- 7 hours ago
Ambulance - Season 16 - Episode 01: Punched by a Patient
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00:00New Incident, Category 1.
00:03Put you on an RTC, two cars head on.
00:07This lady has been on the floor since 5am.
00:11It's a two-year-old who's been stabbed over.
00:14Every day across Yorkshire, more than 3,000 people call 999.
00:19He's just not breathing.
00:21He's pregnant.
00:22He's pregnant.
00:24He's pregnant.
00:24He's pregnant.
00:24He's pregnant.
00:26The ambulance service must decide who gets help.
00:30We're going to look after you, mate.
00:32We've got you.
00:33Can I get you covered up?
00:35Lovely jubbly.
00:36And who must wait.
00:3734 jobs waiting for an ambulance now in Leeds alone.
00:41As the pressure on the NHS refuses to relent.
00:44We're creating the waiting room for a waiting room.
00:47The paramedics on the ground navigate England's largest county.
00:52Welcome to our office.
00:54All right, kid.
00:55Well done.
00:55From the busiest cities.
00:57Chaos tonight.
00:58We'll need to get out of Leeds now.
01:00To the remotest villages.
01:02We're in the forest.
01:03In the middle of nowhere.
01:05Where each call is a crisis.
01:07I've got a five-year-old found wandering in the street.
01:10Naked.
01:11Malnourished.
01:11God, it breaks your heart.
01:13It's awful.
01:13It's awful.
01:14And every decision critical.
01:16Hello!
01:16Where are we going?
01:17You all right?
01:18Jesus.
01:19Where are they going to land in the middle of Bratford?
01:23We go beyond the flashing blue lights.
01:26Whoa!
01:26Whoa, whoa, whoa!
01:27To reveal the human stories behind every siren.
01:30Just keep it going.
01:31I don't know.
01:33Thank you for coming.
01:34You don't have to thank us.
01:35You do.
01:37If you've got manners, you do.
01:39Are we all ready to set sail?
01:40Get her going!
01:41Get her going!
02:09We're organising help for you now, so just stay on the line.
02:13I've just had some disgusting ambulance workers out.
02:16They would be so arrogant and so rude, so I've sent them on the way.
02:20I didn't want to get seen by them.
02:23It's the start of the night shift for Yorkshire Ambulance Service.
02:28For the next 12 hours, Abby will oversee her team of 23 call handlers,
02:34stepping in to support them during their most serious and complex calls.
02:39I don't want you to turn my ambulance route.
02:41I could be having a heart attack.
02:43I could be having an angina attack.
02:44And I'm going to be holding NHS responsible for this.
02:46Can you just calm down, please?
02:48Because I'm trying to help you.
02:50I'm not having no dirty disgusting workers.
02:52Coming to me, I'll see if you're successful.
02:54Do you understand?
02:57All right.
02:58Thought we were awful, weren't it?
02:59Not that horrid.
03:00What address is that one?
03:01I'll keep an eye out.
03:03Anybody else that gets them, I'm going to report.
03:14Call handling, emergency call handling, it's not just any job.
03:19I know that after nine years.
03:22Is he still shaking?
03:24Is it just his arm?
03:26Is it just his arm?
03:28Being a call handler can be incredibly difficult.
03:33I've told him to tilt her head back.
03:35Yeah.
03:35What position is she in?
03:36I'll double check.
03:37Can I just confirm, what position is the patient in at the moment?
03:41Sometimes when you start a night shift, you'll hear everybody say,
03:44what's going on tonight?
03:46We all get a sense for it.
03:48So, are you in the underpass pit now?
03:51Yeah, that's fine, just stay there then.
03:52Right, I need you to stay there for me, OK?
03:56You do know that it is just going to be one of those nights.
03:59One of those shifts.
04:17I'm organising the help for you now.
04:19Please do not be rude.
04:25I hope that doesn't mean that that's a bad start to a shift.
04:31Oh, dear.
04:38Ambulance service, is the patient breathing?
04:40Who's here?
04:41Yes!
04:47So, I'm organising the help for you now.
04:49Just stay on the line and we'll tell you exactly what to do next.
04:54Right, OK.
04:57Oh, dear.
04:57You can't hear him screaming, man.
05:00Jesus Christ, man.
05:021671.
05:03Just to let you know, I've diverted you to this pre-alert category one.
05:06It's now coming through as a 45-year-old male having a seizure,
05:10but they've got an unknown conscious, unknown breathing.
05:13Brilliant.
05:14Thank you very much.
05:15Dispatcher Kieran has diverted the nearest available ambulance,
05:20leads crew 1671, Sarah and Louise, to the category one call in progress.
05:27I think we are just around the corner, so we're very close.
05:31They are two minutes away from the patient.
05:34He's going to be around the same thing.
05:35Is he still twitching now?
05:38He's still twitching.
05:41Jesus Christ.
05:49Sarah with the ambulance. It's all right, my lovely, yeah.
05:52It's OK. It's all right. It's all right.
05:55Right, we're going... Whoa, watch your face, watch your head, watch your head.
05:58Oh, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa. Right, should we pull him backwards?
06:02Pull him back. He's going to hit his head on here.
06:03He's going to hit his head. We need to get him in, guys.
06:05Ready? Ready, set, go! Go!
06:07There we go, darling. That's fine. Let's get in.
06:14We're going to have to diazepam in, aren't we?
06:19We've got a pillow, please. We've got a pillow or something.
06:22We've got anything to stop him hitting his head. Pass the coat, please.
06:25Yeah, anything.
06:30Are you...? Yeah, I'm all right if you start getting diazepam out.
06:38All right, we're just going to get you some medicine.
