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Advisory Committee on Clinical Excellence Awards (ACCEA)

The Advisory Committee on Clinical Excellence Awards (ACCEA) is an independent, advisory NDPB and succeeded the Advisory Committee on Distinction Awards (ACDA)

The NHS Consultants' Awards Scheme

Clinical Excellence awards are given to recognise and reward the exceptional contribution of NHS consultants, over and above that normally expected in a job, to the values and goals of the NHS and to patient care. ACCEA will operate the arrangements which replaced discretionary points and distinction awards with a single, more graduated scheme comprising both local and national elements known as the Clinical Excellence Awards Scheme. The scheme operates under:

  • fair and uniform criteria
  • transparent and equitable processes and
  • clear operational frameworks

The 2010 National Award Round

The 2010 Round is now closed.   Please note that the closing date for submission of applications for new awards, reviews of existing awards, citations and ranked list has passed. It is not possible to submit any further application or relating material. There are no exceptions to this.

Details of the 2011 Round will be announced in the new year.

Latest news

9 February 2010

We have updated our frequently asked questions to keep them in line with changes to the guidance. They can be viewed on the Documents and Publications page, the National level Clinical Excellence Awards page, the Employer based (local) Clinical Excellence Awards page or:

12 January 2010

The revised National Nominal Roll of Consultants shows all those consultants with a National Distinction or Clinical Excellence Award (CEA). It is not possible at present to include details of Employer Based Award levels 1-9 or Discretionary Points, as much of this information is not available centrally. The Nominal Roll was last updated in January 2010. Details of the 2009 National Awards are included and, full details of Employer Based (Local) awards will be included when obtainable via the Electronic Staff Record (ESR) system. If any errors or inaccuracies are found on the Nominal Roll please email us with the correct information and include your GMC/GDC number in order to help us correctly identify your entry. Please note: where a consultant has two or more contracts, his/her name will be displayed two or more times corresponding with each contract

22 December 2009: New Medical Director appointed

The Appointments Commission have appointed Dr David Lindsell as the new Medical Director of ACCEA with effect from 1 January 2010. David is a Consultant Radiologist at the Oxford Radcliffe Hospitals NHS Trust where he also has a major managerial role as one of three Divisional Chairs. He was appointed as a Consultant in 1983 and is an Honorary Senior Clinical Lecturer at the University of Oxford. He is also the Warden of the Faculty of Clinical Radiology at The Royal College of Radiologists where he is responsible for setting the standards for the education and training of radiologists nationally. In a distinguished career he has also undertaken a number of international roles and published on radiological subjects. Over the next few months he will be stepping down from a number of his current roles in order to take on the responsibilities of the Medical Director.

30 November 2009

ACCEA is pleased to announce that the Annual Report covering the 2009 Awards Round and the latest edition of the Newsletter have been published today.

23 October 2009

21 October 2009

Examples of 2009 Personal Statements have now been published

16 October 2009

ACCEA has published a report on the processes used by its National Nominating Bodies to formulate their recommendations for Clinical Excellence Awards. Please see attached.

30 September 2009: 2010 Employer Based Awards Guide

The Guide to Employer Based Awards has now been published. It can be found on the Employer based (local) clinical excellence awards page, the Documents and Publications page or by clicking the link below. This Guide has been compiled by a working group that consisted of the Medical Director of ACCEA, 3 of the regional sub-committee Medical Vice-Chairs and representatives of employers and the BMA. It incorporates all the information that in previous years has only been available in the national guides and includes changes that were made to the national guides prior to their publication. We have also put together a document highlighting the features which we want to bring to your attention.

25 September 2009

The revised National Nominal Roll of Consultants shows all those consultants with a National Distinction or Clinical Excellence Award (CEA). It is not possible at present to include details of Employer Based Award levels 1-9 or Discretionary Points, as much of this information is not available centrally. The Nominal Roll was last updated in September 2009 with details of the 2009 National Awards and, around the end of 2009, will be updated with full details of Employer Based (Local) awards. At that point this information should be obtainable via a link with the Electronic Staff Record.

21 September 2009 - List of high quality journals

ACCEA has published a list of journals which in the opinion of its nominating body are of high quality. Please see attached. Any queries about this list should be directed to Maggie Bishop, Specialist Societies Manager, ACCEA, Tel: 020 7972 3923, email maggie bishop

11 September 2009

The remaining 2010 guides for the national awards have now been published. They can be found on the 2010 Awards Round page, the Documents and Publications page, or you can view them by clicking on the attachments below. The guides have been changed to reflect the changes already made in the 2010 guide for applicants which was published in July 2009. It is expected that the 2010 guide to employer based awards will be released at the end of the month.

The 2010 Round for National level Clinical Excellence Awards (CEA) is now open

To assist you with completing your 2010 Round National Level CEA application, we have created the following documents, please click on a link above to be directed to the document. These can also be found on the ‘2010 Awards Round’ page:

The results of the 2009 round: Clinical Excellence Awards

The list of successful applications for new awards and reviews of exsisting awards has now been added to this site. These can be found on the National Awards page on this website or by clicking on the links below. Letters were sent out to successful applicants on 23 July 2009. If your name appears on the 2009 lists and you have not yet recevied a letter, please contact the Secretariat. Letters were not sent to unsuccessful applicants.

24 July 2009: Guide for applicants for 2010 awards round published

The guide for applicants for the forthcoming round has been published today. It can be found on the 2010 Awards Round page, the Documents and Publications page, or you can view the Guide by clicking on the attachment below. The guide shows substantial changes from the 2009 version. A one page summary of these changes accompanies the guide. It is expected that the online application form will be available at the start of September. At the same time screenshots of the application form will be placed on this site which may assist you further when making your application.

24 June 2009 - Strengthening Clinical Excellence Awards: Advice from the National Quality Board and the National Leadership Council

ACCEA has been receiving advice from a number of sources about how to strengthen Clinical Excellence Awards in the light of the recommendations of the Next Stage Review. Attached is an important piece of advice which is set out in a letter from David Nicholson CBE as Chair of the National Quality Board and National Leadership Council. ACCEA is taking account of this advice and in July 2009 is expecting to publish the guide for applicants and the nominators guide for the 2010 awards round.

21 April 2009

10 March 2009

ACCEA has published a new report detailing the specialist societies which have attained recognised nominating body status.

4 February 2009

The ACCEA register of specialist societies is now open for new applications for registration. If your society wishes to make official nominations for Clinical Excellence Awards in the 2010 round, it should complete an application form and return it by email to Specialistsocieties@dh.gsi.gov.uk by Friday 1 May 2009. No applications for registration will be considered after this date.

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