Acute Care Common Stem - Anaesthetics (ACCS-Anaesthetics)

Programme description

GMC Reference: EOS/388

Acute Care Common Stem Anaesthesia (ACCS Anaesthesia) training in the East of Scotland is a four-year programme where trainees gain experience and competencies in all four acute care specialties: Emergency Medicine, Acute Internal Medicine, Anaesthetics and Intensive Care Medicine. Training in the first two years of the ACCS programme is common to all specialties. In the East Region trainees rotate around 6 months each of Acute Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Anaesthetics and ICM. Experience is gained mainly in Ninewells Hospital and Perth Royal Infirmary in a number of different units to maximize the trainees’ exposure to different resource-based services and clinicians.

Traditionally, ACCS Anaesthesia trainees complete their Acute and Emergency Medicine elements in Year 1. With the introduction of the new 2021 ACCS curriculum, Year 2 will include 6 months of ICM and anaesthesia training. The remainer of the ACCS programme will be equivalent to Stage 1 anaesthetic training.

The experience gained by anaesthetic ACCS anaesthetic trainees in the East of Scotland is extensive and varied. The majority of the anaesthetic training is delivered in Ninewells Hospital & Medical School in Dundee, one of the biggest teaching hospitals in the UK. Additional DGH experience is provided in Perth Royal Infirmary. A range of day case experience is also provided at Stracathro Regional Treatment Centre. All ‘units’ of Stage 1 training are available within the Tayside School of Anaesthetics. Completion of the Initial Assessment of Competency (IAC) now badged as entrustable professional activities (EPAs 1 & 2) are usually attained within the first 3-6 months of starting anaesthetic training. The IAC is a key milestone allowing trainees to progress to additional call duties with appropriately decreasing levels of ‘in-theatre’ supervision. The initial assessment of obstetric competence (IAOC - now known as EPAs 3 & 4) is assessed in CT2. The IAOC allows progression to the on-call obstetric anaesthesia rota.

Tayside has excellent track record for local Primary FRCA exam preparation. ACCS / Stage 1 trainees are encouraged to attend the RCoA Scottish Primary exam course hosted in Perth. Ninewells Hospital and co-located Medical School has excellent facilities including simulation and surgical skills centres. An extensive range of national life support and locally run courses help to complement anaesthetic training e.g. airway and regional block teaching using TEAL cadavers. ACCS trainees are also encouraged to attend courses at the easily accessed Scottish Clinical Simulation Centre in Forth Valley to help develop essential non-technical skills. Study leave and associated funding is actively managed to help support trainees attend courses appropriate to their stage of training.

The combination of easily accessed training resources together with an enthusiastic group of local trainers has led to extremely favourable feedback from ACCS trainees as evidenced by the consistently high ratings in both GMC and Scottish Trainee surveys with several ‘green flags’.  ACCS training in Perth has recently received a letter of commendation for consistently receiving green flags for 3 years.

Additional information on ACCS and all stages of anaesthesia training within the East of Scotland is available on our website at http://www.taysideanaesthesia.com

Research, audit, teaching and management opportunities

The Ninewells site hosts a Medical School and a Clinical Research Centre. The Institute of Academic Anaesthesia (IAA) has active research programmes in Anaesthesia and Pain Medicine and the use of ultrasound to complement regional anaesthesia. Supported by Professor Tim Hales, Professor Graeme McLeod, Dr Cameron Weir and an enthusiastic group of consultants, this combination provides excellent opportunities for trainees to develop their non-clinical skills in research, audit, teaching and Quality Improvement projects. All hospitals in Tayside are committed to UG medical student and PG teaching and the IAA offers Teaching Fellowships, SCREDS Lecturer, MD and PhD opportunities.

 Where is training delivered:

• Anaesthetic, ICM and AIM training is delivered across: 
• Ninewells Hospital & Medical School, Dundee
• Perth Royal Infirmary, Perth
• Stracathro Hospital, Angus

Additional EM training may also be undertaken in:

• Forth Valley Royal Hospital
• Queen Margaret Hospital, Dunfermline
• Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy 

The East Region of Scotland Deanery is set in Tayside, a beautiful area to live and work. It has varied geography and offers diverse interests for individuals and families. There is thriving city life in the University town of Dundee and in Perth and easy access to beautiful countryside for sport and leisure in Angus, Perthshire and North Fife. The area has unique and innovative theatres, museums and sporting venues, world-renowned facilities for golf in and around St Andrews. Dundee also hosts its own Victoria and Albert Museum.

House prices are competitive and the quality of life in Tayside is excellent with very good road and rail networks to the other areas of Scotland.

Where the training is delivered?

• Forth Valley Royal Hospital - FVRH
• Ninewells Hospital, Dundee
• Perth Royal Infirmary
• Queen Margaret Hospital, Dunfermline
• Strathcarron Hospice, Forth Valley
• Victoria Hospital, Kirkcaldy

Contacts and useful links

Information
Programme type (Deanery or National):	Deanery
Administration office:	East
Lead Dean / Director:	Professor Adam Hill
Responsible Associate Postgraduate Dean or Assistant Director (GP):	Dr Russell Duncan
Specialty or Sub-specialty:	Specialty
Date of GMC recent approval:	Apr 2014
Associated Royal College - Faculty:	Royal College of Anaesthetists
Curriculum and associated assessment system:	http://www.gmc-uk.org/education/anaesthetics.asp
Programme administrator:	Name: Margaret McDove Address: NHS Education for Scotland, Glasgow. G3 8BW Email: margaret.mcdove@nhs.scot
Programme director(s):	Name: Dr Paul Fettes Address: Consultant, Anaesthetic Dept, Ninewells Hospital, Dundee. DD1 9SY Email: paul.fettes2@nhs.scot
Quality of training:	Quality Management

How to apply

This page was last updated on: 18.02.2025 at 16.50