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.
00:35Painful even when I'm pressing here.
00:37Saving 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.
00:56Filming simultaneously with seven paramedic crews...
01:00He's got loads of things going on. Take a steady breath for me.
01:03..capturing life...
01:04SHE GROANS
01:06..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.
01:27Hello. Good morning.
01:29Or evening.
01:30Evening.
01:31How did you sleep?
01:32What sleep? What sleep?
01:34How was band?
01:35Very good. Very good.
01:36And my dad bought me a Maccies. Did you?
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.
01:51Sleep 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.
02:11It means farmer, and 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.
02:28I'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.
03:31Ambulance services for 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?
04:47Have you taken any drugs or alcohol?
04:49Yeah, drugs.
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. I think we'll just get straight on the structure together.
05:04There was a lady that was there that said that he'd had some crack cocaine.
05:08But it's really difficult to know, has he had some crack cocaine?
05:11Is that what he normally takes?
05:13Has he taken something else today?
05:15One, two, three.
05:17That's it. Well done.
05:19Come on to our stretcher. That's it.
05:21That's it. Well done.
05:23Don't fall off.
05:25It's getting him out of the cold.
05:27Couple of bumps.
05:29Right, up we go.
05:33There we are.
05:35As Danny and Lisa get the patient onto the ambulance,
05:38another man follows them.
05:40Do you know what he normally takes?
05:42Is he mamba?
05:44Is that a common one he uses, or crack?
05:46Mamba is a synthetic form of cannabis.
05:52No, but your friend here, has he had any mamba?
05:56Does he normally have mamba?
05:59Yeah, he's not really that responsive yet, is he?
06:02We just want to be able to treat as best we can, that's all.
06:05Right, if we get everyone off the ambulance,
06:07cos we're going to start treating.
06:09While Danny and Lisa try to find out what the patient has taken,
06:13more people are getting on the ambulance.
06:15OK, everyone, if you please get off the ambulance,
06:17we need to start some treatment.
06:19Otherwise I'm calling the police.
06:21It 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.
06:31But it can be quite frightening, especially when it's dark
06:34We need to start some treatment and do some observation.
06:37Come on.
06:39Come on, everyone off the ambulance.
06:41We need to do some treatment.
06:43Go away or I'll call the police.
06:45Get off now.
06:58It is mad, like, how different things would be if we never met at uni.
07:02I was our patient earlier thinking we're married.
07:05I says I couldn't tie you down, you 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. Yeah, 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.
07:33I've got a young person identifying as non-binary
07:36that's got quite a high blood pressure and high pulse rate
07:39and is quite clammy.
07:42Pulse is what, sorry?
07:44131.
07:45131.
07:47I find it, like, difficult with non-binary people
07:50because I'm quite, like, met.
07:52Do you want a ticket?
07:53Blessing.
07:54You just have to ask what pronouns they use.
07:57Because some non-binary people will use, like, they,
08:01but some will use they, he, he, they, she, they.
08:05And then just be respectful, like, don't act awkward about it.
08:09That's all I'd think to say, like.
08:11But, mate, unless someone says, please don't call me mate...
08:17Yeah, it's...
08:18Like, mate, I don't think it's masculine or feminine.
08:21Mate's just whatever it is, isn't it?
08:23I wouldn't stress about it.
08:26I've come across quite a few non-binary people.
08:28I'm not sure about you.
08:30I think I've only come across non-binary people in this job.
08:34Yeah.
08:35It's just about being kind and respectful, isn't it?
08:37But that's to everybody.
08:40Parker and Courtney arrive at Wolverhampton Police Station.
08:48Why are the obs done?
08:50Because it's a routine thing for me to do when I have to assess them.
08:53When I tried to do them on their nails,
08:55it came back as 171.
08:57But because they're acrylics, I couldn't trust that,
09:00so I put the BP machine on and got it from there and it was 131.
09:03Still too high.
09:04Shall we show us the way and we'll go and have a chat?
09:07We'll go and have a chat and see what happens.
09:10The station's resident nurse tells Parker and Courtney
09:13that the patient lives in supported accommodation.
09:16Tonight, they've been arrested for allegedly assaulting a carer.
09:20Hello.
09:21My name's Courtney, this is Parker.
09:25I don't think you have.
09:26I've got one of those faces, maybe.
09:28Yeah, she has got a face.
09:30We've been called because your heart rate's a bit elevated.
09:36In what way? Have you been feeling unwell?
09:38Is it all right if we check your heart rate
09:40and do your blood pressure and stuff? Is that all right?
09:42Is that OK? Yeah.
09:43Shall we try this on your nails?
09:45But what I'm going to do is twist it that way.
09:48And you just relax your arm down. They're lovely nails.
