- 20/05/2025
999 - On the front line S12E03 (18th May 2025)
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00:00AMBULANCE SIREN BLARES
00:01Ambulance services, patient breathing.
00:04I've just popped up to see my nan, and she can hardly breathe at all.
00:09She's epileptic. She's not come out of it yet.
00:13I think she's been doing drugs.
00:15I'm not sure whether it's heroin or ice.
00:18Starts in the morning, eh? I know.
00:22We're on board with the paramedics of West Midlands Ambulance Service.
00:27This job changes every day.
00:32Can we get fire or police? Somebody with bolt cutters.
00:38Saving lives and making a difference every day.
00:41You say the patient's been stabbed?
00:43In a medical emergency... You all right?
00:45..six million people rely on them.
00:48You can go to people giving birth,
00:51they're in their most traumatic time of their life.
00:53You could be having a bleed on your brain.
00:55OK, mate, move in.
00:57Filming simultaneously with seven paramedic crews...
01:00He's got loads of things going on. Take a steady breath for me.
01:03..capturing life...
01:05Oh! ..on the front line.
01:07There's no price you can put on saving somebody's life.
01:176.30pm is home time for most people,
01:20but for these paramedics of West Midlands Ambulance Service,
01:23it's clocking on time.
01:25Come and give me a hug.
01:27Good morning. Or evening.
01:30Evening. How did you sleep?
01:32What sleep? What sleep? How was band?
01:35Very good. Very good. And my dad bought me a Maccies.
01:38So I'm feeling slim today.
01:44Did you get much sleep today?
01:46Not really, not a great deal.
01:48That's the thing with the first one, isn't it?
01:50You can't really sleep all day. Sleep well tomorrow.
01:52Definitely.
01:54Countdown is on till bedtime.
02:01As the paramedics start their shift, they ponder what's in a name.
02:06What's the reason you're called George, George?
02:08To be honest, I... You don't know?
02:10I don't really know. It means farmer,
02:13and my dad's side are farmers.
02:17I was born nine weeks early, so I was, like, three pound nine.
02:21And they just sat there and looked at me and went,
02:23oh, she's so little, and it was like, oh, what about little Lisa?
02:27Aw, that's so sweet.
02:29I'm not so little now. I've made up for it, haven't I, really?
02:31But I think that's shift work, isn't it?
02:33Yeah, that's all the snicks.
02:35All of the snicks. We do like snicks.
02:37My dad's got a building company called Abbey Building.
02:41And I'm called Abbey.
02:43I don't think my mum wanted me to be called Abbey, though.
02:52I'm not sure I should say what my dad used to say
02:55about eating my greens.
02:57Oh, God, what did he say?
02:59If you eat all of your greens,
03:02you'll grow up with a hairy chest and big boobies.
03:07So did eating all your greens work out for you?
03:10I'd say not.
03:12I think my dad was lying to me the whole time.
03:14I mean, I don't know why it would be desirable
03:16to have a hairy chest and big boobies.
03:18But, yeah, I mean, I lived in hope for the big boobies.
03:29Ambulance service is the patient breathing.
03:49Right now.
03:59Right, so all we've got so far, cat one, unconscious.
04:03He's outside a supermarket,
04:05wondering if they are unconscious.
04:08Could be anything. Could be anything.
04:11At least they're in a public place if someone's found them.
04:14I think it can be quite a lot more unnerving at night
04:17than a day shift.
04:19Yeah, and I think also when people are unwell outside.
04:22Yeah. I don't know, that feels a little bit more...
04:25They've probably been exposed.
04:27Yeah.
04:31Right, here.
04:33Oh, they're waving over there.
04:39Hiya. I'm Danny. Are you OK?
04:41Thank you so, so much.
04:43Hello, mate. Hello.
04:45Do you know what's happened?
04:47Hello.
04:51I'm not part of this, by the way.
04:53Have you had heroin?
04:55Yeah? No.
04:57What have you taken?
04:59Um, I think it's crack.
05:01OK. OK.
05:03I think we'll just get straight on the structure together.
05:05There was a lady that was there
05:07that said that he'd had some crack cocaine.
05:09But it's really difficult to know, has he had some crack cocaine?
05:12Do you know what he normally takes,
05:14or has he taken something else today?
05:16One, two, three. That's it.
05:18Well done. That's it.
05:20Come on to our stretcher. That's it.
05:22That's it. Well done.
05:24Don't fall off.
05:26It's getting him out of the cold.
05:28Couple of bumps.
05:30Right, up we go.
05:34There we are.
05:36As Danny and Lisa get the patient onto the ambulance,
05:38another man follows them.
05:40What does he normally take?
05:42Is he mamba?
05:44Is that a common one he uses?
05:46Or crack?
05:48Mamba is a synthetic form of cannabis.
05:52No, but your friend here,
05:54has he had any mamba?
05:56No.
05:58Does he normally have mamba?
06:00Yeah, he's not really that responsive yet, is he?
06:02We just want to be able to treat
06:04as best we can, that's all.
06:06Right, we'll get everyone off the ambulance
06:08and start treating.
06:10While Danny and Lisa try to find out
06:12what the patient has taken,
06:14more people are getting on the ambulance.
06:16OK, everyone, if you please get off the ambulance.
06:18We need to start some treatment.
06:20Otherwise I'm calling the police.
06:22It can be quite scary when you've got lots of people around you.
06:24They're trying to get near the patient.
06:26Obviously we're trying to treat with medication.
