Advanced Clinical Practitioner Curriculum

Emergency Medicine Advanced Clinical Practitioner Curriculum (2022)

The RCEM EM-ACP Curriculum provides the framework for Advanced Clinical Practitioners (ACPs) aiming for credential status with RCEM, and defines the capabilities, standards and evidence required of ACPs in emergency medicine. Initially implemented in 2015, a new ACP curriculum was developed in 2017 following completion of the original pilot.

In September 2022, the ACP curriculum (2017) was revised to align with the new Specialty Learning Outcomes (SLOs) and Key Capabilities (KCs) introduced in the RCEM Curriculum 2021 for doctors in specialty training. The new ACP curriculum (2022) retained its original breadth and standard of practice whilst tailoring the clinical syllabus and programme of assessment to ACPs.

There are two separate curricula, one for adults and one for children, allowing ACPs to choose the most appropriate pathway based on the emergency department they work in and the patient population they see. ACPs who manage both adult and paediatric patients can opt to credential in both curricula, either at the same time, or one after the other. The RCEM help sheet Selecting a curriculum provides additional guidance to assist practitioners in selecting the right option for them.

EM-ACP Curriculum (2022) – Second edition (April 2025)

RCEM EM-ACP Curriculum (Adult) 

RCEM EM-ACP Curriculum (Children) 

In response to feedback from ACPs and supervisors, a revised edition of the RCEM EM-ACP curriculum (2022) was published in April 2025, providing additional guidance and clarification. A detailed summary of the modifications can be found in RCEM Emergency Medicine ACP Curriculum (2022) and Credentialing Regulations – second edition release statement

Important information (April 2025)

The College is currently reviewing the ACP credentialing regulations to evaluate their potential impact on ACPs who work less than full-time (LTFT) or need to take an extended period of absence.

Although it is anticipated that changes will be made to the credentialing regulations once this review has been completed, we have opted to release updated editions of both the curriculum and credentialing regulations now as the additional guidance will benefit those planning to credential in Autumn 2025.

Further information on this review can be found at ACP Credentialing Regulations.

ACP Credentialing Regulations

The ACP Credentialing Regulations outline the eligibility criteria, academic standard, evidence requirements, and application and review process for ACPs credentialing in either adults or children. They also provide specific guidance for ACPs aiming to credential in both patient groups, whether at the same time or one after the other.

It is essential that ACPs, supervisors and local faculty familiarise themselves with, and adhere to, these regulations.

ACP Credentialing Regulations – Second edition (April 2025)

ACP Credentialing Regulations 

The second edition of the EM-ACP curriculum (2022) was published in April 2025, providing additional guidance and clarification on a number of areas. The ACP Credentialing Regulations were updated at the same time to reflect the revisions made to the curriculum, and to bring together other guidance published elsewhere on the RCEM website. A detailed summary of the modifications can be found in RCEM Emergency Medicine ACP Curriculum (2022) and Credentialing Regulations – second edition release statement 

Important information (April 2025)

The College is committed to ensuring the RCEM EM-ACP credential is achievable for all ACPs working in emergency medicine. Recognising that credentialing is likely to be more challenging for ACPs who work less than full-time (LTFT) or need to take an extended period of absence, such as for parental leave (including maternity leave) or ill health, RCEM established a Task and Finish Group in November 2024 to evaluate how current credentialing regulations – such as evidence submission timelines – may inadvertently disadvantage some ACPs.

In March 2025, ACPs (both members and non-members of RCEM) were surveyed to explore the impact of the current regulations, and to help the College identify potential changes that could be made without impacting the credential’s nationally recognised standard. This feedback will inform recommendations to be presented to the College Council for consideration.

Although it is anticipated that changes will be made to the credentialing regulations once this review has been completed, we have opted to release updated editions of both the ACP curriculum and credentialing regulations now as the additional guidance will benefit those planning to credential in Autumn 2025. Subsequent editions will include any approved amendments.

New academic requirement for credentialing from Spring 2026

The Royal College of Emergency Medicine is keen to support EM-ACPs and ensure recognition of the RCEM Credential across specialty and institutional boundaries.

The RCEM Academic Committee in conjunction with the ACP Credentialing Sub-Committee and ACP Forum, have determined that from Spring 2026, ACPs must have a full Masters degree to achieve RCEM EM-ACP credentialing (adult or children) in line with the standards described in the four pillars of advanced practice. We believe this supports consistency across credentialing processes. ACPs will still be able to credential with a PGDip prior to Spring 2026.

