2020 Clinical Excellence Awards has been suspended due to coronavirus (COVID-19)

UPDATE: 2020 Clinical Excellence Awards competition is suspended

The Advisory Committee on Clinical Excellence Awards (ACCEA) has suspended applications for the 2020 national Clinical Excellence Awards competition due to the increasing impact of coronavirus (COVID-19) on NHS staff.

The ACCEA will implement contingency plans for new applications and will also ensure that those whose awards expire in April 2021 are not disadvantaged by being unable to submit a renewal application.

Any applications already drafted will be saved. The online form will remain available until 5pm on Tuesday 24 March so that applicants can download their work.

Find out more on gov.uk.

Applications for the Advisory Committee on Clinical Excellence Awards (ACCEA) 2020 will open on 6 February and is expected to follow a similar format to previous years. The timetable is extremely tight, closing on 4 April 2020.

ACCEA guidance is expected to be made available on their website closer to the opening date.

At this stage, we will accept application on the forms used previously. Any changes are expected to be minimal.

RCS support

If you would like to be considered for RCS England support then email your completed ACCEA application forms as an attachment to cearcs@rcseng.ac.uk by:

• 10am on Tuesday 4 February 2020 for Platinum awards
• 10am on Thursday 5 March 2020 for Bronze, Silver and Gold awards

Please note that we must have newly completed forms for renewal applications by the same date. Late applications will not be scored. For enquiries contact cearcs@rcseng.ac.uk.

The RCS England is registered as a nominating body. The RCS England CEA committee comprises representatives across a wide range of specialties, plus a lay member. 

The RCS England would not normally provide support for local awards. For those considering applying at the Bronze level you must carefully consider the implications of leaving any local award scheme. If you decide to apply nationally and wish to be considered by RCS England or your surgical specialty association you will need to comply with the timetable of the sponsoring organisation.

If you are likely to move employer or retire in the next 18 months you should ask the ACCEA for their advice.

The ranking lists and citations which our organisations supply are considered to be important supplements to the evidence contained in the CVQs. It is encouraged you apply to both your specialist association and the RCS England for a place on their ranking list. If you wish both organisations to consider your application, you must send your CVQ to both organisations as we do not exchange CVQ information.

As with previous years, the responsibility for the actual on-line submission of the application to ACCEA will rest firmly with the applicant. The deadline is Thursday 3 April 2020.