06:28You don't want to injure anybody else with any sort of needles.
06:30But it can be quite frightening, especially when it's dark
06:32and you're not around many people.
06:34We need to start some treatment and do some observation.
06:36Come on.
06:38Come on, everyone, off the ambulance.
06:40We need to do some treatment.
06:42Go away or I'll call the police.
06:44Get off now.
06:58It is mad, like, how different things would be
07:00if we never met at uni.
07:02I was our patient earlier, thinking we're married.
07:04I said I couldn't tie you down.
07:06You didn't want me.
07:08I tried, Josie, I tried.
07:10We're like a little married couple.
07:12People think we are. Yeah.
07:14I wish I like one. I should be so lucky.
07:16I don't think I could cope with you.
07:18I wouldn't cope with you.
07:24Ambulance service, is the patient breathing?
07:26Yes, they are. They're conscious.
07:28Is there a reason for the call?
07:30I'm a nurse at Wolverhampton Police Station.
07:32Yeah. I've got a young person
07:34identifying as non-binary
07:36that's got quite a high blood pressure
07:38and high pulse rate and is quite clammy.
07:42Pulse is what, sorry?
07:44131. 131.
07:46I find it, like,
07:48difficult with non-binary people
07:50because I'm quite, like, met.
07:52Blessing.
07:54You just have to ask
07:56what pronouns they use.
07:58Because some non-binary people
08:00will use, like, they,
08:02but some will use they, he,
08:04he, they, she, they.
08:06And then just be respectful,
08:08like, don't act awkward about it.
08:10That's all I'd think to say, like.
08:12But mate, unless
08:14someone says, please don't call me mate.
08:16Keep it natural.
08:18Yeah. It's a natural... Like, mate,
08:20I don't think it's masculine or feminine.
08:22Mate's just whatever it is, isn't it?
08:24I wouldn't stress about it.
08:26I've come across quite a few
08:28non-binary people. I'm not sure about you.
08:30I think I've only come across
08:32non-binary people in this job.
08:34Yeah.
08:36It's just about being kind and respectful, isn't it?
08:38But that's to everybody.
08:40Parker and Courtney arrive at Wolverhampton
08:42Police Station.
08:48Why are your abs done?
08:50Because it's a routine thing for me to do
08:52when I have to assess them.
08:54When I tried to do them on your nails,
08:56they were back at 171.
08:58But because they're acrylics,
09:00I couldn't trust that, so I put the VP machine on
09:02and got it from there and it was 131.
09:04It's still too high.
09:06Shall we show us the way and we'll go and have a chat?
09:08We'll go and have a chat and see what happens.
09:10The station's resident nurse
09:12tells Parker and Courtney that the patient
09:14lives in supported accommodation.
09:16Tonight, they've been arrested
09:18for allegedly assaulting a carer.
09:20Hello.
09:22My name's Courtney, this is Parker.
09:24I've met here before.
09:26I don't think you have.
09:28I've got one of those faces, maybe.
09:30Yeah, she has got a face.
09:32We've been called because your heart rate is a bit elevated.
09:34Yeah.
09:36I've been feeling not well for the last couple of weeks.
09:38In what way? Have you been feeling unwell?
09:40Is it all right if we check your heart rate
09:42and do your blood pressure and stuff? Is that all right?
09:44Is that OK? Yeah.
09:46Shall we try this on your nails?
09:48But what I'm going to do is twist it that way
09:50and you just relax your arm down.
09:52They told us they were feeling very well,
09:54they were feeling sick, they were feeling unwell,
09:56so we sort of have to try and figure out what's going on.
09:58Sorry, we didn't ask before,
10:00which pronouns do you like to use?
10:02Do you have any chest pain?
10:04A little bit, yeah.
10:06How long have you had your chest pain?
10:08Since Monday.
10:10Have you seen anybody about your chest pain?
10:12Do you have any palpitations?
10:14It's like you can feel your heart pounding.
10:16How long have you felt them for?
10:18Since Monday.
10:20So you're getting sort of being either ongoing
10:22or since Monday? Yeah.
10:24OK. What were you getting with reading my heart rate?
10:26131, 125.
10:28OK.
10:30Sats are 97. Good reading, to be fair.
10:32Blood pressure? Blood pressure,
10:34133 over 87.
10:36So your heart rate
10:38is going quite quick at the moment.
10:40Do you feel anxious of anything at the moment?
10:42A bit anxious. A bit anxious?
10:44Being in a police cell is quite a stressful environment,
10:46so we couldn't rule out
10:48that that was the reason the patient's heart rate
10:50was so high. However,
10:52in such a young person, to have such
10:54an elevated heart rate and blood pressure
10:56can mean that there's a significant
10:58cardiac event happening and we need to do
11:00tests to make sure that we know what's
11:02going on. Are we OK to pop some
11:04stickers on your chest and just underneath here?
11:06Is that OK? Yeah.
11:08There you go. So just while we do
11:10this heart tracing, nice and still, no moving
11:12or talking, OK? Like a statue.
11:14Looks normal, just tacky.
11:16Do you mind having a stand for me
11:18so we can do your blood pressure standing?
11:20All right. You got it?
11:22Do you want a hand on my side? You've got it.
11:24That's it.
11:26You feel dizzy when standing?
11:28Yeah. You're quite tall.
11:30Oh, my God, yeah.
11:32Well, I mean, anyone's tall to me because I'm small, but...
11:34Now, hold this hand.
11:36Just keep it really still
11:38and it'll do it quicker.
