0:00:02 > 0:00:04Racing to treat a patient in need of critical care.
0:00:04 > 0:00:06Yeah, 5-2, can I have a crew, please?
0:00:06 > 0:00:09This is the West Midlands Ambulance Service...
0:00:09 > 0:00:12This could have been a fatal incident, 100%.
0:00:12 > 0:00:14..a dedicated team of doctors and paramedics.
0:00:14 > 0:00:17- Hi there, got an ambulance. - Don't like it when they cry.
0:00:17 > 0:00:22- They respond to a million 999 calls every year...- Oh...
0:00:22 > 0:00:24..fighting to save lives...
0:00:24 > 0:00:27Basically, went straight up in the air, crashing down.
0:00:27 > 0:00:30..because some emergencies are so severe...
0:00:30 > 0:00:33- He's fractured his femur. - ..treatment must begin...
0:00:33 > 0:00:35- Take a deep breath in. - ..out on the road.
0:00:35 > 0:00:39I am grateful to every paramedic. If I could give them a medal, I would.
0:00:45 > 0:00:49Today, a paramedic's worst nightmare.
0:00:49 > 0:00:51There's a seven-year-old child that's been hit by a car.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55A factory worker struggles to breathe.
0:00:55 > 0:00:58Try and calm down a bit, all right? Try and control your breathing.
0:00:58 > 0:01:01He didn't look well. He looked petrified.
0:01:01 > 0:01:05And paramedics battle to help a man who's fallen in a busy street.
0:01:05 > 0:01:08We'll go to the hospital. Just relax.
0:01:14 > 0:01:16When we attend people
0:01:16 > 0:01:18who are erratically breathing -
0:01:18 > 0:01:21what we call hyperventilation syndrome, breathing fast -
0:01:21 > 0:01:23there's can be many causes for it.
0:01:23 > 0:01:26First and foremost, are his lungs working correctly?
0:01:26 > 0:01:28Are they supplying his body with enough oxygen?
0:01:28 > 0:01:30Is his breathing due to an underlying medical condition
0:01:30 > 0:01:34or is he breathing like that down to an underlying injury?
0:01:34 > 0:01:38So, we start from basics and work our way through full assessments
0:01:38 > 0:01:41to rule out things before we come to a final decision.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45It's Friday afternoon in Birmingham
0:01:45 > 0:01:48and paramedic Ste Hill has been called to a man
0:01:48 > 0:01:50who's having trouble breathing.
0:01:50 > 0:01:53We're responding to a male of 30 years of age.
0:01:53 > 0:01:55He's got breathing problems.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58We're not entirely sure why he's got breathing problems at the moment,
0:01:58 > 0:02:02whether it be through a medical problem, say asthma,
0:02:02 > 0:02:05or whether it's a breathing problem related to where he's working,
0:02:05 > 0:02:09environment factors, maybe like smoke or chemical inhalations.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11We'll do a quick patient assessment
0:02:11 > 0:02:13to try and find out what we're dealing with.
0:02:23 > 0:02:24Is it this one here?
0:02:29 > 0:02:31I don't actually know what happened.
0:02:31 > 0:02:35- He just come over and say he felt ill.- Hello there, mate. Hello.
0:02:35 > 0:02:38- What's your name? - Abdul Rahman.- Abdul, all right.
0:02:38 > 0:02:41- OK, Abdul, do you speak English? - Yeah.- You do.
0:02:41 > 0:02:43Have you got any pain anywhere?
0:02:45 > 0:02:48Do you mind taking your top off for me? Is that all right?
0:02:48 > 0:02:50ABDUL WHIMPERS
0:02:50 > 0:02:54- All right, all right. Calm down.- Just relax.
0:02:54 > 0:02:57Abdul, I'm going to have a listen to your chest. Just relax for me.
0:02:57 > 0:03:01When I first arrived at Abdul's workplace in the factory unit,
0:03:01 > 0:03:04it was quite clear that he was really struggling.
0:03:04 > 0:03:07He was breathing pretty quick and he didn't look well.
0:03:07 > 0:03:10He was quite pale and he looked scared. He looked petrified.
0:03:10 > 0:03:12Take some deep, slow breaths.
0:03:12 > 0:03:14ABDUL WHIMPERS
0:03:14 > 0:03:16Have you had problems with your breathing before
0:03:16 > 0:03:18or been to hospital with anything before?
0:03:26 > 0:03:28- Two years ago, his chest was bad. - What with, mate?
0:03:31 > 0:03:33- Do you remember? - What's the problem, Rahman?
0:03:36 > 0:03:40OK, all right, what I need you to do, right,
0:03:40 > 0:03:44is you try and calm yourself down, concentrate on your breathing.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47Take a deep breath in and hold it for a few seconds.
0:03:47 > 0:03:49At the moment, you're breathing way too fast.
0:03:49 > 0:03:51I think you're having some sort of anxiety attack.
0:03:51 > 0:03:54That's what it sounds like to me, all right?
0:03:54 > 0:03:56We need to rule everything else out at this stage,
0:03:56 > 0:03:58but that's what it's looking like, OK?
0:03:58 > 0:04:01So, I need you try and calm down a bit, all right?
0:04:01 > 0:04:03Just try and control your breathing.
0:04:03 > 0:04:05It's only you that can do that.
0:04:05 > 0:04:08Deep breath in for a few moments and hold it, OK?
0:04:08 > 0:04:11I'm unsure as to what the cause for Abdul's anxiety was.
0:04:11 > 0:04:15He may fall into one of those categories where we'll never know.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18Subconsciously, he may have had some stress somewhere in his life,
0:04:18 > 0:04:22which came to a head on that day in his workplace.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25- Do your fingers feel cramped? Sorry? - Can you move your fingers?
0:04:25 > 0:04:27- ABDUL WHIMPERS - OK, Abdul, listen.
0:04:27 > 0:04:30The reason your hands are like this...
0:04:30 > 0:04:31- ABDUL WHIMPERS - OK, just listen.
0:04:31 > 0:04:34Listen to me. Let me explain what's happening, OK?
0:04:34 > 0:04:36Because you're breathing too fast,
0:04:36 > 0:04:42you've caused your hands to spasm, the muscles in your hands.
0:04:42 > 0:04:44- You're breathing too fast. - You've got to calm down.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48People can quite often experience a spasm in their hands and their feet.
0:04:48 > 0:04:51Ultimately, that is because you've been breathing too fast.
0:04:51 > 0:04:52By getting too much oxygen in
0:04:52 > 0:04:55and getting rid of too many waste gases,
0:04:55 > 0:04:57you actually change the pH of your blood
0:04:57 > 0:05:00and that causes the spasms in your hands
0:05:00 > 0:05:03and that can be quite frightening for people.
0:05:03 > 0:05:05I can't give you anything to regulate your breathing.
0:05:05 > 0:05:07You need to concentrate on that yourself, OK?