ACPs who are about to commence or are in the early stages of development and evidence collection in anticipation of RCEM credentialing, should note this change and, if not intending to complete the full Masters, are advised to discuss this with their Educational Supervisor.

For further information, please email ACP@rcem.ac.uk

Transition Guidance

All ACPs on the credentialing pathway who remained on the 2017 ACP curriculum following implementation of the 2022 ACP curriculum in September 2022 must now transition to the new curriculum. Credentialing submissions against the 2017 curriculum will no longer be accepted.

To request migration to the 2022 ACP curriculum, ACPs will need to complete and submit the Curriculum Migration form within their ePortfolio. Migration should be completed within 10 working days.

Please note: prior to submitting the migration form, ACPs must ensure that all open events, such as workplace-based assessments (WBAs) awaiting completion by the assessor, have been completed and closed. MSF summary reports must also be generated. Any tickets that have not been closed will need to be resent once migration has been completed.

Educational Supervisors will also need to ensure that the STR and FEGS for the period prior to transition have been completed, as the 2017 forms will no longer be accessible once the ACP has been migrated to the 2022 curriculum.

It is strongly recommended that ACPs meet with their Educational Supervisor as soon after transition as possible to identify any existing evidence collected against the 2017 curriculum that will remain relevant to the 2022 curriculum, and that which will need to be completed post-transition. ACPs will need to relink existing evidence that remains applicable, and is within timescale, to the appropriate SLO/KCs and/or clinical syllabus elements within the 2022 ACP curriculum. We have published detailed guidance to assist ACPs and supervisors with the transition process.

2022 ACP Curriculum – Transition Guidance (updated October 2024)

Curriculum and Credentialing Guidance

RCEM has produced a series of help sheets providing additional advice and guidance on specific areas of the 2022 ACP curriculum. We will be adding further topics in due course.

• RCEM ACP Credentialing – where do I start (January 2025)
• Overview of the curriculum (April 2023)
• Selecting a curriculum (updated January 2025)
• The clinical syllabus: coverage, evidence and linking to SLOs (updated January 2025)
• Demonstrating previous experience – CV, training advice and academic programme (July 2023)
• I am not a nurse or paramedic – can I credential with RCEM? (updated January 2025)
• Entrustment levels (updated January 2025)
• How to sign-off procedural skills (SLO6) (updated January 2025)
• ESLEs and ACATs (updated January 2025)
• Patient contacts and how best to use every contact (Decmeber 2023)
• Use of non-clinical time – evidencing the supporting SLOs (July 2023)
• Other evidence (December 2023)
• Linking and de-linking (April 2023)
• Mapping evidence to the adult curriculum and clinical syllabus (January 2025)
• Educational meetings (updated January 2025)
• Utility of the FEGS and ESR (July 2023)
• Extending credentialing to adults or children from a 2017 curriculum base credential (March 2025)
• I have trainee ACPs in my department – how can I get involved in their training? (updated January 2025)
• Preparing to submit – advice for ACPs and Educational Supervisors (includes checklists for mandated evidence) (updated January 2025)
• Patient numbers and case mix summary table template – adults (January 2025)
• Patient numbers and case mix summary table template – children (January 2025)
• ACP and Educational Supervisor Sign-off (December 2023)
• ACP credentialing screening criteria (January 2025)
• March 2024: ePortfolio linking issue affecting RP3 and RP4 (adult clinical syllabus and children clinical syllabus)
• March 2024: ePortfolio linking issue affecting oncological emergencies, pain and sedation, sexual health, vascular and other clinical presentations within the combined adult and children clinical syllabus

Emergency Medicine ACP Credentialing Process 2022 curriculum

There will be two credentialing opportunities in 2025 – in Spring and Autumn. Within each will be two separate application windows – one for ACPs submitting a new application or full resubmission, and a later one for ACPs who have received a ‘limited resubmission’ outcome and have been invited to submit their additional evidence to the following Panel for review.

ACPs who wish to apply must be confident, along with their ACP Educational Supervisor, that they will have appropriate evidence of acquisition of all required competences across the curriculum and clinical syllabus uploaded to their ePortfolio before the closing date (any evidence submitted after this date will not be considered except in exceptional circumstances and at the sole discretion of the Chair of the ACP Credentialing Panel).