11:40It's always when we want it to work
11:42quicker, it doesn't.
11:44What's our heart rate standard?
11:46138. It did go up to about
11:48141 and then it dropped back down
11:50and then it's come back up.
11:52A normal resting heart rate
11:54is between 60 and 100 beats
11:56per minute. At over 140,
11:58this patient's heart is
12:00working overtime.
12:02You still feel dizzy?
12:04Yeah.
12:06I'm just going to give you some medication, OK,
12:08just to help with whatever you've taken this evening,
12:10all right?
12:12I'm going to give you some naloxone, OK?
12:16In Worcester, paramedics
12:18Danny and Lisa are with a patient
12:20who's suspected of taking a drugs overdose.
12:22Danny, how are you?
12:24I'm fine, thank you.
12:26Danny, how are you?
12:28I'm fine, thank you.
12:30Danny, how are you?
12:32I'm fine, thank you.
12:34Danny is suspected of taking a drugs overdose.
12:38All ups are good.
12:40The lady that I spoke to
12:42said that he was
12:44admitted last week
12:46for similar.
12:48She knows him as a drug user.
12:50OK.
12:52Right, got just an injection coming your way, OK?
12:56Danny gives the drug called
12:58naloxone, which reverses
13:00the effects of an opioid overdose.
13:02Just be aware,
13:04he may well start to jump off the stretcher.
13:08After giving the patient some naloxone,
13:10they can get quite confused,
13:12they don't know where they are,
13:14why they're on the back of an ambulance.
13:18Open your eyes for me.
13:20That's it, open your eyes
13:22so we can have a look at your eyes.
13:24Positive to pain, aren't we?
13:26As the antidote starts to take effect,
13:28the patient regains consciousness.
13:32Just in case you bolt up, right?
13:38That's it, put your belt on.
13:40Keep you safe.
13:42Don't want you falling off the stretcher, do we?
13:44Try and keep your arms still for me.
13:46Shall we just get rolling?
13:48The ramp's down, I don't want to go back outside.
13:56A rowdy crowd had tried
13:58to get on the ambulance earlier.
14:00Annie and Lisa are concerned
14:02they might still be waiting outside.
14:04No, I'll go out.
14:10I think they've gone, but...
14:12Did you put the drugs pack away?
14:14Yeah, I have, just in case
14:16anybody just climbed it in.
14:18All the commotion
14:20has attracted the attention of the police.
14:24I'll go see what the situation is.
14:26Has he caused any damage?
14:28Well, somebody was.
14:30Yeah, we've seen CCTV have picked him up.
14:32There's no damage that I'm aware of.
14:34OK.
14:36It was a little bit nerve-wracking going out
14:38outside of the truck to get into the cab,
14:40but at least I knew that the police were there.
14:42You know, I was safe,
14:44I had my body cam on as well,
14:46so it is reassuring to have them there.
14:48I say we just get going whenever you're ready
14:50because we're starting to get quite agitated.
14:58Hiya, it's Danny on 4942.
15:02Danny calls the hospital
15:04to update them on the patient's condition.
15:06We're responsive to pain.
15:08GCS 7 at the moment,
15:10so eyes not opening,
15:12unintelligible sounds and withdrawal from pain.
15:14We're just starting to get really agitated
15:16and quite wiggly,
15:18but we're still the same GCS.
15:22Lovely. See you soon.
15:24Thank you. Bye.
15:26Bye.
15:28As the patient's high wears off,
15:30he becomes more agitated.
15:32Try not to wiggle too much.
15:34You're going to fall off the bed.
15:36That's it. Stay still.
15:38It can be quite daunting being on the back of the ambulance
15:40with a patient, especially when they start to become quite agitated
15:42and start lashing out.
15:44You don't know what they're going to do next.
15:46After a six-minute journey,
15:48the patient arrives at Worcestershire Royal Hospital.
15:52Having been alerted by Danny,
15:54his team will take over his care.
16:08He was tricky, wasn't he?
16:10He was.
16:12It's always difficult in a public place, isn't it?
16:14When you've got all the onlookers,
16:16they've all been out,
16:18all the revellers,
16:20alcohol on board.
16:22It makes it more difficult to manage,
16:24you know, people trying to get involved
16:26but not be helpful, involved.
16:28Yeah, and they're just shouting.
16:30They're not responding. We're trying to treat them.
16:32You're just delaying things now.
16:34Step out. Sunday night dramas.
16:40So, we're going to pop you up to the hospital
16:42just because your heart rate is going
16:44a bit too quick.
16:46In Wolverhampton,
16:48paramedics Parker and Courtney
16:50are at a police station where a patient
16:52in custody has a very fast heart rate.
16:56Who do you live with?
16:58Supported living. OK.
17:00Do you have any family support or anything?
17:02No?
17:04Do you like where you live?
17:06It's all right. It's OK.
17:08Then we'll have a little walk out. Is that all right?
17:10So, this patient needed to go to hospital
17:12because their heart rate persistently
17:14was in higher ranges than normal.
17:16This can mean that there's a cardiac event happening,
17:18so to take them into hospital
17:20they can have a blood test that can rule out any events.
17:22You're all good to go, yeah?
17:24Yeah, we're all good to go when you are.
17:26As the patient is under arrest,
17:28a police officer accompanies
17:30Parker and Courtney to hospital.
17:34Parker will get a chair down for you.
17:36Yeah.
17:38All right, sweetheart.
17:40We'll be leaving now, all right?
