ACCP Training
ACCPs must complete a programme leading to an appropriate Postgraduate Masters degree with a Higher Education Institution. Teaching within hospitals is overseen by a Local Clinical Lead (LCL) who holds an honorary appointment with the HEI and is responsible to the HEI for the delivery of the clinical components of training.
If you think that ACCP training might be for you and would like further information check out our ACCP Careers Stories.
Who can train as an ACCP?
Any UK registered professional can train as an ACCP. The majority of registered ACCPs are nurses but other Allied Health Professionals (AHPs) such physiotherapists and Paramedics have also successfully trained as ACCPs.
Where can you train as an ACCP?
The ACCP curriculum mandates a parallel of academic and clinical practice training in existing UK training centres approved for Stage 1 and 2 ICM level training or for those sites with clear and documented approval from the regions ICM RA. If a trainee ACCP undertakes training on a site without this approval in place, those trainees would not be eligible for any official Faculty recognition of that training, nor to apply for FICM Advanced Critical Care Practitioner Membership upon completion of their ACCP training programme. Any non-ICM training approved unit seeking to run ACCP training must make this prospectively clear to any applicants for their programme.
The Faculty runs an HEI Accreditation programme and a list of FICM Accredited HEIs can be found here. Applicants undertaking training at an accredited HEI will be allowed to register as FICM ACCP members on successful completion of the course and satisfactory completion of their clinical competencies.
Ensure your ACCP training programme is appropriate
We know that the term ACCP has been wrongly used to include any practitioner position regardless of the length, depth and quality of training. Ensure that the training programme you are undertaking complies with the tenets laid out within the FICM curriculum. Be proactive and ask the local trainers whether the training programme and unit adheres to the FICM curriculum and whether it will leave you eligible upon completion to apply for FICM ACCP Membership. If you have any concerns please contact us for advice.
Training programmes that adhere to the FICM ACCP Curriculum should be designated as ‘Advanced Critical Care Practitioner training in line with the FICM Curriculum.’ It should be noted in the material that those who complete the full training programme would be eligible for Advanced Critical Care Practitioner Membership of the Faculty.
FAQs surrounding FICM ACCP Membership and training
If you’re intending to train as an ACCP, following the FICM ACCP curriculum, with the aim of attaining FICM ACCP membership there are several pre-requisites that need to be considered.
The FICM ACCP Sub-Committee have produced a programme specification document which aims to provide information from selection through to qualification for ACCPs leading towards FICM Advanced Critical Care Practitioner Membership.
An ACCP Trainee Registration Form can be found on this page.
It is requested that all ACCPs in training register with the Faculty in order to be kept up to date with useful information, to enable the FICM ACCP Sub-Committee to communicate directly with the ACCP workforce across the UK, and so that the growing workforce can be monitored.
This form registers training only. It is only intended for use by practitioners employed in a substantive trainee ACCP post in the UK intending to undertake HEI and ACCP training in line with the most recently published FICM curriculum.
The form requires personal information (including contact details), details of the intended HEI and course details, and details of the clinical training site. It must be completed in full and signed by the trainee ACCP, local Clinical Lead and local ACCP Programme Director. It is the responsibility of the trainee ACCP and their employers to ensure that FICM training requirements are met. This also enables the FICM ACCP Sub-Committee to communicate with the ACCP workforce across the United Kingdom
Registration as an ACCP in training does not guarantee acceptance as an ACCP Member of the Faculty.
On completion of training, you will need to apply for membership evidencing that you have met the required standard.
Only critical care units approved for, at a minimum, stage 1 and 2 ICM level training are likely to be approved as FICM ACCP training sites. If your intended training site provides this level of ICM training, but is not yet an approved ACCP training site, please get in touch at contact@ficm.ac.uk and consider contacting your local FICM/ICM regional advisor to discuss seeking ACCP training site approval. There is a form which can be found in the Training Unit approval section below.
The FICM considers that units who do not train this level of ICM trainee would be unable to deliver the level of training required by the ACCP curriculum; as such the Faculty would not consider it appropriate for FICM ACCP Membership to be awarded to any ACCPs trained in units who do not receive this level of ICM trainee.
Whilst non-training units may be able to partner with a HEI and offer ACCP training to interested nurse and AHP colleagues, those trainees would not be eligible for any official Faculty recognition of that training, nor to apply for FICM ACCP Membership upon completion of their ACCP training programme.
Once you have registered to be a trainee with FICM, you will receive a standard email in return. This may highlight information you need to check to ensure your training programme (HEI component and workplace component) are appropriate to lead you to FICM Member status at the end of your training. If you have any questions at this point, please get in touch on contact@ficm.ac.uk.
