大象传媒

It's Thursday and the start of a new 12-hour shift for the North West Ambulance Service, and junior doctors across the NHS are on strike. With hundreds of hospital appointments and non-urgent operations cancelled, there is nervous anticipation in the ambulance control centre over what the shift might bring.

The ambulance service can decide to prioritise certain emergencies, so when an urgent 999 call is received for an accident on a busy road, senior paramedic Aiden is immediately dispatched. After administering pain relief to the patient, Aiden works with the fire service to free the patient safely out of the car.

In Stockport, Jess and Abi are the closest crew to a patient suffering with chest pains, a call-out that is also prioritised. On arrival, the crew learn the patient has cerebral palsy and has needed care by the NHS throughout her life. She is profoundly grateful for everything the service has done for her.

By lunchtime, the team working in the complex incident hub are managing 25 ongoing category 1 calls, with only one advanced paramedic available to respond throughout the north west, when a call comes in for another RTC involving a car and lorry. Multiple resources are dispatched, including senior paramedic Aiden, who is first on scene.

Numerous calls are received for another RTC, involving a 39-year-old male patient who has severely injured himself. Crewmates Mandy and Sam are immediately dispatched and will be joined on scene by a senior paramedic. After assessing the patient鈥檚 injuries, the crew call for backup from a HEMS doctor to deliver advanced pain relief.

In south Manchester, Jess and Abi are allocated to a category A call for a 30-year-old male having a seizure in the street. This is another call-out that is made a category 1. Following a recent epilepsy diagnosis, the patient shares his struggles finding a job that is understanding of his disability.

It's the start of a new 12-hour shift for the North West Ambulance Service. Today, there are no strikes, but NHS workers, including paramedics and nurses, are awaiting results of the ballot on whether to accept or reject the government鈥檚 latest pay offer. Crewmates Sam and Danny are six minutes away from a 65-year-old patient who has been involved in an RTC after collecting his shopping from the supermarket.

Jess and Abi are dispatched to a cancer patient who is the same age as Jess鈥檚 mother, who is also suffering with cancer. On arrival, the patient becomes overwhelmed as she shares her cancer journey with the crew. Jess draws deep on her own personal experience to reassure the patient, commending her on her bravery. The job leads Jess to reflect on how seeing paramedics care for her mum inspired her to care for others.

Meanwhile, senior paramedic Aiden is dispatched to a 57-year-old male in cardiac arrest. The patient鈥檚 family watch on with concern as Aiden and the team work tirelessly to try and resuscitate him.

The news that Unison, the largest NHS union, have agreed to accept the government鈥檚 pay offer, including a five per cent pay rise and a lump sum for lower-paid workers, is greeted with mixed emotions. Some feel relief that they will be able to pay bills, others are disappointed that their full demands have not been met.

Filmed at a time of profound uncertainty in the NHS, this episode highlights the vital role of the ambulance service in saving lives and delivering the very best care, even when others within the NHS are taking industrial action. We witness the full spectrum from those in need of urgent and immediate life-saving interventions, to the people who have relied on the continuous and dedicated care of the NHS their whole life - from the front line to the picket line, this is the real story behind the sirens.