Guide to Anaesthetics Training (The Handbook)

Acute Care Common Stem (ACCS) Anaesthetics [external link]

The ACCS 2021 Curriculum is the result of close collaboration between the 3 parent colleges (RCoA, RCEM, JRCPTB) and the FICM. It has been designed with the aim of creating a more integrated curriculum than before with improved harmonisation between the ACCS specialties that is easier to navigate and better suited to the needs of the programme. The content of the curriculum is predominantly unchanged, but the focus, packaging, and assessment process has been largely revised.

The ACCS 2021 Curriculum consists of 11 ACCS Learning Outcomes (LOs) [external link]: 8 clinical and 3 generic; generic capabilities are linked to the GMC’s GPCs. Key capabilities describe exactly what is expected of the doctor in training for completion of that LO and the descriptors associated with each LO provide guidance as to how to meet these capabilities.

Summary of what has stayed the same

• Principle of training junior doctors in acute care: the purpose of ACCS is still to equip doctors with the skills and competencies required to recognise and initially manage the acutely unwell patient.
• Curriculum content: this is largely unchanged – it is the ‘packaging’ and the approach to assessment that has changed to become more focussed on outcomes.
• ACCS placements: doctors in training still rotate through the four core specialties of ACCS.
• Supervision: doctors in training are still supervised by a Clinical Supervisor (CS) in each placement and an overall Educational Supervisor (ES) throughout their rotations.
• Evidence: doctors in training still collect evidence to support their learning, however the quantity and nature is more flexible and driven by the doctor in training.
• E-portfolio: doctors in training still use their parent specialty e-portfolio; the e-portfolios have been adapted to accommodate the new curriculum.

Summary of what has changed

• Ethos: move towards outcome-based training underpinned by GPCs.
• Terminology: some new terminology has been introduced.
• Assessment process: a move away from a ‘tick box’ approach with greater emphasis on formative assessment and the introduction of panel-based judgements and a move to entrustment-type decisions.
• Rotation: the ACCS curriculum now exclusively covers the generic 2 years of training prior to joining the parent specialty, comprising 4 x 6 month blocks (whole time equivalent). It is no longer possible to make up the anaesthetic/ICM year with anything other than 6 months (whole time equivalent) in each placement.

A quick reference ‘User guide’ to the ACCS curriculum is available on the ACCS website which covers the content, assessment, and implementation of the new curriculum.