06:42It's almost as if he's had something. Yeah.
06:48Because he has got the strength of ten men.
06:51Do you know if he's taken anything?
06:53And when we're not bothered, we just need to know before we give him anything.
06:57Right, you just climb over, mate. Yeah.
06:59Right, we're going to need backup for this.
07:02Wait! Whoa! Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa!
07:06Whoa!
07:111671.
07:131671, go ahead.
07:15Can we have police, please, to help with extraction with this patient?
07:18Right!
07:20Get out of here!
07:30We've got a 45-year-old male having a seizure.
07:32The crew have got to see him and he's being violent and aggressive towards him.
07:36Stop! Stop!
07:41What's happening?
07:44I haven't got any more information. They sounded quite panicky.
07:48Stop him going in the lift!
07:50Come on.
07:55Right!
07:56Calm it, now!
08:01You got it in the face. I got it in the face.
08:03I might hit me in the nose.
08:05I'm shaking.
08:091671.
08:10Police are on route as an emergency.
08:12If you can change everything, give us a shout.
08:14Just try to keep yourself safe, Mum.
08:31PHONE RINGS
08:31Hello?
08:35I think he's cleared on me.
08:38How many times has that guy called tonight?
08:423, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8...
08:479, 10, 11, 12, 13...
08:49Yeah, 14 times.
08:50In control, the abusive caller, who has already turned away one ambulance,
08:56continues to phone 999 and be aggressive towards Abi's team.
09:01I've just been speaking to you because you are absolutely disgusting.
09:04I'm not happy to carry on talking to you. I'm sorry, you are disgusting.
09:07Alright, I'm sorry you feel that way.
09:09He is currently making a new call every minute.
09:16I'm not being aggressive.
09:20Sir, if you'd like me to triage you, I need you to answer these questions, okay?
09:32Not triaging.
09:34Yeah.
09:36PHONE RINGS
09:36Is this the case you're breathing?
09:38I'm clearly in charge.
09:40That's why I'm constantly calling to that full swag.
09:42Er, sir, don't talk to me like that.
09:46He's not back with anyone else, is he?
09:48No, I'm not triaging him.
09:49We're not triaging him at all.
09:51Even if he says he's got worse, we're not going to do it anymore.
09:53Because he's on his 24th, 25th call now, we're not doing it.
09:57No.
09:58No.
09:58The longer he's on the phone, the more opportunity has got to be abusive to him.
10:02We're not tolerating that.
10:04Thank you so much.
10:07As a manager, I'm very protective of my team.
10:10When I see my entire team receiving abuse and it affects multiple people, it is really difficult to see, because
10:18no one deserves that.
10:22That shouldn't happen at all, but it certainly shouldn't happen to people that are there to help.
10:27You can see how many other genuine emergency calls are sat waiting to be answered that need our help.
10:35And you think, why am I doing this?
10:48Are they assuming you're not?
10:50Yeah, they're upstairs on the corridor with us now.
10:54Sarah and Louise have now been joined on scene by police.
10:58Right.
10:58Shall we go down to the ambulance now?
11:00They will assist with transporting the patient suffering suspected drug induced seizures to hospital.
11:35I don't understand why I'm crying. I don't get it.
11:37I'm just going to get a drink.
11:40Oh, God.
11:51Are you okay? Sorry.
11:52I'm all right.
11:54We're not going to let him hurt you any more than he did.
12:00...
12:18How are you guys feeling? Are you guys okay at the minute?
12:23Yeah, it's been a bit of a night, to be honest.
12:26and poor Louise got full force punch straight in her nose I've been caught in
12:31the face and kicked but yeah we're all right that's the main thing as long as
12:37you guys are okay as I say you go to work to do a job and you don't expect to
12:41be assaulted obviously take as long as time as you need to debrief have a word
12:45with the team leader we might be able to avoid you for the rest of the night
12:48I'm not counting any chickens no I wouldn't either but we'll we'll try and
12:55be nice brilliant thank you my lovely
13:16what's up you tell you that I don't want to have tonight you know what you're gonna
13:20have got all this on you that sounds nice homemade no do you know what that's
13:28just such a letdown Hester Leeds crew 1696 are en route to their second patient of
13:41the night
13:42ambulance services patient breathing yeah it's my mom she's had a false ball and
13:48in for her walker I think the thing stuck in her arm and she's losing like a lot of blood
13:58new incident category one I have 1696 just some details on this category one that you're
14:05attending 76 year old female it says that she's fallen and a walker's handle has gone into her
14:11armpit and it's bleeding all right thank you very much oh that sounds nasty
14:21yeah
14:21Hester and Jess are immediately diverted to the category one call in progress
14:26hi mate it's Tom on IC desk we've got quick cares allocated you to this there's a DCA arriving a
14:32couple of minutes ahead of you and bleeding controls been provided by the call handling team at the
14:38minute yeah no dramas at all Tom I'll give you a shout when I get there due to the complexities
14:44of the
14:44injury specially trained critical care paramedic Zach has also been dispatched to assist the crew on
14:50scene he is five minutes behind them
15:00okay
15:01okay
15:02hello
15:03hello
15:04I'm Jess nice to meet you this is Hester hello so what's happened
15:10I fell backwards into that into that how's your pain at the moment bad bad okay so did you just
15:19trip and fall
15:20I slipped and fell backwards and fell backwards trying to get the dog upstairs oh was it the dog's fault
15:28no it's quite a large wound yeah okay have you got any pain to your arm or your shoulder at
15:39all
15:40yeah just need to see how far around it goes can you see any bone or anything you can see
15:45all the structures inside yeah you can see it
15:51okay
15:53so she has had a mechanical fall
15:56but it's the whole way around you can see all the structures inside and she's in a lot of pain