17:42Are you happy, Court?
17:44Yeah, I'm happy when you are.
17:46OK, I'll start.
17:48Do you have any hobbies or anything?
17:50Make-up.
17:52Yeah, are you any good?
17:54Yeah, French plats.
17:56You can do French plats?
17:58You'll have to do mine.
18:00Get mine out of my face for me.
18:0220 quid.
18:0420 quid? That's expensive for French plats.
18:06I really enjoy
18:08finding out about patient lives.
18:10I get a lot of life experience
18:12from understanding what they've been through
18:14and what they're going through.
18:16Your heart rate is still going a bit quick.
18:20It's not showing on our heart
18:22tracing that you are.
18:24What is it then? What could it be?
18:26It can be anxiety, but you seem quite
18:28calm with us.
18:30How do you feel?
18:32You feel safe with us? That's good to hear.
18:34I'll have a chat with the nurses, OK,
18:36and just let them know how you are feeling.
18:38Let's see if you can get a referral
18:40to sort of mental health.
18:42That's the nurses' team. All right.
18:44We're just pulling in now, I think.
18:46After a seven-minute journey,
18:48the patient arrives at Newcross Hospital
18:50in Wolverhampton.
18:52How are we all?
18:54We're all right.
18:56Better for seeing you.
18:58You're right to step off for us then.
19:00That's it. After you.
19:02Come and follow me. You've got it, mate.
19:04Here, the cardiology team will investigate
19:06what's causing their unusually
19:08fast heart rate.
19:12MUSIC
19:26Is it mad being a twin?
19:28Do you have that, like... You're like,
19:30my boyfriend's a twin. Yeah.
19:32We've had exactly the same dream.
19:34We've only ever had the same dream twice.
19:36We call it our twin telepathy.
19:38We actually do that with our hands.
19:40Twin telepathy.
19:42What's your thoughts on sixth sense
19:44and paranormal?
19:46I don't believe in, like, ghosts and stuff.
19:48But then sometimes I do think,
19:50like...
19:52random things happen
19:54at night in the house and you're like,
19:56is that a ghost?
19:58You just won't forget about it.
20:00I think I'd be scared otherwise.
20:06Ambulance service, is the patient breathing?
20:08Yes.
20:10OK, love, what's the reason for the call, please?
20:12Well, I've just popped up to see my nan
20:14and she can hardly breathe at all.
20:16And how old is she?
20:18I'd say, yes, sir.
20:20So I have organised a blue light.
20:2682-year-old female
20:28that has COPD.
20:30This extremely breathless.
20:32OK.
20:34Exacerbation of COPD.
20:36So, nebulisers, if she's got a wheeze present.
20:38On the way to this job,
20:40we were made aware that this lady
20:42had got COPD.
20:44She was unable to complete full sentences.
20:46Automatically, I'm thinking,
20:48she's going to need a nebuliser to open
20:50all of her airways back up.
20:52Wondered if she'd got
20:54an infection that had brought
20:56all of this on.
21:00Kylie, are you all right?
21:02So, my son's on holiday.
21:04OK.
21:06And what's your relation to Abby?
21:08I'm her grandson.
21:10She can hardly breathe.
21:12Hello, darling, you OK?
21:14Take a deep breath, OK?
21:16My name's Emma and this is Abby, OK?
21:18Yeah.
21:20When 82-year-old Sheila had been
21:22coughing all day and struggling to breathe,
21:24her grandson Jamie called 999.
21:30Deep breaths for me.
21:32As soon as we walked into Sheila,
21:34you could tell that she was struggling.
21:36She'd got an increased respiratory rate
21:38and was taking quite deep breaths,
21:40working quite hard.
21:42She's got a right-sided lower wheeze,
21:44reduced left lower
21:46and upper congested.
21:48We'll get a nebuliser.
21:50Right, what we're going to do...
21:52Have you ever had a nebuliser before?
21:54A nebuliser.
21:56So, oxygen with some medication
21:58is opening up your airways
22:00to make it easier to breathe.
22:02You've got a bit of a wheeze at the moment
22:04and that will help treat that, OK?
22:06Yes.
22:08I'm going to pop these dots on your arms, darling.
22:10You know when you're coughing,
22:12are you coughing anything up?
22:14Oh, everything, yes.
22:16What colour is it?
22:18It's white.
22:20It's a little bit yellow.
22:22You've probably got a bit of a chest infection.
22:24Sheila is hard of hearing,
22:26so Abby rings her son Adrian,
22:28who's on holiday,
22:30to get her medical history.
22:32She's got COPD.
22:34OK.
22:36All the medications in the kitchen on the side.
22:38OK, and when was the last time
22:40she had, like, a bad episode
22:42with a COPD?
22:44Well, this is the worst it's ever been
22:46with a nebuliser.
22:48OK, that's fine.
22:50Sheila was a smoker,
22:52and smoking is the main cause of COPD.
22:54It's thought to be responsible
22:56for around nine in every ten cases.
22:58No problem.
23:00Right, cheers. We'll let you know what's happening.
23:02Emma gives Sheila a drug called
23:04salbutamol.
23:06This should relax the muscles in her airways,
23:08making breathing easier.
23:10And you've not had one of these
23:12before? No.
23:14So heart rate's elevated.
23:16There's definitely infection there somewhere.
23:18Yeah, you can hear that on her chest.
23:20There you go.
23:22We should pop this in your ear.
23:24Ah.
23:26Ah.
23:2837 more.
