About
The Intensive Care Medicine (ICM) training programme is available either as a single CCT in ICM alone, or as a dual CCT with any of the partner specialities: Anaesthesia, Acute Internal Medicine, Respiratory medicine, Renal medicine or Emergency medicine. There are 12 posts offered each year.
Peter Anderson, Head of School – Anaesthesia & Intensive Care Medicine, leads the programme together with Training Programme Director, Dr Deb Pandit. To find out more about their roles visit the Meet the Team webpage.
The recent publication of Guidelines for the Provision of Intensive Care Services will ensure that there continues to be a strong market for fully trained Intensive Care Consultants. Although a relatively new specialty, the ICM training programme is well structured and robust. The ICM tutors in the HEE KSS region are enthusiastic and approachable – fully acknowledging that they are training their own future colleagues.
Curricula
Training in both single and dual curriculum is provided in KSS. Trainees working towards a dual CCT will have their training in each specialty tailored by the respective Training Programme Directors to ensure that the curricular requirements of each specialty are met. To find out more about the ICM curricula, visit the Faculty of Intensive Care Curricula webpage.
Further detailed FAQ on the ICM programme can be found on the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine (FICM) website.
Recruitment
All trainees who have completed core training in Medicine or Anaesthetics or ACCS are eligible to apply and appointment is through a national recruitment process. More information on the eligibility, how to apply and selection process can be found on the Intensive Care Medicine National Recruitment Office (ICMNRO) website.
If intending to train towards the Dual CCT, trainees must be appointed to each specialty training programme (e.g ICM & Anaesthesia) independently in the KSS region.
Where do trainees train?
ICM training has very good relations in other disciplines and we endeavour to tailor training around trainees to facilitate work-life balance whenever possible. Our training programme is well regarded and we are proud to have filled all training posts for the last two years.
Because trainees enter the KSS ICM training programme at various stages of their careers, and with different levels of experience in various specialties, it is not possible to have pre-determined training programmes. Instead, a training programme is carefully tailored to the educational needs of each individual trainee. Wherever possible, personal and social circumstances are taken into account when planning the rotations.
Single CCT Training in ICM
ICM training is undertaken in the following local education providers in the region:
Stage one training
Anaesthesia:
– Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton – Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust
– East Surrey Hospital, Redhill – Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust
Medicine:
– Medway Maritime Hospital, Medway – Medway NHS Foundation Trust
– East Surrey Hospital, Redhill – Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust
– Worthing Hospital, Worthing – Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
ICM:
– William Harvey Hospital, Ashford – East Kent Hospitals University Foundation Trust
– Medway Maritime Hospital, Medway – Medway NHS Foundation Trust
– Royal Surrey County Hospital, Guildford – Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust
– Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton – Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust
– Worthing Hospital, Worthing – Western Sussex Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Stage two training
Neuro and Cardiac ICM:
– Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton – Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust
Paediatric ICM:
– PICU in London
Special Skills year:
Special Skills year for Single CCT trainees: The special skills year will be tailored to the interests of individual trainees – opportunities will include: Echocardiography, Leadership, Research and Pre-Hospital Emergency Medicine. However, there are opportunities to complete the SSY at approved units outside KSS, subjected to availability.
Stage three training
– William Harvey Hospital, Ashford – East Kent Hospitals University Foundation Trust
– Medway Maritime Hospital, Medway – Medway NHS Foundation Trust
– Royal Surrey County Hospital, Guildford – Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust
– East Surrey Hospital, Redhill – Surrey and Sussex Healthcare NHS Trust
– Royal Sussex County Hospital, Brighton – Brighton and Sussex University Hospitals NHS Trust
To find out more about each training unit, please see the Training Unit Brief documents on FICM website.
To find out more about each training location, please visit the Local Education Provider webpage.
Dual CCT Training
Many trainees opt to undertake ICM training as dual training with Anaesthesia, Acute Internal Medicine, Emergency Medicine, Respiratory Medicine or Renal Medicine within the KSS region. Historically 65% of our Trainees have come from an Anaesthetic background and 35% from non-anaesthetic specialties.
The ICM part of dual training is provided by the hospitals mentioned above. However, the dual-counted part of the dual programme, which is undertaken within the partner speciality, is provided by the individual partner speciality programme.
Please note that in the dual programme the Special Skill Year (SSY) is spent in the partner speciality programme.
Trainees working towards a dual CCT will have their training in each specialty tailored by the respective Training Programme Directors to ensure that the curricular requirements of each specialty are met. Full details of the dual curricula can be found on the FICM website.
Support and wellbeing
Please note, KSS medical and dental training programmes and support services are managed by the London Healthcare Education team where appropriate signposting may be made to the London Deanery website or London and KSS Support Portal.
Training and working in ICM can be very challenging, especially with multifaceted demand on one’s self from service intensity, training requirement and family life. The Educational Supervisors (ES), many of whom have trained as educators through the KSS Qualified ES programme, provide support for the trainees. ICM ES and/or Faculty Tutor should be first point of contact for local help and support.
Training Programme Directors (TPD) are also available for support with any training and work-related issues, which cannot be resolved locally, programme placements, ARCP and career guidance. Naomi Forder, KSS School of Anaesthesia and ICM TPD leads on trainee support and can be contacted for additional support and advice for professional and personal issues. Naomi can be contacted on email via naomi.forder@nhs.net.
HEE also runs a Supported Return to Training programme to help with trainees getting up to the speed after a long period of time out from training.
The Professional Support Unit (PSU) is a free service primarily dedicated to supporting the progression of postgraduate training for healthcare professionals. The PSU operates on a self-referral basis and can be accessed via the London Deanery PSU webpage. The PSU team operate independently from the training programme and all enquires are treated confidentially. They provide support and advice on many aspects of professional development including Consultant Interview, Exam failure, Stress related issues and many other personalised supports.
External support and wellbeing resources:
- The Wellbeing Centre at the Faculty of Intensive Care Medicine provide valuable support by providing easily accessible resources to inform and support wellbeing education and skills.
- Intensive Care Society: Wellbeing and Psychological Resource Library
- Academy of medical royal colleges
Trainee involvement
Trainees have a strong voice at the Specialty Training Committee and at the Local Faculty Group in each hospital. Trainees from any of the partner specialties are all treated equally and fairly at all stages of their training. Currently in the ICM programme we have trainees who are training in ICM alone, and training jointly in ICM with Renal, Acute and Respiratory Medicine, Emergency Medicine and Anaesthesia.
Out of Programme experience
We are very supportive of trainees who wish to undertake some of their training overseas or in specialised units within the United Kingdom – subject to all necessary approvals.