0:05:07 > 0:05:10Deep breath in and hold it for a few seconds.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13When you breathe too fast, you take too much oxygen in
0:05:13 > 0:05:16and you get too much waste out, so it causes your hands to spasm.
0:05:16 > 0:05:18- Deep breaths, deep breaths. - All right?
0:05:18 > 0:05:21- ABDUL WHIMPERS - You concentrate on your breathing.
0:05:21 > 0:05:24Although he suspects it's an anxiety attack,
0:05:24 > 0:05:27Ste still needs to rule out heart or lung problems.
0:05:27 > 0:05:32Your heart rate is OK, apart from being a little bit quick,
0:05:32 > 0:05:34which we can account for because you're worked up.
0:05:34 > 0:05:36It's OK, all right?
0:05:36 > 0:05:39We're not suspecting this is your heart, all right?
0:05:39 > 0:05:41Deep breaths, Abdul.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44Deep breaths.
0:05:45 > 0:05:46Keep going.
0:05:48 > 0:05:51I've assessed your breathing. Your breathing's fine.
0:05:51 > 0:05:55I've had a look at your ECG. Your heart's fine as well, all right?
0:05:56 > 0:05:58So, we've ruled out the serious things.
0:05:58 > 0:06:01So, if that's what's worrying you, don't worry.
0:06:01 > 0:06:02Do you want to have a walk outside
0:06:02 > 0:06:05and we'll see if we can get you some fresh air. Yeah?
0:06:05 > 0:06:06- Come on.- Stand up.
0:06:07 > 0:06:11Eventually, Abdul's breathing starts to slow down.
0:06:11 > 0:06:14We'll do another quick ECG, now your heart rate's calmed down a bit.
0:06:14 > 0:06:17Just pop these on, mate. I'm sorry to press on your chest.
0:06:17 > 0:06:215-2? Patient's made a full recovery. It was an anxiety attack.
0:06:21 > 0:06:22No backup required.
0:06:22 > 0:06:25I'm going to be on, probably in the next 15 minutes or so.
0:06:25 > 0:06:28All right, your ECG's perfect, Abdul, all right?
0:06:28 > 0:06:30We don't need to go to hospital
0:06:30 > 0:06:32but we will recheck your observations again in a moment.
0:06:32 > 0:06:35What I suggest is, you're probably best off going home.
0:06:35 > 0:06:38- Are you on a late shift today? - No, he was due off in a minute.- OK.
0:06:38 > 0:06:40Maybe get yourself home.
0:06:40 > 0:06:43Is there somebody at home, somebody that can pick you up?
0:06:43 > 0:06:44- His wife.- OK.
0:06:44 > 0:06:47And then you need to get yourself booked in
0:06:47 > 0:06:49at the doctor's, at your GP, yeah?
0:06:50 > 0:06:53Just discuss with he or she what's happened, yeah?
0:06:53 > 0:06:56Just so it's on your medical record.
0:06:56 > 0:06:58He's going to feel a bit naff for probably an hour or so,
0:06:58 > 0:07:00but everything we can check is normal,
0:07:00 > 0:07:04so it doesn't warrant a hospital trip.
0:07:04 > 0:07:07It'll be a GP visit for him, if he can do.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09I'm going to advise him, if the symptoms do return,
0:07:09 > 0:07:11he can call us back later,
0:07:11 > 0:07:13but there's certainly no reason for him to go to A&E.
0:07:18 > 0:07:21Don't give him anything to eat or drink
0:07:21 > 0:07:22and make sure he's kept nice and warm.
0:07:22 > 0:07:26The West Midlands Ambulance Service is one of the largest in the UK,
0:07:26 > 0:07:29looking after more than five million people
0:07:29 > 0:07:32over a 500 square mile area.
0:07:32 > 0:07:34We cover a massive area,
0:07:34 > 0:07:39ranging from heavy industry and densely populated areas,
0:07:39 > 0:07:43out to less populated areas, such as Shropshire and Herefordshire
0:07:43 > 0:07:46and the workload gets reflected in that quite a bit.
0:07:46 > 0:07:51I mainly work in a response car, mainly in Birmingham city centre.
0:07:51 > 0:07:54The bonus, obviously, of having a car in the city centre
0:07:54 > 0:07:57is that you're smaller than your conventional
0:07:57 > 0:08:01double-crewed ambulance, which, obviously allows you
0:08:01 > 0:08:05to have a bit more manoeuvrability and get to a patient quicker
0:08:05 > 0:08:07and start providing that treatment that they need.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13It's Thursday afternoon and Mike's been called to an incident
0:08:13 > 0:08:15in Birmingham city centre.
0:08:15 > 0:08:19I'm on the way now to a male, who's reportedly unconscious
0:08:19 > 0:08:24outside The Square Peg, which is a pub in Birmingham city centre.
0:08:24 > 0:08:28Obviously, given its location, it's probably involving alcohol.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31It's quite an established area for street drinking.
0:08:31 > 0:08:33It's just a passer-by that's called it in
0:08:33 > 0:08:36and we'll see what it is when we get there, really.
0:08:45 > 0:08:48- Do you know him, mate? - No.- You just stopped.
0:08:48 > 0:08:53Put my coat under his head and that. His name's Ahmed, 55.
0:08:53 > 0:08:58- He took some medication for his heart and that.- All right. Ahmed.
0:08:58 > 0:09:01- Ahmed! - He's had quite a bit of a bleed.
0:09:01 > 0:09:03Ooh, you've got quite a nasty bump there, haven't you, mate?
0:09:03 > 0:09:05Do you remember what happened at all?
0:09:07 > 0:09:10OK, stop poking it with your finger. Keep your hand off it.
0:09:10 > 0:09:12You've got a nasty cut there, mate.
0:09:12 > 0:09:16So, basically, Ahmed smells heavily of alcohol,
0:09:16 > 0:09:19but he's obviously fallen. He sustained a head injury.
0:09:19 > 0:09:21He's going to require onward treatment and observation
0:09:21 > 0:09:23at hospital, due to the fact that he could vomit,
0:09:23 > 0:09:27as a result of the alcohol and the head injury.
0:09:27 > 0:09:29He's going to need a few hours of being watched.
0:09:29 > 0:09:31Might even need a few stitches on his head there.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33It's quite a deep cut.
0:09:33 > 0:09:36Just bandage this up, so you're not bleeding everywhere.
0:09:36 > 0:09:39- That looks really good. - Plenty of practice!
0:09:39 > 0:09:41Keep still, Ahmed, keep still.
0:09:41 > 0:09:43Because of his levels of intoxication,
0:09:43 > 0:09:46he was a bit agitated. He was constantly reaching for his head,
0:09:46 > 0:09:49he was slurring his words, he was uncoordinated.
0:09:49 > 0:09:51Is that because he's got a head injury
0:09:51 > 0:09:54or is that just because he's had too much to drink?
0:09:54 > 0:09:56Ahmed. Ahmed.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02Who come up with Ahmed?