09:51They told us they were feeling very well, they were feeling sick,
09:54they were feeling unwell.
09:55So we sort of have to try and figure out what's going on.
09:58Sorry, we didn't ask before, which pronouns do you like to use?
10:01That.
10:02Do you have any chest pain? A little bit, yeah.
10:04Yeah, how long have you had your chest pain?
10:06Since Monday.
10:07Since Monday. Have you seen anybody about your chest pain?
10:10No. Do you have any palpitations?
10:12No.
10:13It's like you can feel your heart pounding. Yeah.
10:15Yeah, how long have you felt them for?
10:18Since Monday.
10:19Since Monday.
10:20So everything's sort of been either ongoing or since Monday.
10:23Yeah. Yeah. OK.
10:24What were you getting with reading my heart rate?
10:26131, 125.
10:29Sats are 97. Good reading, to be fair.
10:32Blood pressure? Blood pressure, 133 over 87.
10:35OK.
10:36So your heart rate is going quite quick at the moment.
10:39Do 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 that that was the reason
10:49the patient's heart rate was so high.
10:51However, in such a young person,
10:53to have such an elevated heart rate and blood pressure
10:56can mean that there's a significant cardiac event happening
10:59and we need to do tests to make sure that we know what's going on.
11:02Are we OK to pop some stickers on your chest and just underneath here?
11:06Is that OK? Yeah?
11:08There you go.
11:09So just while we do this heart tracing,
11:11nice and still, no moving or talking, OK?
11:13Like a statue.
11:15Looks normal, just tacky.
11:17Do you mind having a stand for me
11:19so we can do your blood pressure standing?
11:21All right. You got it?
11:22Do you want a hand on my side?
11:24You've got it.
11:26That's it.
11:27Do you feel dizzier in standing?
11:29Yeah. You're quite tall.
11:31Oh, my God, yeah.
11:32Well, I mean, anyone's tall to me, cos I'm small, but...
11:37Keep it really still and it'll do it quicker.
11:40It's always when we want it to work quicker it doesn't.
11:45What's our heart rate standing at?
11:47138. It did go up to about 141
11:50and then it dropped back down and then it's come back up.
11:53A normal resting heart rate is between 60 and 100 beats per minute.
11:58At over 140, this patient's heart is working overtime.
12:04Do you still feel dizzy? Yeah.
12:15HEART BEATS
12:19I'm just going to give you some medication, OK,
12:21just to help with whatever you've taken this evening, all right?
12:25I'm going to give you some naloxone, OK?
12:29In Worcester, paramedics Danny and Lisa are with a patient
12:33who's suspected of taking a drugs overdose.
12:37Blood pressure's good. All ops are good.
12:39The lady that I spoke to said
12:42that he was admitted last week for similar.
12:46OK. She knows him as a drug user.
12:49OK. Right, I've got just an injection coming your way, OK?
12:55Danny gives the drug called naloxone,
12:58which reverses the effects of an opioid overdose.
13:01Just be aware, he may well start to jump off the stretcher.
13:06After giving the patient some naloxone, they can get quite confused,
13:10they don't know where they are,
13:12why they're on the back of an ambulance.
13:14Right, sharp's the way. Yep, sharp away this way as well.
13:17Open your eyes for me. Good. That's it.
13:20Open your eyes so we can have a look at your eyes.
13:22Positive to pain, aren't we? Yeah.
13:24As the antidote starts to take effect,
13:27the patient regains consciousness.
13:30I'll put these on just in case you bolt up, right?
13:35Ah, it's going to go. That's it. Put your belt on.
13:38Keep you safe. Yeah.
13:40Don't want you falling off the stretcher, do we?
13:42Try and keep your arm still for me.
13:44Shall we just get rolling? Yeah.
13:46Oh, the ramp's down. I don't want to go back outside.
13:49There's someone banging on the ambulance.
13:51We should get the police in a minute. Yeah.
13:54A rowdy crowd had tried to get on the ambulance earlier.
13:58Danny and Lisa are concerned they might still be waiting outside.
14:02No, I'll go out.
14:04I'll go out.
14:09I think they've gone, but...
14:11Did you put the drugs back today?
14:13Yeah, I have, just in case anybody just climbed it in.
14:18All the commotion has attracted the attention of the police.
14:23I'll go see what the situation is.
14:25Has he caused any damage?
14:27No, no, no, he was just... Well, somebody was.
14:30Yeah, we've put CCTV and picked him up as banging it.
14:33There's no damage that I'm aware of.
14:35It was a little bit nerve-wracking going out outside of the truck
14:39to get into the cab, but at least I knew that the police were there.
14:43You know, I was safe, I had my body cam on as well,
14:46so it is reassuring to have them there.