23:30Has that helped with your breathing?
23:32A bit better, yes.
23:34A bit better?
23:36No.
23:38It's not very good for you.
23:40This salbutamol increases your heart rate,
23:42and your heart rate's already elevated.
23:44I'm going to have another listen, OK?
23:48So we've fixed her wheeze.
23:50Good.
23:52Sheila?
23:54Come round here.
23:58Would you be happy to come to hospital
24:00with us? No, I don't want to.
24:02Just to get this looked at, because
24:04you've got an infection at the moment,
24:06and we kind of want to resolve that
24:08before it gets any worse, so we need to treat
24:10that chest.
24:12And I think the best thing to
24:14treat is in hospital with some IV antibiotics.
24:18I literally hate it when
24:20you've got a little old person that needs
24:22to go into hospital, and they're just...
24:24Refusing. Refuse. Point blank, refuse.
24:26I think they know that they're
24:28unwell, but they just don't want to believe it.
24:30Yeah. And they don't want to get the help.
24:32They don't want to be stuck in hospital, do they?
24:34And I think, I feel, a lot of the time,
24:36I think that they're wasting our time, when actually
24:38they're not. Yeah, they don't really need to go.
24:40Man, you all right to speak to Dad?
24:42Emma and Abby now enlist
24:44the help of Sheila's son.
24:46Right.
24:48Now, you're poorly.
24:50But if we leave you here, you're going to be
24:52very, very poorly.
25:02As the West Midlands
25:04sleeps, we're on board with
25:06seven paramedic crews simultaneously
25:08as they work a typical 12-hour shift.
25:14So if we just get you up
25:16now, while it's not as bad,
25:18get some IV antibiotics into you.
25:20You'll be home in no time, OK?
25:22In Dudley, paramedic
25:24Emma and technician Abby
25:26are with Sheila.
25:28She has a suspected chest infection
25:30and needs to go to hospital.
25:34He said that you've got to go.
25:36The boss has spoken.
25:38Sheila's son Adrian
25:40is on the phone and convinces her
25:42she needs to go.
25:44Sheila, can I pop a needle
25:46in your arm, please?
25:48Is that OK? Just so we can give you some
25:50fluids, OK?
25:52Have you actually found anything?
25:54Yeah, it sounds like she's got a bit of a chest infection.
25:56She's coughing up some yellow sputum
25:58and she's
26:00sending it wheezy on the chest.
26:02Is that what's causing her to be short of breath?
26:04Yeah, yeah, it can cause that.
26:06It's quite common with having COPD.
26:08Should we get you down the stairlift then?
26:10In this situation, the family were very
26:12encouraging the patient to go
26:14to hospital,
26:16which we were thankful for because she really needed
26:18to be seen and treated.
26:20Right, if you can get your bottom on here for me.
26:22We've got you, OK? We're going to
26:24pop you onto the ambulance.
26:28Right, here we go.
26:30On three. One, two, three.
26:32Lovely.
26:34And then if you just lean back,
26:36I'll lift your legs up for you.
26:38She'll pop you on.
26:40Do you need a hand?
26:42Husband Joe is going to come
26:44with Sheila to hospital.
26:46I know,
26:48there's a lot of equipment in here.
26:52First time you've ever been in an ambulance?
26:54It's a good thing we don't want you in an ambulance.
26:56Oh, yeah, I agree, love.
26:58Right, Abi, I'm happy.
27:00Okey-dokey.
27:04The hospital is a short
27:06six-minute drive away.
27:08How are you feeling at the moment?
27:10Not very well.
27:12Not very well? In what way?
27:14Tired.
27:16Feel tired? Do you feel sick at all?
27:18No.
27:20And how long have you had that cough for?
27:22Oh, smoke and stuff.
27:24So it's been ongoing for a while?
27:26Yes.
27:28Sheila arrives
27:30at Russell's Hall A&E in Dudley.
27:32Right, here we go.
27:34Right, in we go.
27:36You OK there, Joe?
27:38Lovely.
27:40Here, the respiratory team
27:42will give her intravenous antibiotics
27:44to help fight her chest infection.
27:54I think going to hospital
27:56was definitely the best outcome for her,
27:58because at the end of the day,
28:00she needed help.
28:02She was like, no, I'm not going to hospital.
28:04But if she was to stay at home,
28:06she'd just deteriorate to a point where
28:08she wouldn't be able to make that decision for herself.
28:16In a medical emergency,
28:18these are the people
28:20who answer our call.
28:22And what's the reason for the call?
28:24Please tell me exactly what's happened.
28:26She's in a lot of pain. Where is the pain?
28:28Reassuring distress callers
28:30who are having their worst day
28:32is one of the most important skills they possess.
28:36You need patience
28:38to listen to people.
28:40You need to be caring and empathetic.
28:42That is the main thing,
28:44because that is this person's
28:46emergency on what they're going through.
28:50Ambulance service,
28:52is the patient breathing?
28:54Yes, he is.
28:56Are they conscious and awake?
28:58His sugars have dropped.
29:00He's diabetic.
29:02OK, so at the moment, is he not responding?
29:04No.
29:06Is that breathing noisy or abnormal?
29:08Yeah.
29:10So we've got the ambulance on the way to you.
29:12I am going to stay on the line until they arrive, OK?
29:14I could tell that it was definitely a time-critical case.
29:16From the caller declaring
29:18that the patient was in a hypo
29:20and that they had noisy breathing,
29:22it was a matter of getting a crew there
29:24as soon as possible.