0:10:02 > 0:10:05Yeah, in an ideal world, if people didn't drink too much,
0:10:05 > 0:10:08I think our job would be a lot, lot different.
0:10:08 > 0:10:12I think you would see a drastic reduction in the workload,
0:10:12 > 0:10:14not only the Ambulance Service but the police as well.
0:10:14 > 0:10:17Ready, one, two, three. Push yourself up. That's it.
0:10:17 > 0:10:22Step backwards. That's it. Have a sit-down, have a sit-down. Go on.
0:10:22 > 0:10:25- What's going to happen now, like? - Trip to the hospital, mate.
0:10:25 > 0:10:28Robert, open your eyes for me, mate.
0:10:28 > 0:10:30We're just going to pop a new bandage on round your head.
0:10:30 > 0:10:34Quite often with alcohol-dependent people -
0:10:34 > 0:10:36which, given the medication he's on, he appears to be -
0:10:36 > 0:10:39they can suffer seizures, so whether he's had a seizure
0:10:39 > 0:10:41that's led to this,
0:10:41 > 0:10:43and then is he in this confused-ish type state,
0:10:43 > 0:10:45cos he's post having had a fit,
0:10:45 > 0:10:47or is it just because he's intoxicated,
0:10:47 > 0:10:49hence the need that he's going to be conveyed
0:10:49 > 0:10:51up to the local A&E at City Hospital,
0:10:51 > 0:10:54where he's going to be monitored and then further treated,
0:10:54 > 0:10:57possibly with a bit of wound care for that cut on his head as well.
0:10:57 > 0:11:00Right, cheers, guys, thanks. See you later.
0:11:01 > 0:11:04Whilst his injury there appears quite minor
0:11:04 > 0:11:06and the odds are it probably is,
0:11:06 > 0:11:08I'm sure that our paths will cross again, yeah.
0:11:08 > 0:11:10I'm sure I'll see him again,
0:11:10 > 0:11:13quite probably on the floor in this square again,
0:11:13 > 0:11:15in the not-too-distant future, sadly.
0:11:22 > 0:11:26Thousands of medical students across the UK are currently in training
0:11:26 > 0:11:28to become the next wave of emergency staff.
0:11:31 > 0:11:33Today, Keele medic, Jonathan,
0:11:33 > 0:11:37is joining volunteer doctor, Matt, for a shift on the front line.
0:11:37 > 0:11:40We've got John. John's a medical student
0:11:40 > 0:11:43who's attached to A&E at the moment. He's doing a year based in there,
0:11:43 > 0:11:46seeing what's going on and what it's like to work in A&E.
0:11:46 > 0:11:48As part of that, he's coming out with our scheme,
0:11:48 > 0:11:50which is North Staffordshire BASICS.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53It's a vital piece of education for the medical students,
0:11:53 > 0:11:55to see what the world outside the hospital's like.
0:11:55 > 0:11:58Yeah, looking forward to going out and working with the doctors
0:11:58 > 0:12:01and seeing what they get up to outside of the hospital.
0:12:03 > 0:12:05Fingers crossed, we'll have an interesting day,
0:12:05 > 0:12:07- lots of stuff for you to see.- Yeah.
0:12:09 > 0:12:11They're soon called to a retirement village,
0:12:11 > 0:12:16just outside Stoke-on-Trent, where a resident is having an epileptic fit.
0:12:16 > 0:12:18OK, we've just got a call through.
0:12:18 > 0:12:22We're on our way to a patient who's currently fitting
0:12:22 > 0:12:24and we don't know much more about it.
0:12:24 > 0:12:26We don't know if it's male or female.
0:12:26 > 0:12:28Epileptic fits can be life-threatening.
0:12:28 > 0:12:32They can last anywhere from seconds to minutes into hours.
0:12:32 > 0:12:36The patient can stop breathing sometimes during a fit,
0:12:36 > 0:12:37which is why it's important
0:12:37 > 0:12:40we get there as quick as we can to treat them.
0:12:53 > 0:12:55The patient was found having a fit
0:12:55 > 0:12:59in the main reception area of the retirement village.
0:12:59 > 0:13:03- Hi.- Hi. Just down the end there. - OK, thank you. Lovely, ta.
0:13:03 > 0:13:06Hello, what's happened?
0:13:08 > 0:13:12Has she? Are you relatives or were you just here? You're husband, OK.
0:13:12 > 0:13:14Is she a known epileptic?
0:13:14 > 0:13:15OK.
0:13:23 > 0:13:26- OK, what's her name? - Janet.- Janet, okey doke.
0:13:26 > 0:13:28Can I just have your arm, sweetheart? There you go.
0:13:30 > 0:13:32I said, "I don't feel too good.
0:13:32 > 0:13:35And she said, "Come and sit down",
0:13:35 > 0:13:38and then I sat down and I can't remember anything after that.
0:13:38 > 0:13:40She was lying in the chair.
0:13:40 > 0:13:43She was twitching while she was in the fit.
0:13:43 > 0:13:48She'd been in it over six, seven minutes
0:13:48 > 0:13:50and it's never lasted that long before.
0:13:50 > 0:13:53Then, when she come round and she didn't know me,
0:13:53 > 0:13:54she didn't know where she was
0:13:54 > 0:13:57and all she was saying was she wanted to go home.
0:13:57 > 0:14:00So, that's when I knew that it was different
0:14:00 > 0:14:02from all the other fits that she'd had.
0:14:02 > 0:14:05When she started going, what did she start doing?
0:14:05 > 0:14:06- Was she shaking?- Shivering.
0:14:06 > 0:14:10If a patient has a fit that's out of character
0:14:10 > 0:14:13to how they may normally suffer a seizure,
0:14:13 > 0:14:17it does make us worry is there something new that's happened
0:14:17 > 0:14:20within the brain, is there something to do with the medication?
0:14:20 > 0:14:22How long's she been on Tegretol for?
0:14:22 > 0:14:25- A long time?- Yeah. - No changes in dose recently?
0:14:25 > 0:14:27Not missed any dose that we know of?
0:14:29 > 0:14:32- Has she?- Yeah.- Is that why...? Does she live here?
0:14:33 > 0:14:36- And you live here with her?- Yeah. - Okey doke.
0:14:36 > 0:14:4118 months ago, my wife was diagnosed with the first stage of dementia.
0:14:41 > 0:14:46It's a big shock but she isn't too bad at the minute
0:14:46 > 0:14:51because she's in the early stage of dementia.
0:14:51 > 0:14:56It was a shock, but I try to carry on.
0:14:56 > 0:14:59So, how bad's her dementia on a good day for her?
0:14:59 > 0:15:01Would she talk and know where she is?
0:15:04 > 0:15:06- So, she's just sometimes confused. - Yeah.
0:15:06 > 0:15:07- But 99% of the time, would be OK.- Yes.
0:15:07 > 0:15:10From the sounds of it, Janet's normally quite good.