14:48We'll just get going whenever you're ready
14:50cos we're starting to get quite agitated.
14:59Hiya, it's Danny on 4942.
15:03Danny calls the hospital to update them on the patient's condition.
15:07We're responsive to pain, GCS 7 at the moment,
15:10so eyes not opening, unintelligible sounds,
15:13and withdrawal from pain.
15:15We're just starting to get really agitated and quite wiggly,
15:18but we're still the same GCS.
15:23Lovely, see you soon.
15:25Thank you, bye.
15:27As the patient's high wears off, he becomes more agitated.
15:32Try not to wiggle too much, you're going to fall off the bed.
15:35That's it, stay still.
15:37It can be quite daunting being on the back of the ambulance with a patient,
15:40especially when they start to become quite agitated and start lashing out,
15:43you 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, the Rhesus team will take over his care.
16:02Oh, he was tricky, wasn't he?
16:04He was. I mean, it's always in public.
16:06Yeah, exactly, it's always difficult in a public place, isn't it?
16:09When you've got all the onlookers,
16:11they've all been out, all the revellers, alcohol on board.
16:15Yeah.
16:16It makes it more difficult to manage, you know,
16:18people trying to get involved, but not be helpful, involved.
16:22Yeah, and they're just shouting.
16:24Like, they're not responding, we're trying to treat them.
16:26Yeah.
16:28So, we're going to pop you up to the hospital,
16:30just cos your heart rate is going a bit too quick.
16:34In Wolverhampton, paramedics Parker and Courtney
16:38are at a police station where a patient in custody
16:41has a very fast heart rate.
16:44Who do you live with?
16:45It's four and a half.
16:46Four and a half?
16:47Yeah.
16:48OK.
16:49So, we're going to pop you up to the hospital,
16:51just cos your heart rate is going a bit too quick.
16:55Who do you live with?
16:56Supported living.
16:57Supported living? Mm, OK.
16:59Do you have any family support or anything?
17:01No?
17:02Do you like where you live?
17:04It's all right.
17:05It's OK?
17:06Just all right.
17:07Then we'll have a little walkout. Is that all right?
17:09So, this patient needed to go to hospital
17:11because their heart rate persistently
17:13was in higher ranges than normal.
17:15This can mean that there's a cardiac event happening,
17:17so to take them into hospital,
17:19they can have a blood test that can rule out any events.
17:22We're all good to go, yeah?
17:23Yeah, we're all good to go when you are.
17:26As the patient is under arrest,
17:28a police officer accompanies Parker and Courtney to hospital.
17:33Parker will get a chair down for you.
17:35Yeah.
17:36All right, sweetheart?
17:40We'll be leaving now, all right?
17:43Are you happy, Court?
17:44Yeah, I'm happy when you are.
17:45Lovely. I'll start.
17:48Do you have any hobbies or anything?
17:50Make-up.
17:51Make-up?
17:52Yeah, are you any good?
17:54I can do French plats.
17:57You can do French plats?
17:58You'll have to do mine.
17:59Get mine out of my face for me.
18:02I can do 20 quid.
18:0320 quid?
18:04That's expensive for French plats.
18:07I really enjoy finding out about patient lives.
18:10I get a lot of life experience from
18:12understanding what they've been through
18:14and what they're going through.
18:17Your heart rate's still going a bit quick.
18:19About an hour to go.
18:20It's not showing on our heart tracing that you are.
18:24What is it now? What could it be?
18:25It can be anxiety, but you seem quite calm with us.
18:29How do you feel?
18:30I feel safe.
18:31You feel safe with us?
18:32That'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 to sort of mental health.
18:41I'd like to speak to the crisis team.
18:42All right.
18:43We're just pulling in now, I think.
18:46After a seven-minute journey,
18:47the patient arrives at New Cross Hospital in Wolverhampton.
18:52How are we all?
18:53We're all right.
18:55Better for seeing you.
18:57You're right to step off for us, then.
18:59That's it. After you.
19:01Come and follow me. You've got it, mate.
19:03Here, the cardiology team will investigate
19:05what's causing their unusually fast heart rate.
19:18Is it mad being a twin?
19:20Do you have that, like...
19:21Because some feel like my boyfriend's a twin.
19:23Yeah, so we've had exactly the same dream.
19:25That's so weird.
19:26We've only ever had the same dream twice.
19:28We call it our twin telepathy.
19:30And we actually do that with our hands.
19:32Twin telepathy.
19:34What's your thoughts on sixth sense and paranormal?
19:38I don't know.
19:39I don't believe in life.
19:40I don't believe in life.
19:41I don't believe in life.
19:42I don't believe in life.
19:43I don't believe in life.
19:44I don't believe in life.
19:46I don't believe in ghosts and stuff.
