Episode 2: In Aintree Hospital’s major trauma centre, a 15-strong team is trying to save the life of a young man who has just arrived by emergency helicopter. He has been stabbed in the chest – one of three stabbings to arrive during the day. It’s a race against time as he’s rushed for emergency surgery.
Three and a half miles away in the heart of the city centre, The Royal Liverpool Hospital provides emergency care for ten of the most deprived areas in the UK. The Royal deals with an increasing number of ‘frequent fliers’ – patients who return multiple times and who put extra strain on the system.
After 139 incidences of aggression towards staff over a seven-year period, one frequent flier is given an ultimatum: stop abusing staff and the system or face a year-long exclusion.
As the Royal’s A&E struggles to cope with pressure at its front door, in Aintree Hospital a patient with advanced motor neurone disease is ready to leave hospital. But his complex needs prove problematic, as staff attempt a trial run away from the confines of a ward.
Airdate: Thursday 20 February 2020 at 9.00pm on BBC Two.
Season