ATLS® – Advanced Trauma Life Support Provider Course

Royal College of Surgeons of England | 11th Edition

Develop a systematic, prioritised and practical approach to the initial assessment and management of seriously injured trauma patients.

The Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS®) Provider Course is an internationally recognised trauma programme developed by the American College of Surgeons and delivered in the UK through the Royal College of Surgeons of England (RCS England). RCS England is the exclusive provider of ATLS® in the UK.

PLAB Guide Training Centre is an approved ATLS® course centre, providing candidates with access to the official RCS England ATLS® Provider programme in Manchester.

The current 11th Edition ATLS® course is a hybrid programme consisting of mandatory pre-course e-learning followed by an intensive two-day face-to-face course. RCS England advises that the online preparation typically takes approximately 20–30 hours and must be completed before attending the practical course.

What Is ATLS®?

ATLS® teaches a structured approach to the early management of trauma patients with potentially life-threatening injuries.

The course is designed around the principle that clinicians should identify and treat the greatest threats to life first, using a repeatable trauma-assessment framework that can be applied even when information, resources or time are limited.

The current 11th Edition places additional emphasis on early control of catastrophic haemorrhage, using the updated xABCDE approach.

Who Is This Course For?

According to RCS England, the ATLS® Provider course is suitable for:

• Doctors at FY2 level and above

• Equivalent staff-grade doctors

• Eligible Advanced Clinical Practitioners

• Eligible hospital-based dentists

Advanced Clinical Practitioners and hospital-based dentists should confirm eligibility with the relevant ATLS® centre or RCS England before booking.

The course is particularly relevant to clinicians working in:

• Emergency Medicine

• Trauma services

• Surgery

• Anaesthesia

• Critical Care

• Orthopaedics

• Acute Care

• Pre-hospital or retrieval medicine where appropriate

What You Will Learn

The course develops a structured approach to:

• Initial assessment of the trauma patient

• Recognition of immediately life-threatening injuries

• Early haemorrhage control

• Airway assessment and protection

• Cervical spine considerations

• Recognition and management of breathing problems

• Circulatory assessment and resuscitation

• Neurological assessment

• Complete patient exposure while preventing hypothermia

• Reassessment following interventions

• Prioritisation of investigations

• Recognition of patients requiring urgent operative or specialist intervention

• Transfer and definitive care planning

• Trauma-team communication and leadership

The xABCDE Approach

The 11th Edition ATLS® curriculum introduces xABCDE, reinforcing the importance of controlling exsanguinating haemorrhage before progressing through the traditional ABCDE sequence.

Candidates develop a disciplined approach to:

x – Exsanguinating Haemorrhage

Identify and control catastrophic external bleeding immediately.

A – Airway with Cervical Spine Considerations

Assess whether the airway is patent, recognise threats to the airway and initiate appropriate intervention while considering potential cervical spine injury.

B – Breathing

Identify and treat immediately life-threatening thoracic conditions.

C – Circulation

Assess perfusion, identify haemorrhage and initiate appropriate circulatory resuscitation.

D – Disability

Perform a rapid neurological assessment and identify significant neurological deterioration.

E – Exposure and Environment

Expose the patient sufficiently to identify injuries while actively preventing heat loss and hypothermia.

Initial Trauma Assessment

Candidates learn how to perform a systematic trauma assessment while treating life-threatening problems as they are found.

The course reinforces:

• Immediate priorities

• Primary survey

• Resuscitation

• Reassessment

• Adjuncts to the primary survey

• Secondary survey

• Definitive care planning

The emphasis is on prioritisation rather than attempting to establish every diagnosis before treatment begins.

Airway and Cervical Spine

Candidates develop their understanding of:

• Recognition of threatened airway

• Basic and advanced airway considerations

• Oxygenation and ventilation

• Cervical spine protection

• Recognition of when airway intervention must take priority

• Appropriate escalation

Thoracic Trauma

The programme covers recognition and initial treatment of serious chest injuries, including conditions capable of causing rapid deterioration.

Candidates learn to integrate:

• Clinical assessment

• Immediate lifesaving treatment

• Imaging where appropriate

• Reassessment

• Specialist escalation

Haemorrhage and Shock

Major haemorrhage remains a central theme of trauma management.

Candidates develop a structured approach to:

• Recognising haemorrhagic shock

• Controlling external bleeding

• Identifying possible internal bleeding

• Initiating appropriate resuscitation

• Avoiding delays to definitive haemorrhage control

• Reassessing response to treatment

Head and Neurological Trauma

Candidates review the initial assessment and management of the trauma patient with neurological injury, including:

• Level of consciousness

• Glasgow Coma Scale

• Pupillary assessment

• Recognition of deterioration

• Prevention of secondary brain injury

• Appropriate imaging and specialist escalation

Musculoskeletal and Other Trauma

The course also addresses broader trauma assessment, including principles relevant to:

• Pelvic injury

• Limb trauma

• Spinal injury

• Burns

• Paediatric trauma

• Trauma in older people

• Trauma in pregnancy

• Other special circumstances covered within the ATLS® curriculum

Trauma Teamwork and Communication

Modern trauma care requires effective teamworking as well as technical competence.