Currently the process of Accrediting HEI’s in the UK is ongoing. There are only a few accredited HEIs (Please see website for updated list), so the majority of ACCPs in training are in the same position as you.
It is vital that you enroll on a MSc course relevant to ACCP practice that includes research, core skills for ACCPs, critical care pathophysiology, organ support, advanced history taking, clinical examination, and non-medical prescribing. Often module titles do not match with these stipulations but include the required content. If you have any concerns or queries, please get in touch (contact@ficm.ac.uk) as the ACCP Sub-committee will be able to advise.
It may be prudent to do this prior to starting/early in your training when tweaks/changes to your intended study pathway can be made with minimal disruption. If left until membership application, you may be disappointed to discover that the course you have completed does not meet the outlined requirements and will have to undertake additional modules before membership is approved.
If you have already started your programme of training with a HEI, the programme you have commenced on will be the programme assessed on application. If this programme is the same as the one that is being/been accredited, this will benefit you in that it will be easier to obtain membership.
During your membership application, you need to advise us of the programme carried out (including module breakdown) and HEI attended, and then complete appropriate documentation of training in your workplace.
You will also need to provide an abbreviated CV which contains your trainee duration, current role as qualified ACCP on a medical rota and educational component including module breakdown (level, credits, date and titles).
Trainee ACCP Registration
All ACCPs in training are requested to register with the Faculty so we can keep you up to date of any useful developments and start to monitor the ACCP workforce.
Please note that is does not automatically mean that you will be accepted as an ACCP Member of the Faculty.
Any individual beginning an ACCP training programme from 5 November 2017 which does not meet the FICM specification for ACCP training (details of which can be found on the ACCP Curriculum page) will not be eligible to apply for FICM ACCP Membership.
It is the responsibility of the individual seeking FICM ACCP Membership and the hospital trust providing their training to ensure trainee ACCPs undertake FICM recognised training.
Previous relevant course modules
In conjunction with the HEI the APEL process where appropriate to the ACCP programme can be used.
Transferring overseas qualifications
There is no formal route for this; currently the ACCP role is very clearly defined by the curriculum, benchmarking against overseas practice given the wide variation would require local ICU / HEI review and UK module and clinical competencies completion. Application for FICM Advanced Critical Care Practitioner Membership would be only possible based on successful matching of these.
Registration is free.
Please download and complete the form below and return it to FICM.
ACCP Training Units
How do I train ACCPs on my unit?
If you are a unit accepting Stage 1 and 2 trainees for ICM training, or a unit with the support and sign off of your ICM Regional Advisor, training ACCPs would involve:
- Engagement with a local HEI to run an ACCP PGDip course (MSc in future).
- Engagement of key stakeholders in our organisation to assess the possibility of the ACCP role being a viable workforce solution for your unit.
- Plan the end point of training - most, if not all, ACCPs take a position on the medical rota. Be clear how this will work including supervision requirements.
- Business case development - early involvement of your divisional managers and repeated "marketing" of the planned ACCP role in your strategic, financial and workforce planning. Getting the Medical and Nursing Directors on board early is key.
The ACCP sub committee has produced Advice for employing ACCPs as part of a Critical Care Team as a quick check guide of things to consider when employing ACCPs in a critical care unit.
Training Unit approval pathway
- The FICM Regional Advisor (RA) must approve training for ACCPs in the relevant unit.
- The RA should forward successful and unsuccessful applications to the FICM ACCP Sub-Committee for ongoing oversight and acknowledgement.
The RA should use the FICM ACCP Training Unit Approval Form to assess the unit’s suitability and once completed, send a copy to the FICM (contact@ficm.ac.uk).
To be approved as an ACCP Training Unit, the following aspects of organisation, environment and ethos towards training are required, and should be verified during the application process:
- Compliance with the regulations and recommendations of the relevant national Departments of Health, NMC, HPC and the FICM.
- Nominated ICM Consultant Lead for ACCPs with oversight to support trainers and ACCP trainees to engage in current training requirements. There should be formal links with an appropriate HEI providing the academic elements.
- Named Educational Supervisor for each trainee ACCP to mentor progress and provide pastoral support. Depending on the size of Unit and numbers of Trainee ACCPs, this may be the Consultant Lead.
- The unit would be expected to be recognised for at least core level ICM training (by FICM and Statutory Education Bodies (SEBs)).
- A Unit with sufficient clinical activity to deliver the ACCP training syllabus and meet the curriculum requirements.
