Picking up the pieces
24 HOURS IN A&E
Channel 4, 9pm WITH this harrowing hospital documentary series now in its 21st series, we’re obviously a nation of steely TV viewers.
As doctors and nurses run around the busy emergency ward at London’s St George’s Hospital shouting things like “code red trauma”, it does make for tough viewing. However, it’s a reminder of the immense job the NHS staff do in the face of low resources and too few people with too little time.
“For every bad thing you see, there is something equally wonderful out there,” says one medic.
In this snapshot of 24 hours in A&E, two motorcyclists have had serious accidents.
One, Przemek, is airlifted to St George’s after being involved in a high-speed motorcycle crash on the M4. Doctors are concerned the 35-year-old may have lifechanging spinal injuries.
His wife Tatia says: “He was supposed to get the train that day. Just before he left I said, ‘Send me a text when you get there’. But a police officer called. I just prayed for him to be alive.”
Elsewhere, 17-year-old Leon is brought in having crashed his motorbike into a central reservation.
While doctors await the results of his CT scan, his mum Janey tells all about her “cheeky” son, who often struggled with mainstream education.
One doctor says: “When people experience really significant illness or injuries, we see people pull together, we see relationships get stronger and we see people really reflect on what are the most important things in their life.”
It’s certainly emotional.