19:49But then sometimes I do think that...
19:53random things happen at night in the house
19:55and you're like, is that a ghost?
19:57You just won't forget about it.
19:59I think I'd be scared otherwise.
20:06Ambulance service, is the patient breathing?
20:09Yes.
20:10OK, what's the reason for the call, please?
20:13Well, I've just popped up to see my nan.
20:15And she can hardly breathe at all.
20:17And how old is she?
20:19I'd say yes, sir.
20:20So I have organised a blue light.
20:2682-year-old female that has COPD.
20:31This extremely breathless.
20:33OK.
20:34Exacerbation of COPD.
20:36So nebulises if she's got a wheeze present.
20:39On the way to this job,
20:40we were made aware that this lady had got COPD.
20:43She was unable to complete full sentences.
20:46Automatically, I'm thinking she's going to need a nebuliser
20:49to open all of her airways back up.
20:52Wondered if she'd got an infection
20:55that had brought all of this on.
21:01Tyler, are you all right?
21:04OK.
21:06And what's your relation to her?
21:08Grandson.
21:09Yeah. Come on.
21:10She can hardly breathe.
21:11Hello, darling. You OK?
21:14Take a deep breath, OK?
21:16My name's Emma and this is Abi, OK?
21:18Yeah.
21:19When 82-year-old Sheila had been coughing all day
21:22and 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 had got an increased respiratory rate
21:38and was taking quite deep breaths, working quite hard.
21:41She's got right-sided lower wheeze, reduced left lower.
21:45Yeah.
21:46And upper congested.
21:48We'll get a nebuliser.
21:50Right, what we're going to do...
21:51Have you ever had a nebuliser before?
21:53A what?
21:54A nebuliser.
21:55I don't know about these.
21:56So, oxygen with some medication is opening up your airways
21:59to make it easier to breathe.
22:00Oh, right.
22:01You've got a bit of a wheeze at the moment
22:03and that will help treat that, OK?
22:04Yes.
22:05Lovely. I'm going to pop these dots on your...
22:08..your arms, darling.
22:09You know when you're coughing?
22:10Yeah.
22:11Are you coughing anything up?
22:15What colour is it?
22:17It's white.
22:18It's white.
22:20It's a little bit yellow.
22:21Oh.
22:22You've probably got a bit of a chest infection.
22:24Oh.
22:25Sheila is hard of hearing,
22:26so Abby rings her son Adrian, who's on holiday,
22:29to get her medical history.
22:33OK.
22:38OK.
22:39And when was the last time she had, like, a bad episode with a COPD?
22:46OK.
22:47OK, that's fine.
22:49Sheila was a smoker, and smoking is the main cause of COPD.
22:54It's thought to be responsible for around nine in every ten cases.
22:58No problem.
22:59All right, cheers. We'll let you know what's happening.
23:02Emma gives Sheila a drug called salbutamol.
23:05This should relax the muscles in her airways, making breathing easier.
23:10And you've not had one of these before?
23:12No.
23:14So, heart rate's elevated.
23:15There's definitely infection there somewhere.
23:17Yeah, you can hear that on her chest.
23:20There you go.
23:21We should pop this in your ear.
23:23HE SIGHS
23:2837 more.
23:30Has that helped with your breathing?
23:32A bit better.
23:33A bit better?
23:34A bit better.
23:36SHE LAUGHS
23:37It's not very good for you.
23:38This salbutamol increases your heart rate, and your heart rate's already elevated.
23:43I'm going to have another listen, OK?
23:48So, we've fixed her wheeze.
23:50Good.
23:51Still congested there.
23:52Sheila?
23:54Can you come round here?
23:58Would you be happy to come to hospital with us?
24:01No, I don't.
24:02No.
24:03We need to get this looked at, cos you've got an infection at the moment,
24:06and we kind of want to resolve that before it gets any worse,
24:09so we need to treat that chest.
24:12I don't...
24:13And I think the best thing to treat is in hospital with some IV antibiotics.
24:18I literally hate it when you've got a little old person
24:21that needs to go into hospital and they're just...
24:23Refusing.
24:24Refuse. Point blank, refuse.
24:26I think they know that they're unwell, but they just don't want to believe it.
24:30Yeah.
24:31They 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...
24:38Yeah.
24:39..they're not.
24:40They really need to go.
24:41Yeah.
24:42Man, you all right to speak to Dad?
24:43Emma and Abby now enlist the help of Sheila's son.
24:46Right.
24:48Right now, you're poorly.
24:50But if we leave you here, you're going to be very, very poorly.
25:02As the West Midlands sleeps,
25:04we're on board with seven paramedic crews simultaneously
25:07as they work a typical 12-hour shift.