29:26Is there any way at all that he could be lying down?
29:28Does the chair recline or anything like that?
29:30It does recline,
29:32but I can't move him off the chair
29:34because he's a lot bigger than me.
29:36No problem.
29:38What we just ask, if you can just try to recline the chair
29:40as much as possible, just so he is lying down
29:42as much as he can do.
29:44So at the moment, he's unconscious,
29:46he's got noisy breathing and his blood sugar levels have dropped.
29:50With the diabetes, have you given him
29:52a glucagon injection kit at all?
29:54No.
29:56Oh, you've already given him, that's fine.
29:58Let's have a look.
30:00OK, any injuries anywhere?
30:06So good job you said with the needle at the end of that.
30:08It can be rare to have moments
30:10on the phone where you're able to joke
30:12and laugh with the caller because it
30:14reminds you that we are human
30:16and that we're not just a robot
30:18reading off a script at the other end of the phone.
30:20I have got showing up here
30:22that the paramedics should be arriving any moment now.
30:26Oh, lovely, I'll leave you with them then, lovely, OK.
30:38I was ugly as a baby,
30:40I was cute as a toddler,
30:42I had, like, proper blonde hair
30:44and it was, like, curly.
30:46Oh, that's so cute.
30:48I don't know what my mum decided to do,
30:50and then it just went downhill from there.
30:52I bet you were tiny as well,
30:54because obviously you're, like, a short adult,
30:56so I bet you were a short adult.
30:58You're vertically challenged as an adult.
31:00What's wrong with me being short?
31:02Nothing wrong with you being short,
31:04you're a little pocket rocket
31:06and you make me feel tall, so it's great.
31:08Good things come in small packages.
31:10Exactly.
31:16Ambulance service, is the patient breathing?
31:18Yes, she is, yes.
31:20The patient's conscious, are they awake?
31:24Half and half.
31:26Epileptic.
31:28Is she having a seizure?
31:30She's had one, but she's not come out of it yet.
31:32OK, how old is the patient?
31:34She's 14.
31:42Cat one, 14-year-old,
31:44unconscious,
31:46originally come through as a peri-arrest,
31:48now it's gone to unconscious.
31:50I wonder why she's unconscious.
31:52Is it hypo, low blood sugars?
31:56Has she got any known history?
32:00Seizure.
32:02Patient is now responding.
32:04I wonder if she's known epileptic.
32:08When going to a 14-year-old
32:10that's had a seizure,
32:12I think there's quite a lot of things running through your mind
32:14like, has this caused a seizure?
32:16Have they had a seizure before?
32:18Is this one the same as normal?
32:22It's going to be the one with the person outside.
32:32Where are we going to?
32:34Is it Lucy?
32:36What's happening today, then?
32:38She was seizing longer than normal, so...
32:40OK.
32:42So, what's longer than normal for Lucy
32:44in terms of seizures?
32:46Five minutes is longer.
32:48OK.
32:50She's normally out between three and four minutes.
32:52OK.
32:54Mum Lisa rang 999
32:56when daughter Lucy was taking longer than normal
32:58to come out of a seizure.
33:00Dad Anthony and brother Lewis are also with her.
33:06And how long were we out of conscious?
33:08I don't know for how long,
33:10because she was down here watching telly.
33:12We were in bed.
33:14So I don't know how long she'd been seizing for
33:16before we heard her.
33:18Yeah.
33:20What did you hear?
33:22The breathing.
33:24OK.
33:26She knocked a few things off on that table
33:28behind you, so I think my son...
33:30I heard the breathing.
33:32You heard the breathing.
33:34I was just concerned.
33:36Obviously, yeah, if it's...
33:38It's longer than normal.
33:40And they have said if it's longer than five...
33:42Of course, yeah.
33:44A seizure lasting longer than five minutes
33:46can be quite concerning,
33:48so the brain's starved of oxygen for longer.
33:50And the fact that Lucy's seizures
33:52last less than five minutes,
33:54a longer seizure,
33:56is quite concerning for us.
33:58Are we diagnosed with epilepsy?
34:00Do you have rescue medications?
34:02No.
34:04Lucy was diagnosed with epilepsy
34:06two and a half years ago,
34:08and takes regular medication to control her condition.
34:10But once a seizure starts,
34:12these drugs won't stop it.
34:14When was the last time
34:16she's sort of seen somebody
34:18about her epilepsy?
34:20A few months ago, but we've actually got an appointment
34:22on Wednesday this week to see a neurologist.
34:24OK.
34:26Oh, today now, yes?
34:28Oh, yes, today, yes, yes.
34:30As it's the early hours of the morning,
34:32the appointment with the neurologist is this afternoon.
34:34Sweetheart, can I just check your blood sugars?
34:36A little scratch on your finger.
34:38Which one?
34:40Shall we go for the one with the nice ring on?
34:42Mm-hm.
34:44How do you feel at the moment?
34:46Crap.
34:48She was completely unconscious, yeah.
34:50A seizure often leaves the patient
34:52feeling exhausted.
34:54Do you remember what you were doing before your seizure?
34:56I didn't have to do anything.
34:58Have you been eating and drinking normally today?
35:00Yeah.
35:02Blood sugars were good.
35:04Heart rate's on the high end,
35:06but that's going to be expected.
35:08Oxygen levels are perfect.
35:10Blood pressure's all right.
35:12I'm happy that you've got
35:14your appointment tomorrow.
35:16Well, today.