0:15:10 > 0:15:13She can normally communicate, leads a relatively normal life,
0:15:13 > 0:15:15and can hold a conversation,
0:15:15 > 0:15:17so we immediately know, by looking Janet
0:15:17 > 0:15:19that, at the moment, something's not quite right,
0:15:19 > 0:15:21as she's not talking to us at all.
0:15:21 > 0:15:25If we were in a position where these were happening all the time,
0:15:25 > 0:15:27and it was normal,
0:15:27 > 0:15:30we'd leave you here and get hubby to keep an eye,
0:15:30 > 0:15:33but being as they're not normal for you,
0:15:33 > 0:15:36better to get you popped up, a couple of blood tests,
0:15:36 > 0:15:38maybe a scan of the head and make sure everything's OK.
0:15:38 > 0:15:40All her observations are stable.
0:15:40 > 0:15:42She's much more awake and with us now,
0:15:42 > 0:15:44but we're just going to pop up to A&E and get her checked over.
0:15:44 > 0:15:46Hi, you all right?
0:15:47 > 0:15:52This is Janet. Janet's a known epileptic.
0:15:52 > 0:15:55Doesn't really tend to fit. She's on Tegretol.
0:15:55 > 0:15:58But very early stages of dementia as well.
0:15:58 > 0:16:01Spoke to one of the carers today, said she doesn't feel very well.
0:16:01 > 0:16:05- Where's she then?- Gone a bit shivery, shaky, gone very blank,
0:16:05 > 0:16:07she doesn't really know where she is.
0:16:07 > 0:16:10This isn't a regular occurrence for her,
0:16:10 > 0:16:15- so thought probably up the road for assessment and go from there.- OK.
0:16:15 > 0:16:17Lovely. Thank you very much. Are you happy?
0:16:18 > 0:16:20OK, thank you.
0:16:24 > 0:16:2752-year-old Janet was examined in hospital,
0:16:27 > 0:16:29where blood tests eventually revealed
0:16:29 > 0:16:32why she'd suffered such an extreme fit.
0:16:32 > 0:16:35- She'd had... - I'd got a chest infection.
0:16:35 > 0:16:41She'd got a chest infection and she was being given antibiotics.
0:16:41 > 0:16:48The antibiotics had lowered the strength of the epilepsy treatment.
0:16:48 > 0:16:51That's what caused this epileptic fit.
0:16:53 > 0:16:57But now, she and husband Donald have other concerns.
0:16:57 > 0:17:00We know the dementia's going to get worse.
0:17:00 > 0:17:01There's no two ways about that.
0:17:01 > 0:17:04We know what's coming, so we're prepared for it.
0:17:04 > 0:17:07That's why we're here. Everything's in place, so...
0:17:09 > 0:17:11She's more confident in herself now,
0:17:11 > 0:17:14because she knows everything's in place, you know,
0:17:14 > 0:17:16so she's quite happy.
0:17:16 > 0:17:22I know I'm safe here. I think this is the place for me now, and just...
0:17:26 > 0:17:29..try and lead a normal life as long as I can.
0:17:35 > 0:17:39Before I became a paramedic, I used to work for Russells Hal Hospital.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42I worked in the A&E department as a receptionist.
0:17:42 > 0:17:45I used to see the work that the paramedics used to do,
0:17:45 > 0:17:48so it was something that I wanted to do.
0:17:48 > 0:17:50I love the elderly patients that we deal with.
0:17:50 > 0:17:52They're my favourite sort of patients.
0:17:52 > 0:17:53I'll go to those all day long.
0:17:53 > 0:17:57They've always got stories and they never want to bother you.
0:17:57 > 0:17:59They're really grateful for your help
0:17:59 > 0:18:02and sometimes, they're the ones that need it most
0:18:02 > 0:18:04and they think that they don't deserve an ambulance.
0:18:06 > 0:18:10It's 1am, and Tracey and her colleague, Dan Chapman,
0:18:10 > 0:18:12have an urgent call.
0:18:12 > 0:18:15We're going to a female who's fallen and injured her back.
0:18:15 > 0:18:18We don't know where she's fallen. She pressed her lifeline button
0:18:18 > 0:18:21which dispatches us, so we'll see what we find
0:18:21 > 0:18:24when we get there. Presume it's this one with the lights on.
0:18:33 > 0:18:37- I'm Dan, this is Tracey. - Hello, Frieda.- Hello.
0:18:38 > 0:18:41We'll get you up. Have you hurt anywhere else, apart from your head?
0:18:41 > 0:18:44- No.- And she was like that when you got here, was she?
0:18:44 > 0:18:45We got here a minute before you.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47The phone went about 1.30
0:18:47 > 0:18:51and they were saying, "You need to get up to your mum's straightaway
0:18:51 > 0:18:54"because she's had a fall."
0:18:54 > 0:18:55Where's hurting, Frieda?
0:18:55 > 0:18:58Let's have a look at the back of your head.
0:18:58 > 0:19:01- Has she got COPD or asthma? - She's got lung cancer.
0:19:01 > 0:19:03- Can you put me in a chair? - Two seconds.
0:19:03 > 0:19:05We need to have a look at the back of your head.
0:19:05 > 0:19:06Pop that arm on there for me.
0:19:06 > 0:19:10When she fell, Frieda hit her head on the cat flap.
0:19:12 > 0:19:15Can you remember what happened? Can you remember what you were doing?
0:19:15 > 0:19:17I was going to the toilet.
0:19:17 > 0:19:20Did you feel dizzy or anything or did you trip over something?
0:19:22 > 0:19:24You tumbled, so you over balanced. All right.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26We're just going to put this on for a second
0:19:26 > 0:19:29and then we'll get you up and get you cleaned up nicely, all right?
0:19:29 > 0:19:32- Have you hurt your back?- No.
0:19:32 > 0:19:36We go to falls all day, every day.
0:19:36 > 0:19:38Every shift, you can almost guarantee
0:19:38 > 0:19:40that we'll go to somebody that's fallen over.
0:19:40 > 0:19:43When the older patient gets out of bed
0:19:43 > 0:19:46and they're still all stiff from their night's sleep
0:19:46 > 0:19:49and they just don't have the mobility they used to have,
0:19:49 > 0:19:51so they end up on the floor.
0:19:51 > 0:19:56One, two and three. That's it.
0:19:57 > 0:20:00- Now you're standing up, do you feel dizzy at all?- Eh?
0:20:00 > 0:20:02- Do you feel dizzy at all?- No.- No.
0:20:02 > 0:20:06Shall we get you a frame and let's see how you get into the lounge.
0:20:07 > 0:20:08All right.
0:20:12 > 0:20:15- You're not!- Mum is a lovable lady.
0:20:15 > 0:20:17She is very independent.
0:20:17 > 0:20:20Which chair is your chair? Is this your chair here?
0:20:20 > 0:20:23She used to do all her own decorating in the house as well.
0:20:23 > 0:20:26Past couple of years, though, gone downhill a little bit, hasn't she?
0:20:26 > 0:20:28- So, we've done that for her.- Yeah.
