New Channel 5 documentary filmed exclusively at UHNM

University Hospitals of North Midlands is set to be at the centre of a groundbreaking new Channel 5 documentary series that will offer viewers an unprecedented insight into the realities of modern NHS care.

Life Support (working title), a five-part series produced by Brinkworth Productions for Channel 5, was filmed exclusively at Royal Stoke and follows patients, families and staff through some of the most challenging and emotional moments of their lives.

Using innovative storytelling techniques inspired by high-quality medical dramas, the series captures the human stories behind healthcare in a way rarely seen before on television.

The documentary takes viewers inside Royal Stoke – which is one of the country's busiest hospitals - following patients from the moment they enter the hospital through treatment, recovery and life-changing outcomes. Alongside their journeys, the series shines a spotlight on the skill, compassion and dedication of the doctors, nurses, midwives, therapists and support staff who care for them every day.

Dr Simon Constable, UHNM Chief Executive, said: "We're delighted that Royal Stoke University Hospital will be featured in this ambitious new Channel 5 documentary. The series provides a unique opportunity to showcase not only the exceptional care our teams deliver every day, but also the resilience, compassion and teamwork that sit at the heart of the NHS.

"We're proud to have worked once again with Brinkworth Productions, whose previous series, 999: Critical Condition, helped audiences better understand the pressures and rewards of frontline healthcare. We hope Life Support will give viewers a deeper appreciation of the people behind the uniforms and the remarkable journeys of the patients and families we care for."

Guy Davies, Consultant Editor for Commissioning at Channel 5, said: "Life Support is ambitious and unpredictable, a radical reinvention of medical documentaries. We wanted to take what audiences love most about medical dramas and bring that emotion and intensity into premium factual television."

Malcolm Brinkworth, Chief Executive of Brinkworth Productions, added: "Character-driven and meticulously constructed, Life Support will fuse the rawness of real medicine with the narrative force of drama, creating stories that stay with viewers long after the credits roll."

The five-part series has been commissioned by Channel 5 and will air later this year.