35:18If you mentioned that this seizure
35:20was a bit longer today,
35:22just bring up
35:24possible rescue medications
35:26that you can give
35:28for longer seizures,
35:30but hopefully this will just be a bit of an anomaly.
35:32Ultimately, she didn't need to go to hospital
35:34because she was happy to stay at home.
35:36Mum was happy to stay at home.
35:38She's with someone, so she's not going to be on her own.
35:40She had a neurologist appointment the next day.
35:42If we took her to hospital, she would have ended up
35:44missing the appointment that she's probably waited
35:46probably months for.
35:48God knows how long for, yeah.
35:50If there are any other seizures that last longer,
35:52anything that concerns you,
35:54because you know her better than anybody,
35:56anything that you just think
35:58doesn't sit right with you, you can just call her straight back.
36:00OK? Lovely.
36:02You happy with that, sweetheart?
36:04Happy to stay at home and go to bed?
36:06Yeah.
36:08May as well just go straight to bed if you're going to bed.
36:10Will you leave doors open and stuff now?
36:12Yeah.
36:14You can take that with you tomorrow.
36:16Thank you very much.
36:18Take care, sweetheart.
36:20See you later.
36:22Cheers. Thank you.
36:26Ugh.
36:30Hopefully she can get things put in place.
36:32Some rescue medication.
36:34Good family support unit, though, like...
36:36Massive, yeah.
36:38It's like a life-changing thing for them.
36:40Yeah.
36:56You know, when you go to Christmas
36:58and, like, sometimes patients, like,
37:00give you tokens or something like that,
37:02you know, something...
37:04Have you ever had anything, like, odd?
37:06When I used to taxi, I ended up with crates of beer
37:08and bottles of wine,
37:10but I don't drink.
37:12I used to drink with the other people.
37:14I was given a box of chocolates.
37:16Right.
37:18And every single chocolate had a bite taken out of it.
37:20It's the thought that counts, obviously.
37:22They've been generally nice, but...
37:24You don't really want to upset them.
37:26You don't want to upset them.
37:28You're not supposed to accept any gifts or such.
37:30Cups of tea.
37:32Oh, cups of tea all day long, definitely.
37:34And if you feed this one...
37:36I'm deaf, yeah.
37:38...you turn over and it'll rub his belly.
37:40I'll do the extra mile, mate, if you feed me.
37:42No problem.
37:46Ambulance service, is the patient breathing?
37:48The patient's breathing. What is it?
37:50The patient's breathing. What it is?
37:52The optician said to call 999
37:54because he's gone blind in one eye.
37:56Is the patient able to talk to me?
37:58Can you pop him on the phone?
38:00Hello? Hello there, it's the ambulance service.
38:02What's happened?
38:04My right eye is virtually blind.
38:06When did the eye symptoms start?
38:08It's been about three days.
38:10It's been like this.
38:14We're going to a
38:16suspected bariatric patient
38:18who has lost
38:20vision in one eye
38:22within the last seven days.
38:24The optician visited yesterday
38:26and advised 999 to take the patient
38:28to eye hospital.
38:30The patient is Bedburn.
38:32He's bariatric, approximately
38:3427 and a half stone.
38:3627 stone is classed as bariatric,
38:38which is basically a patient
38:40that is potentially larger in size,
38:42heavier in weight.
38:44That's what we use the term bariatric.
38:46Because they're bigger than the usual patient.
38:48What's our weight limit on our stretcher?
38:50Can you remember?
38:52I believe it's 25 stone.
38:54Don't quote me.
38:56Considering the gentleman
38:58was 27 stone,
39:00we potentially have to think about
39:02maybe extra help getting him out of the property.
39:04Depending on what's in place,
39:06if there's hoists, if there's ramps,
39:08if there's any steps,
39:10we've got to consider all of that.
39:12I believe it's that building there.
39:14I believe it's that building there.
39:26Hello, matey.
39:28I'm Paul.
39:30I'm Abdul.
39:32Why am I here then, matey?
39:34My right eye, which is usually stone.
39:36Well, all of a sudden,
39:38the right eye is covered up
39:40and all I can see
39:42is that bulb over there.
39:44It is orange.
39:46You just see the colour, no shapes?
39:48I don't see the shape of it.
39:50It's just orange.
39:52So that's not normal for you?
39:54No.
39:5662-year-old former baker Roger
39:58is housebound.
40:00When he lost the sight in his right eye,
40:02he called 999.
40:04Is it hurting your eyes, the light?
40:06Just irritates.
40:08Are you in any pain anywhere at the moment, Roger?
40:10Not in any pain,
40:12but it depends how I am on the bed.
40:14OK.
40:16So the main reason I'm here then
40:18is because of your eyesight,
40:20that's what you're worried about, yeah?
40:22On seeing Roger and having a chat with him,
40:24he explained that his optician
40:26had queried a detached retina.
40:28So it's not something
40:30we deal with,
40:32but it does need further investigation
40:34at hospital.
40:36Do you suffer from high blood pressure or anything like that?
40:38What else do you suffer with, matey?
40:40So I've got high blood pressure, cataracts,
40:42anything else I need to know about?
40:44Diabetes.
40:46What type, my friend?
40:4821.
40:50Right, sharp scratch, my friend.
40:52Anything else I need to know, mate?
40:54Asthmatic or anything?
40:56You haven't mentioned the brain tumour.
40:58Yeah, it's a benign tumour.
41:00It's benign, so there's no treatment going on for it?