16:01if we're all in agreement do you think some wet gauze and then just
16:04just pop your hand down for me right if you can for me keep your hand lovely and still okay
16:08okay
16:10is there not some in the bottom of there
16:11oh yeah it's right right at the bottom
16:13you were a nurse where were you a nurse
16:15yeah right wow amazing thank you
16:18it's okay
16:19baby care
16:19oh baby care
16:22i'm thinking yeah should we sit her up because it's soaking through and it's not staying where it should be
16:29because it's just in a really awkward place
16:33so we'll try sit you up dress your wound but it might be a bit uncomfortable
16:41okay
16:42oh you got all right then fair enough cool if we just pull this just need to be really careful
16:49cool
16:50i know i'm really sorry hold on to me yeah all right let's
16:55okay well done you're doing really really i know it'll be a bit stingy and then we just need a
17:00bit on this side as well
17:01so we're just gonna have to do it like this and then if we just go around
17:05to the neck yeah i was gonna say it just needs you've got some beautiful necklaces
17:10yeah thank you really nice did you get them as a gift or anything or
17:15one set my hand's stuck in it sorry keep talking to me keep talking to me try and forget about
17:19that if you can
17:20have you got that bit of skin if you need to take a few deep breaths in through your nose
17:24out through your mouth
17:24there's a bit on there's a big hole if you feel any better they get in there all right
17:29can you put some more goals you say he was a nurse then you worked with children or babies
17:34babies babies oh my god i'd love that job was it newborns or was it
17:39preemies or preemies oh wow well that your speciality then yeah yeah i like me prems
17:47your prems yeah yeah i enjoyed it you enjoyed it it was difficult because the events with a ventilator
17:57oh i can imagine i can go back up here yeah i can go back up here yeah i can
18:00imagine it's quite a difficult job
18:02it is you're doing really really well three two one
18:07ow ow ow all right all right well done doing really really well perfect and then all you need to
18:13do is sit down it's here
18:27i've got you i promise
18:33with the injury bandaged hester and jess will take kathleen to the bradford royal infirmary for further treatment
18:41ready one two three
18:45you take care of yourself no more fall than you
18:48no
18:49all right
18:57are you proud of our bandaging then
19:02at least we can make you smile a little bit
19:09but they might just need a bit of a clean and sewing back up again
19:16i know but they'll give you some better pain relief than we can give you at the moment all right
19:29no no problem at all you've been a pleasure
19:33but we need to get your arm sorted so should we go see the doctors then
19:36come on then
19:40there we go
19:41there we go
19:56aww wasn't she just lovely
19:58she was so sweet
19:59considering her injury as well she was just so calm and nice about everything wasn't she
20:04yeah
20:04yeah you did a very good job
20:06so did you
20:07thank you
20:08don't know where i'd be without you
20:09love you
20:10love you
20:12wait
20:13yes
20:15teamwork
20:17teamwork
20:28i'm trying to help you help you okay i don't know
20:30i'm going to continue to form in the evening i'm going to continue to form in
20:34to put the team lead on the phone with that bitch
20:38with the spate of abusive calls showing no signs of slowing abby has escalated the incident and reported the caller
20:45to the police
20:49i'm just doing a statement for police there's a very real possibility that police are going to turn up and
20:55not us if he carries on where he has
20:57no
20:57what's happened
20:58looking to arrest him
20:59what are they doing with him
21:00what are they doing with him
21:00oh have you got him now
21:01yeah
21:01tell him that someone will review his case and call him back
21:04say what
21:05they'll review his case and call him back and just clear a line please
21:11right so we're going to be reviewing your case okay and then someone will get back to you
21:15what the hell
21:16what are you going on about
21:17what are you going on about
21:17you guys absolutely disgusting
21:21what are you going on about
21:23okay fine thank you i'll let him know
21:25thank you
21:26bye bye
21:26thank you
21:27bye bye
21:27bye bye
21:27bye bye
21:27bye bye
21:32emm little bit of good news
21:34they're after going and arresting this gentleman
21:36oh are they
21:37brilliant
21:38so yeah
21:40good news
21:45Oh, what a shift.
21:59Baculant service, is the patient breathing?
22:02Hello, the patient is me and I am breathing.
22:05OK, tell me exactly what happened.
22:08And this morning I had some chest pains.
22:15Hiya, 1696, 76-year-old female.
22:18She had chest pain this morning,
22:19but it says not having any now or had any since.
22:23It's a bit of an odd one, this, isn't it, really?
22:25It might be one of them where she thinks that she's tough
22:28and she doesn't want to bother us, that might be the case,
22:30but I'm sure you'll find out when you get there, of her.
22:33Yeah, we'll do our best and we'll keep you updated.
22:37Hester and Jess are immediately dispatched
22:40to a Category 3 call in Leeds.
22:51Hello.
22:53Is it Marion?
22:54Hi, Marion.
22:56You can take a seat if you want.
23:00So, if you had to describe the pain, what did it feel like?
23:05It wasn't what we call a crushing pain.
23:07It was more like the gastritis pain, I remember.
23:09Well, it was just sort of, oh, it's not going away, is it?
23:13And I talked to the GP and he says, well,
23:16you should really call up and see if they can come and tell us an EEG if you have...
23:20An ECG?
23:21ECG, if there was anything to do with the heart.
23:24I've had ischemic colitis and I was given a stoma last February,
23:28an emergency operation.
23:29Can you point to where it was?
23:32In fact, Marion, if it's okay with you, can we slip your jacket off?
23:34Yeah, yeah, of course you can.
