Catch up TV

Series 14: 2. After Dark

Two hours into a weekend night shift at the London Ambulance Service, and a call comes in from a concerned grandson for his grandfather John, who is unconscious after falling down the stairs. Multiple resources are immediately dispatched, including two ambulances, a solo paramedic, London’s Air Ambulance and advanced paramedic Mike. The team work to stabilise John’s breathing while simultaneously consoling his family, who are beside themselves with worry. \n \nHEMS doctor Rob is able to provide hospital-level care at the roadside and makes the decision to give John a blood transfusion on the spot to increase his chance of survival. With the transfusion given, but his life still hanging in the balance, the ambulance crew take him to St Mary’s Hospital on blue lights and sirens for further assessment. After his successful transfer, the team reflect that his case is about as serious as it can get.\n \nRobin and Charlie are responsible for dispatching 70 ambulances caring for the population of south east London across this weekend, including Manny and Naimah. As pubs and clubs close across the capital, alcohol-related calls are on the rise and are putting a strain on the ambulance service. \n \nAdvanced paramedic Mike is dispatched to a stabbing, and Manny and Naimah are sent to help an intoxicated patient in Lewisham. It turns out that, rather than being critically ill, he is struggling to get a taxi home with his friend, thanks to his projectile vomiting. After doing their initial checks, the crew confirm that the pair of revellers don’t require an ambulance or any further medical assistance. Nevertheless, Manny and Naimah graciously clean them up before sending them on their way. \n \nThe Saturday night shift begins with call handler Rose on a pregnancy call. With no ambulance available nearby, she must guide the caller through the final stages of labour over the phone. As the baby’s head finally emerges, Rose apologises for the delay in getting a crew to the family and calmly gives instructions to ensure the baby is delivered safely. \n \nIn Brixton, Shyr-Nai and James are dispatched to help Ken, a patient with cerebral palsy, who has been on the floor for four and a half hours. Once at the scene, James gets Ken back into bed and talks to him about his love of Millwall Football Club. He discovers that he has worked with them as an accessibility ambassador. Ken reveals that sadly he is not able to go to the football any more due to a deterioration in his disability, but his work has paved the way for other people with additional needs to attend matches. As they leave Ken in bed with a cup of tea, he waves goodbye, telling Shyr-Nai and James that they are his heroes.\n \nNaimah and Manny are sent to help Abraham, who is suffering with chest pain. After ruling out a cardiac event, Manny suspects the root of the problem might be anxiety driven by loneliness, so he offers words of motivational wisdom, which reassure the patient and convince him that brighter days might be ahead. As they leave, the crew are pleased they have helped him find his smile again, and with no medical intervention necessary, Manny reflects that sometimes the best medication is to get yourself up, be positive and hopeful, and see what opportunity you can get from where you are.\n \nWhile the crew take a well-deserved break, a Category 1 emergency comes in for a woman having an allergic reaction whilst at work. Manny and Naimah are dispatched to the scene, where they meet Gounay, who is aggressively and agitatedly itching all over her body and struggling to breathe. With the risk that she is suffering a potentially fatal anaphylactic attack increasing, the crew administer adrenaline to quell her symptoms. Fortunately, the drug resolves the reaction and helps her to calm down.\n \nCall handler Rose has had a busy night, and we join her on her 12th call – a 14-year-old girl calling on behalf of her mother, who is having a seizure. With the child caller exclaiming that her mum is hardly breathing, Rose offers support on how to maintain her breathing for the 20 minutes it takes the ambulance crew to travel to help her. It is a potentially life-and-death call, which takes a toll on Rose. \n \nAs the shift reaches the early hours of the morning, Shyr-Nai and James are dispatched to eight-year-old Adam, who is suffering from sickle cell disease – a chronic, life-threatening blood disorder, which occurs disproportionately in the African-Caribbean community. The crew do their best to care for Adam, who is in agonising pain, and offer support to his mum, who is deeply worried about her son. The care and compassion shown by the crew are much appreciated by Adam’s mother, as they finally get his pain under control.

Source: BBC 1