25:14So, if we just get you up now, while it's not as bad,
25:17get some IV antibiotics into you, you'll be home in no time, OK?
25:22In Dudley, paramedic Emma and technician Abby are with Sheila.
25:27She has a suspected chest infection and needs to go to hospital.
25:32So, who's got a goo?
25:34He said that you've got a goo.
25:37The boss has spoken.
25:39Sheila's son Adrian is on the phone and convinces her she needs to go.
25:43Sheila, can I pop a needle in your arm, please?
25:47Is that OK? Just so we can give you some fluids, OK?
25:50Have you actually found anything?
25:52Yeah, it sounds like she's got a bit of a chest infection.
25:56She's coughing up some yellow sputum
25:58and she's saying it's a bit queasy on the chest.
26:00Is that what's causing her to be short of breath?
26:02Yeah, yeah, it can cause that.
26:04It's quite common with having COPD.
26:06Shall we get you down the stairlift, then?
26:08In this situation, the family were very supportive,
26:11encouraging the patient to go to hospital,
26:14which we were thankful for,
26:16because she really needed to be seen and treated.
26:19Right, if you can get your bottom on here for me.
26:21We've got you, OK? We're going to pop you onto the ambulance.
26:28There we go.
26:30On three. One, two, three.
26:33Lovely.
26:34And then if you just lean back, I'll lift your legs up for you.
26:40Shall we pop you on? Do you need a hand?
26:43Husband Joe is going to come with Sheila to hospital.
26:48I know, there's a lot of equipment in here.
26:53First time you've ever been in an ambulance?
26:55It's a good thing we don't want you in an ambulance.
26:57Oh, yeah, I agree, love.
27:00Right, Abi, I'm happy. Okey-dokey.
27:06The hospital is a short six-minute drive away.
27:09How are you feeling at the moment?
27:13Not very well. In what way?
27:17Do you feel tired? Do you feel sick at all?
27:22And how long have you had that cough for?
27:25So it's been ongoing for a while?
27:27Yes.
27:30Sheila arrives at Russell's Hall A&E in Dudley.
27:34Right, in we go.
27:36You OK there, Joe? Lovely.
27:40Here, the respiratory team will give her intravenous antibiotics
27:44to help fight her chest infection.
27:55I think going to hospital was definitely the best day to come for her
27:58because at the end of the day, she needed help.
28:01Oh, yeah, straight away she was like,
28:03no, I'm not going to hospital, but...
28:05If she was to stay at home, she'd just deteriorate to a point
28:08where she wouldn't be able to make that decision for herself.
28:17In a medical emergency, these are the people who answer our call.
28:21And what's the reason for the call, please?
28:23Tell me exactly what's happened.
28:25She's in a lot of pain. Where is the pain?
28:28Reassuring distress callers having their worst day
28:31is one of the most important skills they possess.
28:35You need patience to listen to people.
28:39You need to be caring and empathetic, that is the main thing,
28:43because that is this person's emergency and what they're going through.
28:49Ambulance service, is the patient breathing?
28:52Yes, he is. Are they conscious and awake?
29:01OK, so at the moment, is he not responding?
29:03No. Is that breathing noisy or abnormal?
29:06Yeah. So we've got the ambulance on the way to you.
29:09I am going to stay on the line until they arrive, OK?
29:12I could tell that it was definitely a time-critical case
29:15from the caller declaring that the patient was in a hypo
29:18and that they had noisy breathing.
29:20It was a matter of getting a crew there as soon as possible.
29:24Is there any way at all that he could be lying down?
29:27Does the chair recline or anything like that?
29:30It does recline, but I can't move him off the chair
29:33because he's a lot bigger than me.
29:36No problem.
29:37We'll just ask if you can try to recline the chair as much as possible
29:40just so he is lying down as much as he can do.
29:43So, at the moment, he's unconscious, he's got noisy breathing
29:46and his blood sugar levels have dropped.
29:48With the diabetes, have you given him a glucagon injection kit at all?
29:53That's what I've given him.
29:55Oh, you've already given him, that's fine. Yeah.
29:58OK, any injuries anywhere?
30:04So, good job you said, with the needle at the end of that!
30:07It can be rare to have moments on the phone
30:10where you're able to joke and laugh with the caller
30:13because it reminds you that we are human
30:15and that we're not just a robot reading off a script
30:18at the other end of the phone.
30:20I have got showing up here that the paramedics should be arriving
30:23any moment now.
30:25I'll hear you now.
30:26Oh, lovely, I'll leave you with them then, lovely, OK.
30:30I was ugly as a baby, I was cute as a toddler.
30:33I had, like, proper blonde hair and it was, like, curly.
30:37Oh, that's...
30:38I don't know what my mum decided to do,
30:40she just decided to cut it all off.