- Where this is not possible in a single ICU, alliance with a larger allied teaching hospital/DGH or tertiary centre, in a hub and spoke model, is proposed. The duration of attachments and supervisory structure may need to be addressed on an individual basis.
- FFICM consultants should staff the unit as per GPICS standards. Where this may not be possible, out of hours cover for small and rural units arrangements for appropriate consultant support as detailed in the GPICS chapter on smaller remote and rural units should be in place.
- The recognised national standards, ethos and enthusiasm of the unit to embrace training is of paramount importance.
- Sufficient training opportunities for all trainees (ACCPs and doctors in training) allocated to the unit at any one time must be maintained.
- Sufficient clinical supervision such that every ACCP in training can be responsible to a nominated consultant at all times. The consultant must be available to advise and assist them as appropriate.
- Consistent positive feedback from the GMC National Training Survey, and local training feedback surveys. Where poor feedback is received, the RA with the support of the FICM ACCP Sub-Committee will review ongoing eligibility as a training unit for ACCPs.
Additional Considerations
It is recognised that some units are critical care units i.e. a flexible mix of ICU and HDU patients. In these situations, the average Level 3 occupancy should be related to bed numbers. Similarly, many units have adjacent ICU and HDU facilities, covered by the same medical staff. Here a similar calculation could be applied. Geographically separate units, for example separated by several floors or considerable horizontal distance of more than a few yards, should not be normally regarded as one unit.
Please see the Guidance for ICM Training Units for more.
ACCP Induction Framework
Trainee Advanced Critical Care Practitioner induction pathway
This document has been developed by trainee and qualified Advanced Critical Care Practitioners with the support of The Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine ACCP sub-committee (FICMASC), ACCP clinical leads and University representatives. The rationale behind this project was based upon a recognised need to standardise the approach to the induction process.
ACCP Trainer Guidance
ACCP Trainer Guidance
The contribution of the Educational Supervisor and the ACCP Clinical Lead in relation to providing supervision, support and opportunities to develop competence and master a specialist area of advanced practice is vital.
As a Supervisor you need to:
- Attend an initial meeting to facilitate your induction to the role, introduce the practice modules and the methods that will be used by the local University to support you in this new role. The workshop will also introduce the comprehensive knowledge and skills necessary for the module and what is required to support ACCP trainees to achieve this level of practice.
- Attend formative progress meetings every four months with the ACCP Local Clinical Lead and trainee ACCP.
- Liaise with the ACCP Local Clinical Lead regarding the ACCP trainee’s progress and highlight any areas of concern.
- Agree with your ACCP trainee how work-based teaching, supervision and assessment will be conducted.
- Help to institute the FICM competency framework for the advanced practice role that the ACCP trainee will undertake.
- Use all the tools in the work portfolio as directed by the competency evidence log and engage with the triggered assessments at six-monthly intervals.
- Maintain the quality of the work-based competency assessment process commensurate with mastery.
- Ensure that all Practice Mentors working with the student are aware of the guidelines relating to trainee ACCP practice and are experienced professionally qualified practitioners.
- Facilitate learning in the clinical area.
- Encourage reflective activity and enquiry.
Students will initially work under your direct supervision or that of your consultant colleagues; however, this level of supervision will decrease to indirect and then proximal as they progress through the programme, demonstrating competence and confidence and becoming more autonomous within their role. Initially students will be working weekdays when maximum supervision and support is available, however, as they achieve their Portfolio benchmarks, the Supervisor, in conjunction with the Local Clinical Leads, will decide when it is appropriate for the ACCP trainee to progress from direct to indirect to proximal supervision and to out-of-hours working. It is anticipated that students will progress to proximal supervision by the end of Year 2.
*The Faculty recognises that the first cohort of ACCP trainees in any location may require more time and focus as the structures and framework for assessment and supervision are developed and implemented. The suggested SPA time below can be used to support discussions locally about the time commitment that would be required as a minimum once the programme is established.
|
Educational Role |
Role description |
Typical Allocation |
Comment |
|
Educational Supervisor |
The Educational Supervisor is responsible for providing supervision, support and opportunities to develop skills and competence in Advanced Critical Care Practice |
Minimum 0.25 PAs per week per trainee
|
Additional time may be required for supporting and managing trainees in difficulty. |
|
ACCP Programme Lead |
The ACCP Programme Lead is responsible to the HEI for the quality management of the training programme as well as managing the overall ACCP training arrangements in their trust |
1 PA per week |
|
Want to know more?
Read the ACCP curriculum.