Trainee anaesthetist wins national prize while working with ACCTS Cymru

A trainee anaesthetist has won a national prize for his dedication while working with ACCTS Cymru .

Craig Sell is the latest recipient of the Geoff Clark Award, which is presented annually to the anaesthetic trainee in Wales who has achieved the most from a period of out-of-programme training or experience.

It was established in memory of the late Dr Geoff Clark who played a central role in setting up the Welsh School of Anaesthesia in 1996.

Craig said: "It was a huge honour to be recognised with the Geoff Clark Award for my out of programme experience with the ACCTS Cymru (Adult Critical Care Transfer Service).

“I am incredibly grateful to the ACCTS/EMRTS teams & Swansea Bay ICU for the opportunity and investment in my training, and for making me part of the team.

“It has only reinforced my belief that we can and should provide equitable access to critical care and specialist services for patients across Wales, irrespective of their location. I look forward to continuing to work with the service."

National Clinical Lead ACCTS Cymru, Dr Mike Slattery, added: "Craig has shown significant growth as a clinician and colleague during his time with the service.

"With increasing regionalisation of specialist services, it is important to nurture the next generation of transfer specialists to establish a sustainable footing to allowing ACCTS Cymru to continue to remove the barrier of distance from specialist care. 

"Allowing ACCTS Cymru to continue to remove the barrier of distance from specialist care, changing the narrative of 'too sick to transfer' to one of being 'too sick to stay', and moving patients who need our specialist care the most."

Previous winners of the Geoff Clark award who work or have worked for EMRTS/ACCTS include Dr Owen McIntyre, who was the award’s first recipient in 2011; Dr Ami Jones in 2012; Dr Louise Webster in 2013; Dr Matt Creed in 2020 and Dr Crawford Deane in 2021.