30:42Yeah.
30:43And then it just went downhill from there.
30:45I bet you were tiny as well, because obviously you're a short adult,
30:48so I bet you were... Short adult? Short adult.
30:50You're vertically challenged as an adult, so...
30:52Yeah.
30:53So, I don't know, I don't know.
30:55What's wrong with me being short?
30:57Nothing wrong with you being short.
30:59You're a little pocket rocket and you make me feel tall, so it's great.
31:03Erm, no.
31:04Good things come in small packages.
31:06Exactly.
31:12Ambulance service, is the patient breathing?
31:15Yes, she is, yes.
31:16The patient's conscious, are they awake?
31:19Erm, half-conscious.
31:22Are they awake?
31:24Erm, half and half.
31:27Epileptic.
31:28Is she having a seizure?
31:30She's had one, but she's not come out of it yet.
31:32OK.
31:33How old is the patient?
31:35She's 14.
31:43Cat one, 14-year-old, unconscious.
31:46Originally come through as a peri-arrest.
31:48OK.
31:49Now it's gone to unconscious.
31:51Is it hypo, low blood sugars?
31:55Has she got any known history?
32:00Seizure.
32:01The patient is now responding.
32:03I wonder if she's known epileptic.
32:05I wonder if I was going to say...
32:07I wonder if she's known epileptic.
32:09When going to a 14-year-old that's had a seizure,
32:11I think there's quite a lot of things running through your mind
32:14of what's caused the seizure, have they had a seizure before,
32:17is this one the same as normal?
32:20It's going to be the one with the person outside.
32:30Oh, yeah, where are we going to?
32:34Is it Lucy?
32:35What's happening today, then?
32:37She was seizing longer than normal, so...
32:39OK.
32:40..and she was unconscious longer than normal,
32:43so that's why I rang, but...
32:45OK.
32:46..she started to come round.
32:48So what's longer than normal for Lucy in terms of seizures?
32:52Five minutes is longer.
32:54OK.
32:55She's normally out between three and four minutes.
32:57OK.
32:58Mum Lisa rang 999 when daughter Lucy was taking longer than normal
33:03to come out of a seizure.
33:05Dad Anthony and brother Lewis are also with her.
33:10And how long were we out of consciousness for?
33:13I don't know for how long,
33:14because she was down here watching television in bed.
33:17So I don't know how long she'd been seizing for before...
33:20OK.
33:21..we heard her.
33:22Yeah.
33:23What did you hear, like, the...?
33:25The breathing, really.
33:26OK.
33:27Her basping.
33:28She knocked a few things off on that table behind you,
33:30so I think my son...
33:32I heard the breathing.
33:33..possibly heard that, Mum.
33:34You heard the breathing.
33:35I was just concerned because...
33:36Obviously, yeah.
33:37..it's longer than normal.
33:38It's longer than normal.
33:39And they have said if it's longer than five...
33:41Of course, yeah.
33:42..to call, so, yeah.
33:44A seizure lasting longer than five minutes can be quite concerning,
33:47so the brain's starved of oxygen for longer.
33:50And the fact that Lucy's seizures last less than five minutes,
33:54a longer seizure, is quite concerning for us.
33:57Are we diagnosed with epilepsy?
34:00Do you have rescue medications?
34:02No.
34:03Lucy was diagnosed with epilepsy two and a half years ago
34:07and 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 she's sort of seen somebody about her epilepsy?
34:18A few months ago, but we've actually got an appointment on Wednesday...
34:21Oh, yeah. ..this week to see a neurologist, so...
34:24OK.
34:25Oh, today now, yes?
34:26Today.
34:27Oh, yes, today, yes, yes.
34:29As it's the early hours of the morning,
34:31the appointment with the neurologist is this afternoon.
34:34Sweetheart, can I just check your blood sugars?
34:36A little scratch on your finger.
34:39Which one?
34:40Shall we go for the one with the nice ring on?
34:42Mm-hm. Yeah.
34:43How do you feel at the moment?
34:46She was completely unconscious, yeah.
34:49A seizure often leaves the patient feeling exhausted.
34:53Do you remember what you were doing before your seizure?
34:55I didn't have to do anything.
34:57Have you been eating and drinking normally today?
34:59Yeah. Yeah.
35:01Your blood sugar and that, I can't... Blood sugars were good.
35:03Heart rate. Heart rate's on the high end.
35:06But that's expected, yeah. But that's going to be expected.
35:09Oxygen levels are perfect. Right.
35:11Blood pressure's all right.
35:13I'm happy that you've got your appointment tomorrow.
35:15Today. Well, today.
35:17If you mention that this seizure was a bit longer today...
35:21Yeah, I will.
35:22..just bring up possible rescue medications
35:26and that you can give for longer seizures.