0:20:28 > 0:20:30What we're going to do is tidy your head up, all right?
0:20:30 > 0:20:33I think you've got a bit of a cut on there,
0:20:33 > 0:20:35so we're going to clean it up a bit and get it dressed properly.
0:20:40 > 0:20:42- I think so. - Looks like it in your kitchen!
0:20:42 > 0:20:45Frieda's obviously had a mechanical fall in the kitchen.
0:20:45 > 0:20:48She's got quite a nasty laceration to the back of her head,
0:20:48 > 0:20:50so we've dressed it. We'll do some obs on her,
0:20:50 > 0:20:52make sure there's no reason why she fell,
0:20:52 > 0:20:55then she's going to need to go up to A&E to get some stitches.
0:20:55 > 0:20:57It looks a bit too deep to be glued.
0:20:57 > 0:21:00- Can you feel me touching your arms? - Yes.
0:21:00 > 0:21:03- OK. There's no pins and needles in any of your arm?- No.
0:21:03 > 0:21:06- No strange sensations?- No.
0:21:06 > 0:21:07There was no other concern
0:21:07 > 0:21:10but she'd sustained quite a full thickness wound, hadn't she?
0:21:10 > 0:21:13- Yeah, it was deep. - It had almost gone through bone.
0:21:13 > 0:21:16- She's definitely a hospital candidate.- Mm.
0:21:16 > 0:21:18- You're going to need to go to hospital, OK?- I don't!
0:21:18 > 0:21:20I'm not going.
0:21:20 > 0:21:23Frieda, you've got a nasty cut on the back of your head, OK?
0:21:23 > 0:21:25You can't be left here with a cut like that, OK?
0:21:25 > 0:21:27So, we're going to have to pop you up to A&E.
0:21:27 > 0:21:31- I've just come out of the hospital. - With a chest infection?- Yes.
0:21:31 > 0:21:36I know, I know. But it definitely, definitely needs looking at, OK?
0:21:36 > 0:21:39- All right?- Can I have a cup of tea?
0:21:39 > 0:21:41Course you can, darling, course you can.
0:21:41 > 0:21:46- I don't think Mum realised how serious her head injury was.- No.
0:21:46 > 0:21:47When the paramedic said, "Frieda, I'm sorry,
0:21:47 > 0:21:50"you've got to go into hospital," I don't think she wanted the fuss.
0:21:50 > 0:21:54She wanted to plod on in her little world in her own house, didn't she?
0:21:54 > 0:21:57- Yeah, but unfortunately she weren't well enough.- No.
0:21:57 > 0:22:00- They convinced her to go, which was the right thing.- Yeah.
0:22:01 > 0:22:04There you go. Are you warm enough now or not?
0:22:07 > 0:22:09- I'll put the fire on.- All right.
0:22:09 > 0:22:13SIREN WAILS
0:22:13 > 0:22:17Here we are. Costa del Pensnett!
0:22:20 > 0:22:23At hospital, Frieda was given seven stitches.
0:22:23 > 0:22:27After that, they gave her a cup of tea and some biscuits
0:22:27 > 0:22:31and then we were let to go home.
0:22:33 > 0:22:35Unfortunately, two weeks later,
0:22:35 > 0:22:38Elaine had to call the ambulance again.
0:22:38 > 0:22:41She was saying she's got pains in her side,
0:22:41 > 0:22:43so we sent for the paramedics again.
0:22:43 > 0:22:45They listened to her chest and said,
0:22:45 > 0:22:48"I think she's got fluid on her right lung."
0:22:48 > 0:22:51She was blue-lighted in and taken into Resus.
0:22:53 > 0:22:58Frieda was diagnosed with pneumonia and given intravenous antibiotics.
0:22:58 > 0:23:02- Over the weekend, she got worse, didn't she?- Just got worse, yeah.
0:23:04 > 0:23:07About 12 o'clock, midnight, we had a phone call and they said,
0:23:07 > 0:23:09"No need to come up, but just to let you know,
0:23:09 > 0:23:13"Mum's breathing's changed." OK, thank you. Went off back to sleep.
0:23:13 > 0:23:17Quarter to two, I think it was, the nurse said, "You ARE coming up now."
0:23:17 > 0:23:19We got there about two o'clock,
0:23:19 > 0:23:23- sat with her and she passed away at half past six.- Six.
0:23:27 > 0:23:32I will remember my mum as a very loving, funny human being.
0:23:32 > 0:23:35- She was lovely, weren't she? - Yeah.- I loved her.
0:23:35 > 0:23:39- She's in a better place now. - Yeah.- Not in pain.
0:23:52 > 0:23:56It's lunchtime and paramedic Cameron McVittie is on his way
0:23:56 > 0:23:58to a man who's fallen in the street.
0:23:58 > 0:24:02So, I had a call from Control to respond to a 999 emergency
0:24:02 > 0:24:04of a male who's been reported to be unconscious
0:24:04 > 0:24:07with queried major blood loss.
0:24:07 > 0:24:10My thinking at the moment is we establish an airway
0:24:10 > 0:24:12as quickly as possible.
0:24:12 > 0:24:14Depending on who's the fist person there, it could be me.
0:24:14 > 0:24:16There's a crew on the way as well. It could be them.
0:24:26 > 0:24:30- Hello. All right?- I just found him, sweetheart.- OK.
0:24:30 > 0:24:34- Robert, isn't it?- Robert? Who's Robert? Do you know him?
0:24:34 > 0:24:37- Yeah, I know him. His name's Robert. - Right, OK.
0:24:37 > 0:24:39- He used to be a neighbour. - Hello, Robert.
0:24:39 > 0:24:44- Hello, mate. What's happened today? Did you fall over?- Yeah.
0:24:44 > 0:24:48He's a local drinker and he has been seen before.
0:24:48 > 0:24:52- His first name he goes by is Robert. We don't know his surname.- Yeah.
0:24:52 > 0:24:55And that's all we know. Late 30s, early 40s, possibly.
0:24:55 > 0:24:58And we don't know how this has happened to him today?
0:24:58 > 0:25:01Well, the only story that we've got, he was coming up these steps,
0:25:01 > 0:25:04suddenly tripped over.
0:25:04 > 0:25:08Yes, so, at the moment, we've got a male who's quite intoxicated.
0:25:08 > 0:25:12He is a known alcoholic in these areas.
0:25:12 > 0:25:15The patient, Robert, is the same man
0:25:15 > 0:25:18treated by Cameron's colleague Mike Duggan in Birmingham city centre,
0:25:18 > 0:25:20just eight days previously.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25He had an old injury that he kept on adding to and adding to
0:25:25 > 0:25:29and it became quite clear, after speaking to some of my colleagues,
0:25:29 > 0:25:31that he regularly falls forward onto his head.
0:25:31 > 0:25:33But I'd never met him before.