The 11th Edition curriculum includes strengthened content around:

• Team communication

• Shared mental models

• Leadership

• Prioritisation

• Trauma systems

• Disaster preparedness

These areas form part of the wider updates introduced within ATLS® 11.

Course Format

ATLS® is a hybrid course.

Candidates complete:

Mandatory Pre-Course E-Learning

The online component contains the core knowledge required for the face-to-face course.

RCS England states that candidates should allow approximately 20–30 hours to complete this work. The e-learning must be completed in full by the specified deadline before attendance.

Two-Day Face-to-Face Course

The practical course includes:

• Interactive discussions

• Scenario stations

• Initial assessment practice

• Trauma patient assessment and testing

• Triage

• Demonstrations

• Practical trauma-management exercises

RCS England describes the programme as an interactive two-day course designed to develop practical, theoretical and personal trauma-management skills.

Assessment

Candidates are assessed according to the official ATLS® Provider course requirements.

Assessment includes the candidate's ability to demonstrate a safe, prioritised and systematic approach to trauma management.

A candidate who does not meet the required standard for the Provider course will not automatically be offered a repeat assessment session. RCS England states that where the minimum standard is not achieved, the candidate may need to complete another Provider course to obtain ATLS® Provider status.

Booking or attending the course therefore does not guarantee successful completion.

Certification and Provider Status

Successful candidates receive ATLS® Provider status.

Current RCS England guidance states that ATLS® Provider status is valid for four years. Providers approaching expiry may be eligible to complete the appropriate ATLS® reverification course within the permitted timeframe.

CPD Points

The current RCS England ATLS® Provider Course 11th Edition carries 34 CPD points.

This makes ATLS® both a significant clinical training programme and a substantial professional-development activity for eligible clinicians.

Instructor Potential

Candidates who perform particularly strongly may be identified as having Instructor Potential (IP).

RCS England states that faculty consider factors including:

• Excellent core knowledge

• Commitment to ATLS® principles

• Appropriate skills

• Professional attitude

• Suitability for the instructor role

Candidates normally need to be working at ST4 level or equivalent and above to progress through the ATLS® Instructor pathway.

Instructor Potential is awarded solely through the official ATLS® course process and cannot be guaranteed.

Why Complete ATLS®?

ATLS® is particularly valuable for clinicians who:

• Assess seriously injured patients

• Work in Emergency Medicine or trauma care

• Need a structured approach to major trauma

• Want to strengthen trauma-team leadership

• Need trauma training for their specialty pathway

• Want internationally recognised trauma education

• Are developing toward senior clinical roles

• Wish to improve confidence managing time-critical trauma

ATLS® has been used internationally for decades and is taught in more than 80 countries.

Why Complete ATLS® at PLAB Guide Training Centre?

PLAB Guide Training Centre is an approved ATLS® course centre in Manchester.

Candidates can benefit from:

• The official RCS England ATLS® Provider programme

• Experienced ATLS® faculty

• Intensive scenario-based teaching

• Practical trauma assessment

• Realistic resuscitation simulation

• Structured feedback

• Modern clinical training equipment

• A professional and supportive learning environment

• Convenient Manchester location

• Free dedicated parking

• Free nearby on-road parking

• Easy access by road and public transport

Our aim is to provide candidates with an organised environment in which they can concentrate fully on developing the systematic trauma-management approach required by the official ATLS® programme.

Important Pre-Course Preparation

ATLS® requires substantial preparation.

Candidates should book early enough to allow sufficient time for:

• RCS registration

• Access to the ATLS® online learning

• Completion of approximately 20–30 hours of mandatory e-learning

• Review of the ATLS® manual

• Consolidation of trauma algorithms

• Completion of all required pre-course activities

Candidates who book close to the course date remain responsible for completing all mandatory preparation before the RCS deadline.

Book Your ATLS® Course in Manchester

Develop a systematic and internationally recognised approach to the assessment and initial management of seriously injured patients.

Book the Advanced Trauma Life Support (ATLS®) Provider Course – 11th Edition at PLAB Guide Training Centre, Manchester, an approved ATLS® course centre.

Course format: Mandatory online learning + 2 days face-to-face
CPD: 34 points
Provider status: 4 years
Course provider in the UK: Royal College of Surgeons of England
Training centre: PLAB Guide Training Centre, Manchester