35:29But hopefully this will just be a bit of an anomaly. Yeah.
35:32So, ultimately, 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.
35:37She's with someone, so she's not going to be on her own.
35:39And she had a neurologist appointment the next day.
35:41If we took her to hospital, she would have ended up missing...
35:44The appointment that she's probably waited...
35:46Probably months for. God knows how long for, yeah.
35:49If there are any other seizures that last longer,
35:52anything that concerns you,
35:54cos you know her better than anybody,
35:56anything that you just think doesn't sit right with you,
35:59you can just call her straight back, OK?
36:01Lovely.
36:02You happy with that, sweetheart?
36:04Happy to stay at home and go to bed?
36:06Yeah.
36:07May as well just go straight to bed if you're going to bed.
36:10Will you leave, like, doors open and stuff now or...?
36:12Yeah, yeah. Yeah.
36:13Yeah, you can take that with you tomorrow.
36:15Yeah, I will do. Thank you very much.
36:17Put yourself to bed.
36:18Take care, sweetheart. See you later.
36:20Cheers. Thank you.
36:29Hopefully she can get things put in place,
36:32some rescue medication.
36:34Good family support unit, though, like...
36:37Massive, yeah. It's like a life-changing thing for them.
36:40Yeah.
36:57You know, when you go to Christmas
36:59and, like, sometimes patients, like, give you tokens
37:02or something like that, you know, something...
37:04Have you ever had anything, like, odd?
37:06When I used to taxi, I ended up with crates of beer
37:09and bottles of wine, but I don't...
37:11I don't think I used to give them to the other people.
37:14I was given a box of chocolates...
37:16Right.
37:17..and every single chocolate had a bike taken out of it.
37:20It was a support that counts, obviously.
37:23They're being generally nice, but...
37:25You don't really want to upset them. You don't want to upset them.
37:28You're not supposed to accept any gifts or such.
37:30Well, no... Cups of tea.
37:32Oh, cups of tea all day long, definitely. Cups of tea, yeah.
37:35And if you feed this one... I'm deaf, yeah.
37:37..you turn over and you rub his belly.
37:39I'll do the extra mile, mate, if you feed me, no problem.
37:45PHONE RINGS
37:47Ambulance service, is the patient breathing?
37:50The patient's breathing. What it is, the optician said to call 999
37:54because he's gone blind in one eye.
37:56Is the patient able to talk to me? Can you pop him on the phone?
37:59Hello? Hello there, it's the ambulance service.
38:02What's happened?
38:03My right eye is virtually blind.
38:06When did the eye symptoms start?
38:08It's been about three days. It's been like this.
38:14We're going to a suspected bariatric patient
38:19who has lost vision in one eye within the last seven days.
38:24Optician visited yesterday and advised 999
38:27to take the patient to eye hospital.
38:30The patient is bed-bound, he's bariatric,
38:33approximately 27 and a half stone.
38:3627 stone is classed as bariatric, which is basically a patient
38:40that is potentially larger in size, heavier in weight.
38:44That's what we use the term bariatric
38:47because they're bigger than the usual patient.
38:51What's our weight limit on our stretcher? Can you remember?
38:54I believe it's 25 stone, don't quote me.
38:59Considering the gentleman was 27 stone,
39:02we potentially have to think about maybe extra help
39:05getting him out of the property, depending on what's in place,
39:09if there's hoists, if there's ramps, if there's any steps.
39:12We've got to consider all of that.
39:14I believe it's that building there.
39:25Hello, matey. Come on in.
39:28I'm Paul. I'm Abdul.
39:31Why am I here, then, matey?
39:33My right eye, which is usually stone.
39:35Well, all of a sudden, the right eye is covered up.
39:39And all I can see is that bulb over there is orange.
39:43Right. You just see the colour, no shapes?
39:46I can see the shape of it, but it's just orange.
39:50So that's not normal for you? No.
39:53OK.
39:5462-year-old former baker Roger is housebound.
39:59When he lost the sight in his right eye, he called 999.
40:03Is it hurting your eyes, the light?
40:07Are you in any pain anywhere at the moment, Roger?
40:14OK.
40:15So the main reason I'm here, then, is because of your eye sight,
40:18that's what you're worried about, yeah?
40:20On seeing Roger and having a chat with him,
40:23he explained that his optician had queried a detached retina.
40:28So it's not something we deal with,
40:31but it does need further investigation at hospital.
40:34Do you suffer from high blood pressure or anything like that?
40:37Yeah. Yeah?
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. Diabetes. What type, my friend?
40:4621. 21.
40:48Right, sharp scratch, my friend.
40:50Anything else I need to know, mate, asthmatic or anything?
40:53You haven't mentioned the brain tumour.