0:25:33 > 0:25:36I had never seen that he'd had that injury in the past,
0:25:36 > 0:25:38so I have to treat that as a new injury.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41At the moment, we need to get him in the back of the ambulance,
0:25:41 > 0:25:43give him a good top to toe examination.
0:25:43 > 0:25:46We're not quite sure what other injuries, if any, that he has.
0:25:47 > 0:25:51- Hey, you!- Where we going with the ambulance? We'll go to the hospital!
0:25:51 > 0:25:55Just relax. We'll do our job properly, all right?
0:25:55 > 0:25:59The road that we were on is one of the busy roads in that area of town.
0:25:59 > 0:26:01- Keep moving, please. - Guys, come on, please.
0:26:01 > 0:26:03It can be quite daunting sometimes
0:26:03 > 0:26:05when there's lots of people so close to you, watching,
0:26:05 > 0:26:07all wanting to know what's going on.
0:26:07 > 0:26:11- Ready, steady, roll. - Come on, Robert. There we go, mate.
0:26:11 > 0:26:14Robert, just relax, mate. Relax.
0:26:14 > 0:26:17He wanted to touch his head, touch the injury that he had.
0:26:17 > 0:26:18Obviously, we didn't want that
0:26:18 > 0:26:21because we didn't want to make that injury any worse.
0:26:21 > 0:26:23But again, it's difficult to ascertain.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25Was he doing that because he was confused
0:26:25 > 0:26:26because of his head injury
0:26:26 > 0:26:30or was he confused because he was intoxicated? That's the difficulty.
0:26:32 > 0:26:36Basically, we're assessing Robert from top to toe now
0:26:36 > 0:26:38to see what kind of injuries he has.
0:26:38 > 0:26:40As you can see, he's been immobilised,
0:26:40 > 0:26:42but not with a traditional collar.
0:26:42 > 0:26:45As he has a head injury, we need to assess him now
0:26:45 > 0:26:47from top to toe for any other injuries.
0:26:47 > 0:26:49Where are you hurting at the moment?
0:26:52 > 0:26:54Are you in any pain?
0:26:54 > 0:26:56What we can't see in the environment we're in is
0:26:56 > 0:26:58is he bleeding inside his skull?
0:26:58 > 0:27:02Has he suffered a skull fracture that can cause serious problems?
0:27:02 > 0:27:05If he starts to bleed inside his skull,
0:27:05 > 0:27:08the pressure inside his head will get greater and greater,
0:27:08 > 0:27:10can cause seizures, significant brain damage
0:27:10 > 0:27:12and, essentially, that can kill someone.
0:27:12 > 0:27:17Thankfully, though, Robert hadn't sustained any serious injuries.
0:27:17 > 0:27:21He was discharged from hospital after having his head wound treated.
0:27:30 > 0:27:34In the most serious cases, the West Midlands Ambulance Service
0:27:34 > 0:27:37uses its mobile trauma unit, known as MERIT.
0:27:39 > 0:27:43The main role of MERIT is to respond to major trauma cases
0:27:43 > 0:27:48over and above what a normal ambulance crew could provide.
0:27:48 > 0:27:51So, people with multiple injuries from various things,
0:27:51 > 0:27:53like road traffic accidents,
0:27:53 > 0:27:55stabbings, shootings.
0:27:58 > 0:28:01It's an RTC, car versus seven-year-old.
0:28:01 > 0:28:04Care team are on their way but they're going from QE,
0:28:04 > 0:28:06so we're closer.
0:28:08 > 0:28:12Rich and his colleague Matt Boylan have been called to a boy,
0:28:12 > 0:28:13who's been hit by a car.
0:28:15 > 0:28:18So, this job's come through
0:28:18 > 0:28:22as a car versus pedestrian and it's come through, initially,
0:28:22 > 0:28:24as a seven-year-old child that's been hit by a car.
0:28:24 > 0:28:28There's ourselves and another ambulance resource
0:28:28 > 0:28:30going to this incident at the moment
0:28:30 > 0:28:32and we should get some more details en route.
0:28:41 > 0:28:44SATNAV: Arriving at destination point on left.
0:28:46 > 0:28:49- Looks like he's standing up. - It does, doesn't it?
0:28:49 > 0:28:52There's a large group of people on the traffic island
0:28:52 > 0:28:55and it isn't immediately clear what's happened or who's hurt.
0:28:57 > 0:29:00Hello. Hi, I'm one of the doctors with the Ambulance Service.
0:29:00 > 0:29:03- What's happened?- Car accident.
0:29:03 > 0:29:05- OK. And it hit him, did it?- Yeah.
0:29:05 > 0:29:08And what happened to him?
0:29:08 > 0:29:12- Did he fall onto the floor or did he get thrown?- Flew.
0:29:12 > 0:29:15Flew onto the floor, OK.
0:29:15 > 0:29:17- And did he pass out at all?- No.
0:29:17 > 0:29:19To find the child standing up
0:29:19 > 0:29:23when we arrive at an incident like that, obviously, is a big relief.
0:29:23 > 0:29:26Fundamentally, if the child is standing up,
0:29:26 > 0:29:28then there's far less chance
0:29:28 > 0:29:30that they're going to have significant injuries.
0:29:30 > 0:29:32OK, did you bang anything when you fell on the floor?
0:29:32 > 0:29:34You banged your head or your neck?
0:29:34 > 0:29:37Can you turn your head round to both sides?
0:29:37 > 0:29:40And round this side. Good stuff.
0:29:40 > 0:29:43Can I have a little look at your chest, is that all right?
0:29:43 > 0:29:45So you didn't bang your chest at all?
0:29:45 > 0:29:51That's all right, ma'am. Let's have a look. Any pain in your tummy? No?
0:29:51 > 0:29:54OK, let's have a look at your legs. Any pain in your legs here?
0:29:55 > 0:29:57No. Can you stand on one leg?
0:29:59 > 0:30:02Can you stand on the other one? Better than me, aren't you?
0:30:02 > 0:30:05Can you lift your hands up behind your head? And behind your back?
0:30:05 > 0:30:07Good stuff. OK.
0:30:08 > 0:30:11You can have injuries that aren't immediately apparent.
0:30:11 > 0:30:14Again, that's part and parcel of why it's important
0:30:14 > 0:30:16for us to assess the patient thoroughly.
0:30:16 > 0:30:20In this instance, there didn't seem any significant injury.
0:30:20 > 0:30:23That's not to say that there might not be something.
0:30:23 > 0:30:25We're just going to have a look at the car
0:30:25 > 0:30:26and have a chat with the driver,
0:30:26 > 0:30:31just to establish exactly what speed people were doing when he got hit.
0:30:37 > 0:30:41- Is that the driver?- Yeah.- Can we just get rough speed and things?
0:30:41 > 0:30:43It's possibly the wing mirror that's he's hit.
0:30:43 > 0:30:46Is it...? He just hit this? Yeah, OK.
0:30:46 > 0:30:49There's a distinct difference between someone being hit
0:30:49 > 0:30:51by the front of a car travelling at 40mph, for example,
0:30:51 > 0:30:55to that of somebody that's been clipped by a wing mirror.