23:35Just so we can do your blood pressure as well.
23:40Where are you from originally?
23:42New York.
23:43Really?
23:44That's where the accent comes from.
23:45I've been here since 1974.
23:47Have you?
23:48Wow.
23:49The accent hasn't left, though, has it?
23:51No.
23:51Well, I thought it had.
23:52They think it has over there.
23:54See, you're not American.
23:56If I am.
23:57I'm going to pop these sticks on your arms and like...
23:59So, how did you end up in Yorkshire from New York, anyway?
24:03Well, I wasn't planning on coming to England at all.
24:05I had a two-month rail pass.
24:08I was 23.
24:09Wow.
24:10And I took the train onto Brindisi to catch a ferry.
24:13And we were playing frisbee.
24:15And this gorgeous man...
24:18..fled a frisbee to me.
24:20And he was from Leeds.
24:22Oh!
24:24So, three years later, we got married.
24:26Did you enjoy living here, though?
24:28Oh, yeah, I loved it. It was great.
24:30Especially the pubs and all that.
24:32Oh, the pubs are brilliant, aren't they?
24:37So, your heart tracing was fine.
24:39Good.
24:39So, that's good.
24:40How have you found coming from America to the NHS?
24:44I was...
24:44I was...
24:45I was totally amazed.
24:46Amazed?
24:47But I had no idea when I came here that everything was free.
24:51I mean, you'd pay for it in your taxes, but I was like...
24:53I suppose in that sense, we are quite lucky.
24:55Nowhere in the world.
24:56Nowhere in the world.
24:56Under pressure, but we're lucky to have it.
24:59That was amazing.
24:59The thing is, I would have been a goner.
25:02Yeah.
25:03It was like, they do a fantastic job.
25:05Yeah.
25:05You know, I mean, I'm lucky.
25:07I am.
25:07I know I am lucky to be alive.
25:09Mm-hmm.
25:14It doesn't sound like it's anything to do with your heart,
25:17which is a really good sign.
25:18It sounds like it could be a bit of sort of gastritis or acid reflux.
25:23OK.
25:25Any further problems, make sure you ring 111.
25:27OK.
25:28All right, then.
25:29We'll leave you be.
25:31OK.
25:32Right.
25:32Thank you so much.
25:32We'll let ourselves out.
25:34We'll see you later.
25:34See you later.
25:35Request us to.
25:38See you later.
25:39See you later.
25:40See you later.
25:48I'm doing service.
25:50It's attention-free then.
25:53Is she breathing at the moment?
25:57You don't know.
26:01How old is she?
26:05Just being bon.
26:07Right, I'm organising some help for you now.
26:09Just stay on the line.
26:11Is she changing colour?
26:13She's looking a bit blue.
26:15What position is she in now?
26:16What position is she in?
26:20Right, that's fine.
26:23What's her colour like now?
26:24What's her colour like now?
26:25Is she still looking a bit blue?
26:28Just her lips.
26:29What's her cheeks like?
26:30What do her cheeks look like?
26:35They're red.
26:36Brilliant.
26:36That's really good.
26:37OK, that's good.
26:41Is that her crying?
26:42Is that her crying?
26:45Yeah.
26:45OK.
26:46Make sure she's kept nice and warm, OK?
26:47She's still looking a little bit blue.
26:49She's crying.
26:50Just keep her warm, OK?
26:57Put the phone next to her.
26:58Let's just listen to her.
26:59Can you put the phone next to her just so I can listen to her breathing?
27:09Oh, that's fine.
27:11That's fine.
27:12That's fine, thank you.
27:13Just keep her awake, keep a close eye on her, that's fine.
27:16Just keep her awake and just keep a close eye on her, OK?
27:19Just let me know if anything changes at all.
27:22She's crying.
27:23She's making some noises, OK?
27:26Just let me know once the ambulance crew are there and then I can leave you with them.
27:32All right, I'll leave you with them.
27:37Bye.
27:39Well done.
27:43Emergency call handlers are the first responder.
27:47People think of the first responder as the first person on scene, but actually it's the
27:51person that picks up the phone and their role is so overlooked.
27:57I think it's really important for me to tell them at the end of every shift,
28:01really appreciate what you've done.
28:04Because I do, I'm not just saying it because I'm a manager.
28:07I'm saying it because I've done the job myself.
28:10I know how hard it is.
28:11Is that something you have?
28:12Go home.
28:13Yeah.
28:14Go home, sleep.
28:16Bye.
28:16Right, I'll see you later.
28:18Bye, Kate.
28:22Thank you for tonight, guys.
28:23See you later.
28:24Night.
28:26You can have had abusive callers all night.
28:29You can have had a really busy, difficult shift, but one call can make all the difference.
28:37You sort of go, oh, yeah, that's why we're here.
28:40That's why we do this job.
29:01I can't move.
29:07I was just walking up and a guy's just falling from the roof.
29:13I think he died.
29:25I will.
29:27Cheers, my love.
29:28It's the start of the Tuesday night shift for dispatcher John and the rest of the team
29:33in control.
29:35You got on your screen?
29:37I've got 15.
29:38How many you've got?
29:4021.
29:4121.
29:4221?
29:42Are we at CSP level 4?
29:44Yeah, CSP 4.
29:45A busy day shift has left 197 patients still waiting for an ambulance across Yorkshire and
29:54pushed the service into clinical safety plan 4, the highest level of alertness.
30:00The oldest job I've got at the minute is from 11.57, a Cat 3 out of Leeds.
30:05So that's over six hours old at the minute.
30:08Due to demand exceeding available resources, the service will no longer send ambulances to
30:14some less critically ill patients.