40:55You haven't mentioned the brain tumour?
40:57Yeah, it's a benign tumour.
40:58It's benign, so there's no treatment going on for it or anything?
41:01Yeah, tablets.
41:02OK, my friend.
41:03Abdul checks Roger's heart rate and blood pressure.
41:08Heart rate's irregular, as well.
41:10Nice and still, my friend, no talking, no moving, 30 seconds, OK?
41:14Starting now.
41:15It's quite high, mate. I'm going to do another blood pressure.
41:19Yeah, it's still high.
41:20Roger's blood pressure was very high,
41:22excessively high, I would say, which can lead to a stroke.
41:25He needs to go into hospital.
41:27To take Roger to hospital,
41:29Abdul and Paul request a bariatric ambulance crew
41:33with specialist training and equipment.
41:36Right, matey, I want you to take some nice deep breaths for me, OK?
41:39While Paul monitors Roger's breathing, Abdul calls control.
41:452-4.
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, so I want him gone as soon as we can.
42:02So, we're just waiting for 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 the 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.
42:20Don't really want to give him anything cos of his blood pressure.
42:23Roger's vital signs are indicating he's at risk of sepsis.
42:27This is a life-threatening condition
42:29where the body attacks its own organs.
42:32Right. Lift your arm up for me.
42:35Wonderful. Right, just rest on my hand.
42:38Right. Is that painful?
42:40No.
42:41All the way up your arm? Yeah.
42:43Hello, sir.
42:44The bariatric ambulance crew arrives.
42:47Blood pressure's been... Diastolic's been, like, 100, 115.
42:51He seems to have got issues with his vision.
42:54So, an option was out yesterday, a query for a detachment.
42:58OK. Are you a bit chesty as well?
43:00He's chest clear, but he's respiring at 28.
43:03He has flagged up, flagged sepsis.
43:06Right. Shall we get you a T-shirt on first, Roger?
43:09Start with us. I'll let you get that arm in.
43:12All right, much movement in you, is there?
43:15You seem a bit weak.
43:18Together with Roger's friend, Bruce,
43:21the paramedics move him onto a stretcher designed to support his weight.
43:26Roll you over in a second.
43:28All right, on three. One, two, three, roll.
43:32I know, Roger, I'm sorry.
43:34Right, on three.
43:36One, two, three.
43:39Oh, we've gone all the way, yeah.
43:42Ready, steady, slide.
43:44Are we over?
43:46Yeah.
43:48All right.
43:49I'm going to pull those slide sheets out.
43:51Do you want to knock those two brakes off and slide them towards me?
43:54This one's off. Right.
43:56I think if we come up the bed. One, two, three.
43:59There we go.
44:00Are you OK? Do you want that behind your head, mate?
44:03Do you want to sit up a bit more?
44:05No, I want to get down a bit more.
44:07Too much?
44:08Yeah.
44:11Yeah, OK, good man.
44:13Roger wasn't really able to mobilise at all,
44:16so we had to do most of the pulling across onto our stretcher.
44:20I think if he could have helped more,
44:23he tried to move around, like, his limbs and stuff,
44:26but he was very limited what he could do.
44:28Yeah, if he's stuck in bed for a long time,
44:31his muscles aren't going to work anyway, so...
44:33Yeah.
44:35Roger, you need to bring your arm in for me, this one, mate.
44:37This one? Lift it up.
44:39Lift your arm up, mate.
44:41That's it.
44:42Are you OK?
44:43Keep them arms in, buddy.
44:45With Roger on the stretcher,
44:47the paramedics can now move him on to the bariatric ambulance.
44:52The eagle has landed.
44:53Right, I'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.
44:59The second crew take Roger to Newcross Hospital,
45:024.5 miles away in Wolverhampton.
45:10Roger spent three days in hospital.
45:13He was put on antibiotics and saw a specialist about his vision.
45:17And Sheila, who was struggling to breathe,
45:20was found to have pneumonia in both lungs.
45:23She was given antibiotics, nebulisers,
45:26and spent three weeks in hospital.
45:32Next time...
45:33Look at your eyes, darling.
45:35I'm sorry, matey.
45:36..a man has back-to-back seizures.
45:39Seizures are time critical and would need to be treated straight away.
45:43The impact on the brain is life-threatening.
45:45Oh, I'm going to faint.
45:47A woman is struggling with severe back pain.
45:50She was fighting for breath and pain in her legs.
45:53This can indicate that she's having a pulmonary embolism.
45:57Keep still. Mason, still.
45:59That's it. Well done.
46:01And a car collides with a six-year-old girl.
46:04She had abrasions across her stomach.
46:06I was worried in case the car had actually driven over the top of her,
46:09which can cause a lot of bleeding internally.
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