0:30:55 > 0:30:57So, although he looked perfectly well,
0:30:57 > 0:31:00if we'd found that he'd been thrown onto the bonnet,
0:31:00 > 0:31:02and he'd hit the windscreen,
0:31:02 > 0:31:05we'd have had a higher suspicion for some underlying injuries.
0:31:07 > 0:31:10Probably not, no. He's not got any sign of any injury.
0:31:10 > 0:31:12He's OK, all right?
0:31:12 > 0:31:15If he starts developing any aches and pains
0:31:15 > 0:31:17that aren't relieved by simple painkillers,
0:31:17 > 0:31:20then he needs to go to the A&E, all right?
0:31:20 > 0:31:24Cars, when they hit children, the car generally wins
0:31:24 > 0:31:27and he was very lucky in this case,
0:31:27 > 0:31:29that he just got clipped by the wing mirror
0:31:29 > 0:31:32and not hit by the actual car itself.
0:31:32 > 0:31:349-8-2. Examined this little chap.
0:31:34 > 0:31:37He's uninjured, so we're discharging him from the scene.
0:31:37 > 0:31:40Be careful next time, OK?
0:31:40 > 0:31:42I think anyone would be lying
0:31:42 > 0:31:46to say that they weren't slightly anxious
0:31:46 > 0:31:50when attending to a sick child or potentially sick child.
0:31:50 > 0:31:54To arrive and see a child that's awake and talking
0:31:54 > 0:31:58and confirming that they've got no injuries is a relief
0:31:58 > 0:32:01and makes our life much easier.
0:32:10 > 0:32:12I'm from South Wales.
0:32:12 > 0:32:16I currently live in a village, Pontypool,
0:32:16 > 0:32:19with my wife and children and the dogs
0:32:19 > 0:32:23and, literally, ended up coming up to here for work.
0:32:23 > 0:32:26I travel up. Takes me just over an hour every shift.
0:32:27 > 0:32:30The best thing about being a paramedic is the feeling
0:32:30 > 0:32:32when you know you're making a difference.
0:32:32 > 0:32:34You are actually helping somebody.
0:32:34 > 0:32:37That person is alive because of something you've done
0:32:37 > 0:32:41or is getting better because of something you've done.
0:32:41 > 0:32:46Today, Mike's been called to a woman who's experiencing extreme pain.
0:32:46 > 0:32:49We've just been assigned to attend a female
0:32:49 > 0:32:52who's had a three-day history of back pains.
0:32:52 > 0:32:54It doesn't say whether she's injured herself
0:32:54 > 0:32:58or whether they've just come on. So, got to make an assessment.
0:32:58 > 0:33:02For all we know, it could be a long, ongoing chronic condition
0:33:02 > 0:33:06and the lady just can't get a doctor's appointment with her GP.
0:33:16 > 0:33:18MIKE KNOCKS ON DOOR
0:33:19 > 0:33:21Right, what's your name then?
0:33:21 > 0:33:23- Susan.- It's what, sorry?
0:33:23 > 0:33:28- Susan.- Susan. What's happened today?- Er, my back.
0:33:28 > 0:33:34- Three days ago, I got up and I couldn't straighten up.- Right.
0:33:34 > 0:33:37It eased off yesterday for a bit
0:33:37 > 0:33:40and this morning, I just can't straighten up at all.
0:33:40 > 0:33:42- The pain is literally killing me. - OK.
0:33:42 > 0:33:44It became quite apparent early on
0:33:44 > 0:33:48that that lady was in quite severe pain. She was really upset.
0:33:48 > 0:33:50If you had to score the pain,
0:33:50 > 0:33:53zero is nothing and ten's like the worst pain you've ever felt...
0:33:53 > 0:33:56- 100.- It's that bad?- That bad.- OK.
0:33:56 > 0:33:58I think she was quite depressed by it.
0:33:58 > 0:34:02It had been something that had been getting her for quite a while,
0:34:02 > 0:34:04just getting gradually, gradually worse.
0:34:04 > 0:34:08- And you haven't had any pain relief at all?- No, not today.
0:34:08 > 0:34:11- VOICEOVER:- I just wanted to die.
0:34:11 > 0:34:15I just wanted the Lord to take me that morning because of the pain.
0:34:15 > 0:34:17I've never felt pain like it
0:34:17 > 0:34:19in my life. Never.
0:34:19 > 0:34:21Going to be a trip to hospital then.
0:34:22 > 0:34:25That morning, I was furious,
0:34:25 > 0:34:27because I've been that many times with it and got nowhere,
0:34:27 > 0:34:29just to be told that it's sciatica,
0:34:29 > 0:34:33it's this, it's that, it's the other, and sent home.
0:34:33 > 0:34:36Normally, I refuse point blank to get in an ambulance.
0:34:36 > 0:34:37I will not get in it.
0:34:38 > 0:34:43But today, the pain is so extreme, Susan's decided to go in to A&E.
0:34:43 > 0:34:48- A crew just arriving.- Hello.- Hello. Come on in, come on in.
0:34:51 > 0:34:55This young lady is Susan. Three days ago, she felt her back go.
0:34:55 > 0:34:58It eased, but today, same again.
0:34:58 > 0:35:01She now feels like she can't straighten at all.
0:35:01 > 0:35:0427 years ago, they diagnosed me
0:35:04 > 0:35:08with a crumbled split disc at the bottom of my spine.
0:35:10 > 0:35:13Then I was diagnosed later on, when the pain was getting worse,
0:35:13 > 0:35:15it was sciatica.
0:35:15 > 0:35:18Then, later on, a couple of years ago,
0:35:18 > 0:35:21they diagnosed me with crumbling of the spine.
0:35:21 > 0:35:26The pain is getting worser but I've got nowhere near why.
0:35:28 > 0:35:30After 15 minutes,
0:35:30 > 0:35:34the pain relief begins to work and Susan is finally able to move.
0:35:34 > 0:35:39Now, we'll help you whatever way you want us to, all right,
0:35:39 > 0:35:42but we won't be lifting you, just in case it causes you any more pain.
0:35:42 > 0:35:44Do you understand that?
0:35:44 > 0:35:47Mike, the paramedic, assured me that they are going to get
0:35:47 > 0:35:50to the bottom of it and get me the help.
0:35:50 > 0:35:52Right, if we come out.
0:35:52 > 0:35:57And I think that's why I actually got in the ambulance in the end.
0:35:57 > 0:36:01Right, little bit of a push. Oh, sorry, was that your hand?
0:36:03 > 0:36:07- Try and pull yourself in the middle, my love.- Ow...- There we go.
0:36:09 > 0:36:11The lady was in a lot of pain.
0:36:11 > 0:36:13She's got an ongoing lower back problem anyway,
0:36:13 > 0:36:15where she suffers from a crumbling disc.