30:16I've got a 12.46 Cat 3 in Fenston and then a Cat 2 from just before 5.
30:23That's way out of target, so just waiting for crews to book on duty now.
30:35Wakefield crew 1707 Sam and Tom will be one of 281 ambulances working to help clear the
30:45backlog of patients.
30:47Are you ready?
30:48Yeah, absolutely.
30:49Good thing, Al.
30:51Raring to go.
30:561707, good evening.
30:57I've got an outstanding Cat 2 at Pontefract for you.
31:00It's for a 45-year-old male taking an overdose of medication.
31:05You've got details, you can get rolling.
31:14Sam and Tom are immediately dispatched to the Category 2 patient, who has already been waiting
31:20an hour for an ambulance.
31:21It's a 45-year-old male, alcoholic, has taken 15 tablets of medication with intent to self-harm.
31:30They are 14 minutes from scene.
31:33Because we've had this call waiting for so long, they activate a charcoal I can usually
31:38give for this type of overdose.
31:40It would be contraindicated and I wouldn't be able to give it.
31:44It's one of these little houses back, I think.
31:52Hello.
31:53Hello.
31:53It's a big old sofa.
31:54Hello.
31:55Is it Sean?
31:56Yeah.
31:58Do you live with him?
31:59Yes.
32:00I'm his sister.
32:01Sean, can I do some checks on you while Tom's having a chat with you?
32:04Is that OK?
32:05We'll have a chat and we'll get to the bottom of it, eh?
32:07Top 15.
32:08Top 15?
32:1015 of his tablets.
32:12I don't really, you know.
32:14Have you had a drink tonight?
32:15He's had a drink all day, he's been out all day.
32:17Have you had what you normally would have, Sean?
32:19He's come home more...
32:22He's a bit more drunk than...
32:23Yeah.
32:23Yeah.
32:24Has he done anything like this before?
32:25He's come home and taken tablets?
32:27No, never.
32:29Do you struggle with your mental health, Sean?
32:33Erm...
32:34Yeah.
32:34Yeah.
32:35I probably do, I probably do.
32:36And what do you think's brought it on tonight that's made you take these tablets?
32:44Have you got any other medical problems?
32:49Sean?
32:51Well, I've got advanced liver disease.
32:53Yeah.
32:55And I've been in rehab.
32:56Did they not give you a plan when you left rehab?
32:58No.
32:59Nothing.
33:00So has it taken us being released in rehab?
33:02Have we kind of been...
33:03Gone downhill again?
33:04Get up to eat now.
33:06Erm...
33:06No, I haven't.
33:07Need you to have a little bit of something to eat,
33:08because your blood sugars are a bit on the low side.
33:10Oh, you could do with a bit of a sugary drink?
33:12Yeah.
33:12I mean, we're going to have to go to hospital, Sean.
33:15It'll be classed as a...
33:16I know, but I'll be waiting hours.
33:18I used to work for NHS and I know you guys.
33:21Did you?
33:22What did you do?
33:23I was a porter at Ponce Cretna.
33:26Oh, lovely.
33:27And the only concerns I have is if you've got advanced liver disease already...
33:31Yeah.
33:32..and you've taken an overdose of tablets,
33:34your body's not going to process the tablets, as I should.
33:36So we need to go up and have some blood test done
33:39and see if there's any medications hospital can give you
33:41to try and reverse any side effects.
33:43Oh, look at that. Lovely.
33:45Have a bit of that jam sarnie then, Sean.
33:48Oh, yeah.
33:48That should do job.
33:50They just need to be up a little bit more.
33:51I just feel, you know, that I've lost my way a bit, I think.
33:56Would that be understandable?
33:58Yeah.
33:59It's not too late to make those changes
34:01and you've done it once before, so...
34:03I know.
34:04Finish that bit of your sandwich off then
34:06and we'll get going.
34:07It's a waste of everybody's time here.
34:10It's not a waste of anybody's time.
34:12We're here for everybody.
34:14I know you are.
34:16And that's a great thing about you, isn't it?
34:18It is.
34:19Isn't normally this nice?
34:28I'll just sit it up for you, Sean.
34:29The problem is I've been on these bloody beds so many times.
34:32Get your bum right up here then.
34:34If you've been on them too many times, you'll know.
34:36Have your shoes on?
34:38That's a good man.
34:39I bet you're a rogue, aren't you?
34:41We do.
34:41You're a lovable rogue, aren't you, Sean?
34:44Right, I'm going to get us up to hospital.
34:46Tom will be in back with you.
34:47I know what I mean to you.
34:48I'll keep an eye on you.
34:49Don't have a speed.
34:50I'm so good at driving.
34:59Do you feel like you're taking these tablets intentionally, Sean?
35:04Oh, I know how I do it.
35:06Yeah.
35:07What's the reason you've taken them tonight?
35:10Well, what can we say?
35:12I've cried for him.
35:14God bless you.
35:19You do get more mental health on a night shift.
35:24Especially if people use drugs or alcohol as a way to cope.
35:28I can relate to those people.
35:34I've had people close to me who've suffered with addiction issues.
35:40It's easy for people to say, oh, they're just a drug addict or they're just an alcoholic.
35:44But you're not seeing the person that they are.
35:50That's why I signed up to do this job.
35:51And what drives me is just to help people.
35:56It doesn't matter the circumstances.
35:59We're there to help.
36:03Do you want a wheelchair to go in, mate?
36:05No.
36:06Are you walking in?
36:08Right then.
36:09Pulling me out.
36:30911 FLEETING
36:32Ambulance.
36:33Is the person breathing?
36:35Is patient awake?
36:38I'm going to stay on the line with you. I want you to watch very closely for me.
