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Father survives fall down concrete stairwell following bleed on the brain

A father-of-two who survived a fall down a concrete stairwell following a potentially fatal bleed on the brain at his home is to appear in 999:Critical Condition – the powerful and award-winning documentary series which follows teams from University Hospitals of North Midlands as they work to save the lives of the most critically ill emergency patients.

Today Duncan Cliffe, of Crewe, who is now recovering at home spoke of his appreciation for the care he received at the Major Trauma Centre at Royal Stoke University Hospital.

The 47-year-old a construction worker had just arrived home after working on a project at Leighton Hospital when the bleed occurred in July last year, causing him to lose consciousness and fall all the way down the stairwell at his block of flats in Crewe.

He was taken to the trauma centre in Stoke by ambulance and was intubated almost immediately upon entering resus due to blocked airways.

In the episode, which is on Channel 5 on Wednesday 29 June at 9pm, doctors are concerned about blood behind his eyeball and Dr Richard Fawcett, Trauma Team Leader said it could have been a potentially “catastrophic event” .

Duncan who is father to 14-year-old Freddie and 20-year-old Jessica. said: “It was just a normal day when it happened and I had just arrived back from work at around teatime.  I don’t really have any recollection of what happened, the first thing I knew I woke up in A&E.

“I’m pretty much getting back to normal now and am hoping to return to work shortly and a bit of normality.”

He added:  “I received really good care at Royal Stoke, the people were always very friendly. It’s a good place.”

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