41:02Yeah, just tablets.
41:04Abdul checks Roger's heart rate
41:06and blood pressure.
41:08Oh, it's irregular as well.
41:10Nice and still, my friend.
41:12No talking, no moving. 30 seconds, OK?
41:14Starting now.
41:16It's quite high, mate.
41:18I'm going to do another blood pressure.
41:20Yeah, it's still high.
41:22Roger's blood pressure was very high,
41:24excessively high, I would say, which can lead to a stroke.
41:26He needs to go into hospital.
41:28To take Roger to hospital,
41:30Abdul and Paul request
41:32a bariatric ambulance crew
41:34with specialist training and equipment.
41:36Right, matey,
41:38I want you to take some nice deep breaths for me, OK?
41:40While Paul monitors Roger's breathing,
41:42Abdul calls control.
41:442-4.
41:46Miss, bariatric vehicle.
41:48Could you prioritise that to a red, please?
41:50I just need him out of here as soon as possible.
41:52His blood pressure's quite high. Over.
41:58Roger, diastolic's over 100,
42:00so I want him gone as soon as we can.
42:02So we're just waiting
42:04for an ambulance to come, yeah?
42:06With the appropriate stretcher.
42:08So it's triggered on there?
42:10Once Paul had told me Roger triggered
42:12the sepsis tool,
42:14it became a much more serious job
42:16and he needed to get to hospital quickly.
42:18I'll stick a needle in there.
42:20I don't really want to give him anything because of his blood pressure.
42:22Roger's vital signs are indicating
42:24he's at risk of sepsis.
42:26This is a life-threatening condition
42:28where the body attacks its own organs.
42:30Right.
42:32Lift your arm up for me.
42:34Wonderful. Right, just rest on my hand.
42:36Right.
42:38Is that painful? No.
42:40You feel that going all the way up your arm? Yeah.
42:42Hello, sir.
42:44The bariatric ambulance crew arrives.
42:46Blood pressure's been...
42:48Diastolic's been, like, 100, 115.
42:50He's got issues
42:52with his vision.
42:54So the option was out yesterday,
42:56query the detachment.
42:58OK. Are you a bit chesty as well?
43:00He's chest clear, but he's
43:02respiring at 28. He has flagged up
43:04red flag sepsis.
43:06Right. Shall we get you a T-shirt on first,
43:08Roger? Yeah, let's start with that.
43:10I'll let you get that arm in, then I'll lift this one up.
43:12All right, much movement in you, is there?
43:14You seem a bit weak.
43:18Together with Roger's friend,
43:20Bruce, the paramedics
43:22move him onto a stretcher designed to support
43:24his weight.
43:26Roll you over in a second.
43:28All right, on three. One, two, three.
43:30Roll.
43:32I know, Roger, I'm sorry.
43:34Right, on three.
43:36One, two, three.
43:38Oh, we've gone
43:40all the way, yeah.
43:42Ready, steady, slide.
43:44Are we over?
43:46Yeah.
43:48All right.
43:50I'm going to pull those slide sheets out.
43:52I'm going to knock those two brakes off and slide them towards me.
43:54This one's off.
43:56Right, I think if we come up the bed.
43:58One, two, three.
44:00Are you OK? Do you want that behind your head, mate?
44:02No. Do you want to sit up a bit more?
44:04No, I want to get down a bit more.
44:06Do you want to get down a bit more?
44:08Too much? Yeah.
44:10That's it.
44:12Yep, OK, good man.
44:14Roger wasn't really able to
44:16mobilise at all, so we had to
44:18do most of the pulling across
44:20onto our stretcher.
44:22If he could have helped more,
44:24he tried to move around,
44:26like his limbs and stuff, but he was
44:28very limited what he could do.
44:30Yeah, if he's stuck in bed for a long time,
44:32his muscles aren't going to work anyway, so...
44:34Roger, you need to bring
44:36your arm in for me, this one, mate.
44:38Lift it up. Lift your arm up, mate.
44:40That's it.
44:42Are you OK? Keep them arms in, buddy.
44:44With Roger on the
44:46stretcher, the paramedics
44:48can now move him on to the bariatric
44:50ambulance.
44:52The eagle has landed.
44:54I'll just put this ramp up, mate, and I'll shut the doors.
44:56Take care, my friend. All the best.
44:58It's all right, guys.
45:00The second crew take Roger to New Cross
45:02Hospital, 4.5 miles
45:04away in Wolverhampton.
45:10Roger spent
45:12three days in hospital.
45:14He was put on antibiotics and saw
45:16a specialist about his vision.
45:18And Sheila, who was struggling to breathe,
45:20was found to have pneumonia
45:22in both lungs. She was given
45:24antibiotics, nebulisers
45:26and spent three weeks in hospital.
45:32Next time...
45:34Look at your eyes, darling. I'm sorry, matey.
45:36A man has back-to-back
45:38seizures.
45:40Seizures are time critical and would need to be
45:42treated straight away. The impact
45:44on the brain is life-threatening.
45:46I'm going to faint.
45:48A woman is struggling with severe back
45:50pain. She was fighting for breath
45:52and pain in her legs.
45:54This can indicate that she's
45:56having a pulmonary embolism. Keep still.
45:58Nice and still. That's it.
46:00Well done. And a car
46:02collides with a six-year-old girl.
46:04She had abrasions across
46:06her stomach. I was worried in case the car
46:08had actually driven over the top of her, which
46:10can cause a lot of bleeding internally.
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