36:41If she does become less awake and she vomits, just quickly lay on her side.
36:44But if she gets worse anyway, just tell me immediately.
36:46Right, I'm organising the help for you now. Just stay on the line.
36:49It is nearly three hours into the shift and the service still remains in CSP Level 4.
36:56So they will be trying to get a crew there as soon as they can.
37:00Just make sure that somebody's there to wave down the ambulance crews.
37:03I'll leave you with them, OK?
37:05Call handlers have already answered more than 500 new calls since the shift began,
37:11with a backlog of over 130 patients still waiting for an ambulance across Yorkshire.
37:18When you get a crew clear, will you shout me?
37:20Yeah.
37:21Because we need to put the person from Sartre to the prison.
37:26Right, okie-dokie.
37:29Are you free, John?
37:31Yeah, yeah, yeah.
37:32Just to let you know, we now have crews that are waiting at Pinderfields Emergency and at LGI.
37:38We've got quite a few queuing now, so if you could ask all your crews to look for alternative pathways.
37:42OK, thank you.
37:47What are you doing?
37:49Yeah, the patient's breathing.
37:51There's been a car crash.
37:54How many people are hurt?
37:56Two.
37:58One of them's out of the car on the floor.
38:01One person's trapped.
38:0312.25.8, Remy, love.
38:05Put you on an RTC.
38:08Two cars head-on.
38:11At 60 mile an hour.
38:13Yeah, Roger, thank you.
38:14Have we got any crews en route yet?
38:1715.12, I'm rolling them towards it.
38:20John, Heli-Med are going as well.
38:22Heli-Med's en route as well from Nostos.
38:27All received, thank you.
38:2912.25, Operational Commander Remy is immediately dispatched to the road traffic collision and is six minutes from scene.
38:40She is specially trained to manage large-scale incidents and will coordinate all medical resources on scene.
38:4712.25, go ahead.
38:51Quick care paramedics just saying we've got basics available, 10, 15 minutes if you want them setting off.
38:56That's perfect, thank you very much.
38:58Yes, please, Mike.
39:01Despite the stretched resources across the service, the seriousness of the incident means that Remy will be joined on scene
39:08by
39:09six police vehicles, two fire engines, two ambulance crews, two pre-hospital emergency doctors and a Yorkshire Air Ambulance.
39:24Have you arrived at your destination?
39:44Hello?
39:44Yes.
39:45Is this the one that's trapped?
39:46Yeah, look out, get out.
39:47OK.
39:51It's been a lot of pain, this jam.
39:53Yeah.
39:54It looks like it's a mid-jaffir, but at least.
39:56Yeah.
39:56And bottom half of his leg looks mangled at the bottom.
39:59But we can't get to it because he's physically trapped.
40:05What are we thinking?
40:06We've got injuries-wise.
40:07I think abdominal bleed.
40:09I think possibly...
40:10Elves.
40:11We've done a primary survey.
40:12Yeah.
40:1312.25.
40:14Just looking to see if you've got a clinical update.
40:16Two patients, both going to be requiring major trauma.
40:20Um, I think Leeds is probably going to be our nearest from here.
40:25I can ring ahead and check LGI are able to accept both.
40:29Yeah, please.
40:30Both patients.
40:33LGI, we've got two patients triggering for major trauma.
40:35Patient one is a fractured pelvis with abdo injury and chest injury.
40:40And patient two is a fractured femur, which is described as a mangled lower leg.
40:46OK, OK, I'll let them know.
40:4812.35, go ahead.
40:5012.35, I've spoken to them so long.
40:53At LGI.
40:53They're happy they can accept both patients.
40:56Yep, not a problem.
40:59LGI are expecting you.
41:01We've got a pelvic binder ready.
41:02It's ready to go.
41:04We are just currently loading our first patient.
41:07Journey time is probably about 10 minutes on blue light,
41:10so approximately 15 minutes.
41:12No worries, thank you.
41:14Just a little bit of a bump.
41:15With the first patient now en route to Leeds General Infirmary,
41:18the team are trying to free the second patient, who is still trapped.
41:27I presume they'll give you an update about this one.
41:30So we're just concerned about the foot.
41:31Yeah.
41:32Can you see where it's...
41:34They can't, they've had a quick feel underneath.
41:36Yeah.
41:37It does feel like his foot's kind of wedged a little bit.
41:42Is the chair all the way back at the minute?
41:44Yeah, can't, yeah.
41:45Can't get...
41:46Oh, they're free.
41:47Oh, feet are free.
41:48Feet are free.
41:49Yeah.
41:49Ready, guys.
41:50Yeah.
41:52Oh!
41:56Oh!
41:58Oh!
42:00Oh!
42:06I'm going to follow you up, because there's a kit all over the place.
42:09So I shall see you at LGI.
42:20Bye!
42:41For a confirmed Cat 1 Nottingly, confirmed Cat 1 Nottingly.
42:45If anyone can clear, current run time 19, 1, 9 minutes.
42:50Anyone closer, please clear.
42:52An ambulance has automatically been dispatched to the Category 1 call,
42:56but due to stretch resources, the nearest crew are 18 minutes away,
43:01well over twice the target time of arrival, which is within 7 minutes.
43:15And with ambulances stuck in queues outside hospitals in Leeds and Wakefield,
43:21nearly 60 patients are still waiting for a crew to arrive.
43:25We've been waiting 7 hours. She's 91 years old.
43:30I just wondered if it was on its way.
43:33We have had an exceptional demand on the service throughout the year.
43:37We have been very busy, I'm afraid.
43:40Is the patient breathing?
43:43Yes. He's really cut his arm terribly.
