anaphylaxis

  • CMP2 - Cardiorespiratory arrest

  • CMP3 - Major Trauma

  • CMP4 - Septic patient

  • CMP5 - Shocked patient

  • CMP6 - Unconscious patient

• Summative assessment (Mini-CEX or CbD) in all of the following Acute presentations:

  • CAP7 - Chest pain

  • CAP1 - Abdominal pain

  • CAP6 - Breathlessness

  • CAP30 - Mental health

  • CAP18 - Head injury

• Formative assessments (ACAT-EM) in 5 additional acute presentations

• 10 additional assessments of acute presentations using a combination or

  • e-learning

  • reflective entries

  • teaching and audit assessments

  • additional ACAT-EMs

• Assessment of practical procedures including:

  • Airway management

  • Primary survey

  • Wound care

  • Fracture reduction     joint reduction

  • plus one other from the list using generic DOPs

During the Acute medicine 6 months - the trainee must undertake:

• Formative (Mini-CEX or CbD) assessment in 2 of the 6 major presentations

  • CMP1 - Anaphylaxis

  • CMP2 - Cardiorespiratory arrest

  • CMP3 - Major Trauma

  • CMP4 - Septic patient

  • CMP5 - Shocked patient

  • CMP6 - Unconscious patient

• Formative assessment of an additional 10 of the Acute presentations (Mini-CEX, CbD or ACAT)

• Formative assessment of 5 practical procedures (DOPs)

During the intensive care medicine post  - the trainee must undertake:

• Formative (Mini-CEX or CbD) assessment in 2 of the 6 major presentations (ideally Sepsis should be covered in ICM)

• CMP1 - Anaphylaxis
• CMP2 - Cardiorespiratory arrest
• CMP3 - Major Trauma
• CMP4 - Septic patient
• CMP5 - Shocked patient
• CMP6 - Unconscious patient

• Formative assessment (Mini-CEX, CbD or ACAT) of any of the acute presentations that occur in an ICM setting and that are not already covered

• Formative assessment of 13 practical procedures (DOPs)

During the anaesthetic post  - the trainee must undertake:

• Basic and adanced life support

• Initial assessment of anaesthetic competence

• There are specific forms for Anaesthetic Mini-CEX and CbD

Common competences

During the 2 years CT1-2, the trainee must seek evidence of level 2 competence in 50% of the common competences

Multisource feedback

The trainee is expected to undertake a multisource feedback process at least once a year.