To submit your credentialing application, you will be required to complete an online registration form once the application window opens. Details of the application fee structure can be found below.

ACPs submitting within the Spring 2025 application window will also be required to complete and upload a ‘map of evidence’ which will ensure that the Panel is able to locate and review the mandated evidence. The ‘map of evidence’ (templates below) must be uploaded to the RCEM ePortfolio as a Word document no later than Sunday 16 February 2025 using the ACP Document UPLOAD event and named ‘Map of evidence Spring 2025’.

Map of evidence (adult)

Map of evidence (children)

All portfolios must be signed-off by an ACP Educational Supervisor who meets the eligibility criteria stipulated in the regulations.

All ACP Educational Supervisors must:

• be on the Medical Register in the UK with no restrictions to practice
• be a GMC-recognised trainer
• have successfully completed RCEM ACP Supervisor Training (2022 curriculum).

For ACPs credentialing in adults, or adults and children concurrently, the ACP Educational Supervisor must also:

• be on the GMC specialist register in Emergency Medicine (with or without PEM) and be employed as a substantive EM consultant, OR
• be an Associate Specialist or Senior Specialty Doctor and be employed in a substantive role in Emergency Medicine

For ACPs credentialing in children only, the ACP Educational Supervisor must also:

• be on the GMC specialist register in Emergency Medicine (with or without PEM) and be employed as a substantive EM consultant in a paediatric Emergency Department, OR
• be on the GMC specialist register in Paediatrics with PEM and be employed as a substantive PEM consultant in a paediatric Emergency Department, OR
• be an Associate Specialist or Senior Specialty Doctor and be employed in a substantive role in Paediatric Emergency Medicine.

Please note: ACPs may continue to upload evidence to their portfolio after completing the online registration form until the application window closes.

If you have any questions regarding the application process, please email ACP@rcem.ac.uk

2025 EM-ACP Credentialing application dates

ACP Credentialing Virtual Drop-ins

From April 2025, RCEM will be holding monthly virtual drop-in sessions on Zoom for ACPs on the credentialing pathway. These sessions will provide an opportunity to ask any questions you may have regarding the ACP curriculum and credentialing, such as the mandated evidence required, evidencing the KCs and clinical syllabus, WBAs, foundation skills sign-off, reflection, and curating your portfolio for submission (where to link evidence, maximum items of evidence permitted, supervisor sign-off process, etc.). If you have transitioned from the 2017 curriculum, you may also have questions regarding how much of your previously collected evidence may still be used for the 2022 curriculum, and where. You may drop-in at any time during the sessions and either leave once your question has been answered, or stay and listen to other ACPs’ queries.

Please note: we cannot comment on, or review, individual portfolios or specific pieces of evidence.

Dates and Zoom joining instructions for the sessions can be found below:

Thursday 17 April, 11:00 – 12:00

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88364401103?pwd=agoaqVfjuVada3aKl2bbbmrMfV7zV3.1

Meeting ID: 883 6440 1103

Passcode: 827265

Tuesday 20 May, 15:00 – 16:00

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84545346709?pwd=g0WC7DiSAcc3ABa2nGPDYOOQ1H51LI.1

Meeting ID: 845 4534 6709

Passcode: 969954

Wednesday 11 June, 15:00 – 16:00

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83569309424?pwd=gJbdkaxu5xX2usnsdqvahufvfUvgzu.1

Meeting ID: 835 6930 9424

Passcode: 993643

Friday 18 July, 11:00 – 12:00

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/82581071937?pwd=dyWevUEADOpaKz93I6wXsyQJQxJ1rn.1

Meeting ID: 825 8107 1937

Passcode: 449897

Tuesday 12 August, 15:00 – 16:00

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/89854077069?pwd=PzxgeZd9VHtiKcKsW3Shre0B34VgC8.1

Meeting ID: 898 5407 7069

Passcode: 616827

For further information on these sessions, please email ACP@rcem.ac.uk

ePortfolio System upgrade – July 2024

As part of a system-wide upgrade to the risr/advance ePortfolio platform, the way that documents are uploaded has changed. As from 02 July 2024, the Document section has been replaced by a Files area and all documents, images, media files, etc. will now need to be uploaded as an ‘event. We have published detailed guidance to assist ACPs on the credentialing pathway with this process.

Changes to the ePortfolio platform – guidance for ACPs

Further information on the upgrade can be found on the RCEM ePortfolio page.