43:46They are assembling an ambulance, but not for a while.
43:50You all right?
43:51Yeah.
43:52Oh, that would frighten me then. I thought he'd gone.
43:58It has now been 40 minutes since John dispatched an ambulance
44:02for the Category 1 patient in Nottingly with difficulty breathing.
44:07But the crew has yet to arrive.
44:111704.
44:12I've just seen you still trying to get off motorway.
44:16We've just taken roadblock after roadblock.
44:19This works all up and down.
44:21Normally they give us like a warning, so I'd say,
44:24all right, you need to come off here.
44:25I don't know how we can approach it from any other way.
44:29We should be there within 7 minutes.
44:32We're currently looking at a 40-minute ETA.
44:3640.
44:38Ryan, they've gone along 62 to A19, come back,
44:45couldn't even get north because that's shut.
44:47So...
44:48Both directions are shut.
44:50Yeah.
44:51The Follett diversions just basically go to a dead end.
44:54Yeah.
44:55What motorway's shut?
44:57M62 and A1.
45:01So, 46 minutes so far.
45:04They're now down at Barnesdale Bar, that crew.
45:07The what?
45:09It's a little finnel.
45:11So, they've gone all the way down to Barnesdale Bar?
45:13Yeah.
45:14Well, miles away from it.
45:18John, they're in Cass at the minute of 1707.
45:21Yeah, no way, man.
45:22Let's see if they can cut through Castleford,
45:24because they shouldn't have to go near a motorway then.
45:26Yeah, I'll have a look.
45:28Yeah.
45:33Sam and Tom
45:34are currently en route to a Category 3 call in Castleford,
45:39eight miles to the east of the Category 1 patient.
45:43Oh, stand down.
45:44Stand down.
45:45Advocated to...
45:46Voice accept.
45:48Stand down.
45:48Acknowledged.
45:49Going clear.
46:00The trouble is, you need to stay off the A1 and the M62.
46:08Because I've had a crew running on this so far for 45, 50 minutes nearly now.
46:13Oh.
46:15Yeah, roger that.
46:17That's all received.
46:17We will try and avoid the route that you've just given us.
46:22Unexpected road closures on the A1 and the M62
46:26have left the first ambulance dispatched
46:28unable to reach the patient's location.
46:34With a response time already over seven times longer
46:38than the target of seven minutes,
46:40Sam and Tom are diverted
46:42to help find an alternative route.
46:47It's been in since 0054.
46:49That's nearly an hour.
46:51That's really bad, that.
46:52For a Category 1.
46:53Right, let me put it in on ways.
46:56Let me just pull over on it, yeah?
47:00Right, it's given me another route here.
47:03So it's taken a step back.
47:04Is that through the services?
47:06Erm.
47:08Yeah.
47:08Yeah.
47:13I think they're just struggling
47:15with all the road closures,
47:17but don't worry, it shouldn't be too much.
47:18I don't know how can I get a taxi.
47:241707.
47:24Right, for info,
47:26they have tried to cancel us
47:29because the patient is now going to get into a taxi
47:32and go...
47:33John, leave the crew on it
47:34cos they're not going to be able to get a taxi anywhere near it
47:36cos all motorways are closed.
47:37Oh, right, yeah.
47:38So it's not the top one down,
47:39but if we can leave 1707 on it...
47:42Yeah, we'll do.
47:431707.
47:44Right, we're going to leave you running just in case.
47:47A clinician's ringing them back, John.
47:48And we've got a clinician giving a call back.
47:50Cos she were panting on the phone to EMD workpatient.
47:55Yeah, Roger that.
47:56We're plotting at 1.6 miles away,
47:58so we're out four minutes to this job,
48:00so we'll let you know when we arrive.
48:03They're just asking us to go through, like,
48:05this right-hand lane next to the service station.
48:08Yeah, it says she'll be here.
48:14Take the next right.
48:34Yeah, so we've popped it into our sat-nav,
48:37which accounts for the road closure,
48:38and this is the road that has brought us up,
48:40so it says we're 0.7 miles away at the moment.
48:44I'm just following you now.
48:46You're on, like, a track.
48:47Just keep me updated with how you're going,
48:49cos you will come up and over the 62.
48:52So hopefully it's not got any gates on it over.
48:57Yeah, I mean, the road is a bit of a dirt track.
49:00It's not very ambulance-friendly,
49:01but so far all the gates are open,
49:03so we'll see how much progress we can make.
49:07Oh, this is unbelievable.
49:15The ring us when they desperately need us,
49:18when they've got nowhere else to turn.
49:22They'll be watching that clock waiting for us.
49:25I can only imagine how anxious and scared they must be feeling.
49:33You want to help these people as quickly as you can,
49:37but sometimes things are beyond your control.
49:46All right, this is looking a bit more promising.
49:53Out from that big fence end.
49:58We can't get past this.
50:00It's big blocks.
50:03Hello, just to let you know,
50:04we've followed this dirt track down
50:06and there's, like, concrete bollards at the end.
50:10Received.
50:12I'll let you dispatch it over.
50:14John?
50:17Just onto highways at the moment.
50:19They're going to ring the site themselves,
50:21and if we need to, we'll get access through the roadworks.
50:24Well, at the moment,
50:26the crews are putting to their own sat-nav.
50:28Is this 7-0-7?
50:30He says that he's encountered some concrete bollards
50:33and he's got to turn round,
50:34so he ain't going to be able to go that way.
50:36Right.
50:37They're going to have to turn...
50:38Highways are going to have to open road.
50:40Yeah, they're going to have to let us through.
50:41Yeah.
50:41I'm on it.
