Acclaimed documentary at University Hospitals of North Midlands back for second run
University Hospital of North Midlands NHS Trust is delighted to announce that its universally acclaimed documentary, which takes an up-close look at the moments when critical patients in a life-threatening condition come through its hospital’s doors, is to return to television screens.
999 Critical Condition was filmed pre Covid-19 pandemic at the Royal Stoke University Hospital and follows the clinical team and their patients close up and showcases the relentless fast pace of the hospital’s daily workload.
Back for a second run the ground-breaking series once again follows the work of the team saving lives with split second decisions. Decisions that are often the difference between life and death.
The first episode of the new eight part series will be aired on Channel 5 on 24 September at 9pm and will chart the vital interventions, decisions and actions that specialist consultants and clinical teams experience while delivering immediate life-saving care.
Embedded in Royal Stoke major trauma centre – one of the best in the UK - 999 Critical Condition follows the cases that matter most – the cases where someone’s life is on the line. Ground-breaking in its approach, each programme puts viewers at the heart of this battle for life – following staff and patients as they confront the difficult realities of emergency medicine.
Powerful and emotionally charged, 999 Critical Condition captures life in hospital at its most intimate – delivering an unforgettable portrait of life at its most precious.
Tracy Bullock, UHNM CEO, said: “The first series of Critical Condition was so well received and we are thrilled to be part of this new series which highlights the difficult and high pressured decisions taken by our fantastic clinicians to save a life on a daily basis. The series gives a unique insight into how our staff make split-second decisions and how the whole of our hospital reacts to ensure that patients and families receive the best possible care.”
Malcolm Brinkworth, EVP, Brinkworth Productions, who made the documentary for Channel 5 said: “Working with the highly skilled staff at the UHNM was a real privilege. Their dedication and expertise was humbling to watch and we hope that viewers will see the remarkable work that goes on there day in, day out.”
The types of trauma seen in the documentary vary immensely with patients being treated for everything from cardiac arrest, hitting a wall in a motorcycle, stroke, to a man suffering horrendous injuries due to an accident with a saw.
In the first episode a life hangs in the balance after a one punch attack in the street leaves a patient with a potentially devastating brain injury and time is critical too for another patient, who has been admitted having a cardiac arrest.
Royal Stoke University Hospital treats more than 150,000 patients a year in its accident and emergency department, of which 4,624 are critical care patients. Many emergency patients arrive from across Midlands, North West of England and North Wales by both air and land ambulance because of its Major Trauma Centre status. Strokes, heart-attacks, serious injuries – all are critical conditions needing intensive and immediate treatment. The programme covers many specialities including: major trauma, cardiology and stroke thrombectomy.