ARCC Transfer Service
Adult Critical Care Transfer (ACCT) Services have been commissioned to provide coordination, triage, decision-support and transfer of critically ill patients between hospitals for escalation to specialist care, repatriation and capacity reasons. With Thames Valley & Wessex (TVW), an interim service (RESCUE) was successfully introduced during the pandemic to support the safe transfers of patients requiring critical care from our units.
From October 2024, the substantive Adult Regional Critical Care (ARCC) transfer service was commissioned, hosted by Buckinghamshire Healthcare Trust for TVW, and Royal Surrey NHS Foundation Trust for Kent, Surrey & Sussex (KSS). The hosts are working with South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SCAS) and South East Coast Ambulance Service Foundation Trust (SECAmb) as delivery partners to provide an aligned service across the region.
The change from RESCUE to ARCC (TVW) is expected to have little impact for the units within our network, with ARCC (TVW) looking to build on the successful foundations set out by the RESCUE service.
The service provides dedicated, fully equipped vehicles and trained staff seven days a week between 10:30 and 23:00.
The service also facilitates a 24/7 single point of contact (SPOC) for all adult critical care transfers, that provides coordination and support.
Download the poster pack below to find out more about the service and how to arrange a transfer.
Full details of the service can be found on the tranfer service website.
There are two ways to utilise the service:
Send an online referral via the transfer service website
Call: 0300 303 4147
Please note this number is for clinical staff to contact the Adult Critical Care Transfer Service ONLY.
Tools & Further Information
The Network Transfer Group have written and created various tools and documents to assist units when preparing for a transfer.
Feedback
We're keen to hear your views on the service and any feedback you can give will enable us to learn and improve. Please complete our short survey.
Reporting adverse incidents
If you encounter any transfer related adverse incidents, we request that you complete our reporting form.