50:45Concrete bollards are blocking the track,
50:47making the motorway bridge inaccessible for the crew
50:50who must turn back.
50:53Meanwhile, for the Category 1 patient,
50:55the wait for an ambulance has now stretched
50:57to an hour and four minutes.
51:02John?
51:04It's about the highways.
51:05They're going to let the ambulance through,
51:06so they need to go back onto the A162,
51:08and there's going to be someone to let them through.
51:11Receiving.
51:141707, if you make your way back to the round,
51:18that the service is on,
51:20they're going to let you through.
51:21Just let the crew know that the Clinic Club have spoke to her.
51:24She's got a history of heart attack.
51:27The clinicians are leaving it as a cat wonker,
51:29so I believe she might be having another.
51:311707, right, further update for you.
51:35The patient's got a previous history of myocardial infarction,
51:41and the Clinical Hub believe
51:43she's having another one at this time.
51:47We need to get to this patient, over.
51:50I'm going to go onto there, if I can.
51:53That's it.
51:58I just don't want to squint that hump air.
52:18We've now made access to the A1,
52:20which was originally closed.
52:25We're on the path down to the address now.
52:28Brilliant, yeah, I can see where you're tracking.
52:30Thank you, over.
52:32Thank you very much.
52:41Hello, ambulance!
52:44Hello!
52:46Is it Benita?
52:48Oh, bless you.
52:49You've been waiting a long time for us, haven't you?
52:52Can you tell us what's been going on then, Benita?
52:56It's morning, but I don't breathe properly.
53:00At what time would you say that started this morning?
53:03At 10 o'clock.
53:0410 o'clock.
53:06Have a quick listen to your chest, Benita.
53:08OK.
53:09Are you diagnosed with any breathing problems?
53:11Any COPD, asthma?
53:13I was a heart attack a few years ago.
53:15An heart attack, OK.
53:16I haven't been as bad as this.
53:18Put some nice deep breaths on me.
53:19I'm going to pop some stickers on you
53:21while Tom does that all right.
53:23Have you had any chest pain today?
53:25Constantly.
53:26Constantly?
53:27Any new pain today?
53:29No.
53:30Is there anything that's making you think
53:32it could be another heart attack?
53:34No, I don't think so.
53:36You don't think so?
53:38I'm going to say your chest, Benita,
53:41it sounds very crackly on both sides,
53:43on your bases of your lungs
53:44and in your upper lungs as well.
53:46I think we'll start you on the nebuliser
53:48and help your breathing a little bit
53:50cos you've got a little bit of a wheeze going on.
53:52Is that OK?
53:53OK.
53:53Just sit nice and relaxed for me.
53:58So this is just to help with your breathing
54:00a little bit, OK?
54:05She'll be fine, don't worry.
54:07Does your breathing feel any easier
54:09since you've had that nebuliser?
54:11Slightly.
54:12Slightly, easing a little bit.
54:14Cos at the moment I think you've got
54:15quite a nasty chest infection,
54:17possibly pneumonia going on.
54:19Very sore.
54:20And you've got a temperature as well
54:22and your heart rate's going a little bit quick
54:25so we'll want to get you up to hospital, OK?
54:35I'll take you back for you.
54:36Right, bob yourself up on that bed,
54:38Bonita, get your bum all the way up into that crack, OK?
54:41That's it.
54:41Bob yourself round up on bed.
54:43Don't worry about your feet on sheets.
54:47Right, I'm going to put back up, Tom.
54:49Yeah, there is.
54:49I'll get some fluids for you.
55:05Right, I'm going to go book you in, OK?
55:08So I'll leave you with these guys.
55:10You're welcome.
55:10No, that's what you've done.
55:11No, no, no.
55:12It's fine.
55:12That's what we're here for.
55:13Eventually.
55:16Right, I'm going to go booking, all right?
55:18Yeah, thank you.
55:311707, go ahead.
55:34Yeah, just an update on that last job for you.
55:36So we finally did get access to Bonita's caravan.
55:39Not a very well lady.
55:41I think she's potentially got a quite severe chest infection
55:44or pneumonia.
55:45The main thing is that we've treated her
55:47and got her into resus at hospital.
55:50I'm going to say brilliant,
55:51but I suppose pneumonia, chest infection ain't good.
55:55If it had been anything worse than what it was,
55:58outcome would not have been good at all.
56:00Absolutely.
56:01Yeah, definitely.
56:02An hour and 23 minutes and 52 seconds
56:06it took us to get to her.
56:08Well, thank you very much for navigating us
56:11through some very tricky roads
56:12and I'm glad we managed to get there in the end.
56:16I will leave you to finish up your paperwork,
56:19press clear when you're ready
56:20and I'll stick a new one on your screen, over.
56:23No worries, that's all received
56:24and we shall talk to you soon.
56:28Certainly will.
56:29Control out.
56:40On a night shift, I know that I'm helping people
56:43when they're the most vulnerable.
56:45They've made that call because they need you.
56:48They need you in that moment.
56:52If we give up, we're letting the patients down
56:55and that's not what we're about.
56:57We're about helping people.
57:01Things aren't always straightforward sometimes
57:03and we might run into obstacles,
57:06but we will get there.
57:08If not now, it's soon
57:14And whatever is right for you
57:17We'll guide you through
57:23If not now, it's soon
57:29And whatever is right for you
57:32We'll guide you through
57:38Cause if not now, it's soon
57:44Whatever is right for you
57:47We'll guide you through
58:01Details of organisations
58:03Offering information and support
58:05with addiction, mental health
58:07or self-harm
58:08are available on the Action Line pages
58:10of the BBC website
58:12at www.Cì—†orVision.com
58:27We'll be back to you
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