0:36:16 > 0:36:19So, she does need to be transported off to hospital
0:36:19 > 0:36:21and get that surgical assessment
0:36:21 > 0:36:23as to whether she's going to need further treatment.
0:36:23 > 0:36:27Hopefully, it's all early enough that she'll make a full recovery.
0:36:27 > 0:36:31Susan was given treatment in hospital to stabilise the pain,
0:36:31 > 0:36:34but her long-term diagnosis isn't good.
0:36:34 > 0:36:37The doctors have said that there's nothing they can do for my spine.
0:36:37 > 0:36:40It's getting that bad that it will just get worse.
0:36:40 > 0:36:43When I heard that, I just wanted to give up now,
0:36:43 > 0:36:47but then I think about my grandchildren. I can't give up.
0:36:47 > 0:36:50I've just got to carry on trying to manage it myself.
0:36:52 > 0:36:55So, I am coping the best I can.
0:37:02 > 0:37:04As a paramedic,
0:37:04 > 0:37:07you see all sorts of jobs
0:37:07 > 0:37:12from something so minor that isn't an emergency,
0:37:12 > 0:37:16but that person that you're dealing with, it's THEIR emergency,
0:37:16 > 0:37:18to life-threatening conditions
0:37:18 > 0:37:23and you just work to your full ability to each job.
0:37:25 > 0:37:26It's Thursday afternoon
0:37:26 > 0:37:29and paramedic Kathryn Davies is responding
0:37:29 > 0:37:32to a call from a care worker in Stourbridge.
0:37:34 > 0:37:38We're going to a gentleman, who's had a fit within the last 12 hours
0:37:38 > 0:37:43sand he is diabetic, so he's bumped his head while he had a fit.
0:37:43 > 0:37:46That's as much info as what we've got at the moment.
0:37:56 > 0:38:02- Where am I going?- Down here. - Right, what's happened then?
0:38:09 > 0:38:12- Yeah.- He's had a seizure, fallen, cracked his head.
0:38:12 > 0:38:15- Does he have many seizures? - No, they're very well controlled.
0:38:15 > 0:38:19- Once a month, maybe.- Right. - Even less than that.
0:38:19 > 0:38:23- Hello.- Hello.- How you doing?
0:38:24 > 0:38:27Let's have a look at this. What's your name?
0:38:28 > 0:38:33- Can you remember falling over? - No.- You can't, OK.
0:38:33 > 0:38:3652, thank you. I'm going to need a crew.
0:38:36 > 0:38:37I'm going to ask for an amber response.
0:38:37 > 0:38:40This gentleman's on the floor, unable to get up. Over.
0:38:40 > 0:38:41OK, no problem.
0:38:41 > 0:38:45Melvin and his friend, Eric, share a flat
0:38:45 > 0:38:47and are looked after by support worker Sam.
0:38:47 > 0:38:51I was cooking the tea for Mel and I was in the kitchen
0:38:51 > 0:38:53and I heard him have a fall.
0:38:53 > 0:38:55I went to see him and he was suffering from a seizure.
0:38:55 > 0:38:58He's had seizures before but he hasn't really bumped his head
0:38:58 > 0:39:01or had cuts on his head, so when I saw he had a cut on his head,
0:39:01 > 0:39:02I had to phone the ambulance.
0:39:02 > 0:39:06- You got no pain anywhere?- No. - No? No pain round here?
0:39:08 > 0:39:11- Anything down here?- No.- No?- No.
0:39:11 > 0:39:15That's only a little scratch on your head. We can deal with that.
0:39:15 > 0:39:18He had got a superficial wound to the top of his head.
0:39:18 > 0:39:22It was only a small cut but, as an advanced paramedic,
0:39:22 > 0:39:24that is something that I could deal with.
0:39:24 > 0:39:27But I decided to wait till the ambulance crew got there
0:39:27 > 0:39:31because I wanted to do his basic observations first of all.
0:39:31 > 0:39:34Just going to have to wait for an ambulance crew to come now, OK?
0:39:34 > 0:39:36They'll help you get up off the floor.
0:39:36 > 0:39:39In the meantime, I'm going to sit by you,
0:39:39 > 0:39:42- so I can be your cushion, all right?- Yeah.
0:39:44 > 0:39:46You're leaning on me, yeah.
0:39:46 > 0:39:49Hey, I'm not a recliner!
0:39:49 > 0:39:52Don't make yourself TOO comfortable!
0:39:54 > 0:39:56Bless him.
0:39:56 > 0:39:5952, thank you. Do we have an ETA of the crew,
0:39:59 > 0:40:02only the patient's using me as a recliner at the moment?
0:40:08 > 0:40:13Yeah, that's lovely, thank you. They're only five minutes away, Mel.
0:40:13 > 0:40:18Come on, we've got Melvin. He's had a fit today.
0:40:18 > 0:40:22We have just got a tiny little graze to the head,
0:40:22 > 0:40:23but I can deal with that in a minute.
0:40:23 > 0:40:27He says he's got no pain anywhere and his numbers are fine.
0:40:27 > 0:40:30But he just needs that bit of a...
0:40:30 > 0:40:32You know, he is quite a big lad,
0:40:32 > 0:40:35so I think we're going to need the Mangar Elk to get him up.
0:40:37 > 0:40:39The Mangar Elk is a lifting cushion.
0:40:39 > 0:40:44It's got four compartments and it is initially very flat
0:40:44 > 0:40:48which, if a patient is on the floor, we can get underneath them.
0:40:48 > 0:40:52It's dangerous for both the patient and the operator
0:40:52 > 0:40:56to try and get somebody up off the floor without this cushion.
0:40:56 > 0:40:59It could end up with more injury to the patient
0:40:59 > 0:41:01and injury to the paramedic as well.
0:41:01 > 0:41:04Can you shuffle a little bit backwards?
0:41:04 > 0:41:08- No, not lie backwards, no. - Keep shuffling.- That's it.
0:41:08 > 0:41:09Bend your knees again.
0:41:12 > 0:41:14You can even hold my hands, all right?
0:41:15 > 0:41:18- God! - SHE LAUGHS
0:41:18 > 0:41:21He's a monkey! He's a monkey!
0:41:25 > 0:41:27- He's off the floor. That's it. - That's it.
0:41:31 > 0:41:34- Hello!- Hello! - You're taller standing up.- Yeah!
0:41:34 > 0:41:37Are we going to go on your recliner? Come on, mate.
0:41:40 > 0:41:42All right, sit yourself up, my darling.
0:41:42 > 0:41:43Let me have a look at this head.
0:41:43 > 0:41:46Once we got Melvin up and sitting in the chair,
0:41:46 > 0:41:48I'd got a better vision of his head wound.
0:41:48 > 0:41:52I cleaned it up and realised that it was only a superficial wound.
0:41:52 > 0:41:56It did need closure and I'm looking at it.
0:41:56 > 0:42:00Tissue glue would have dealt with this wound perfectly.
0:42:00 > 0:42:03- This is just going to sting a bit, matey.- Yeah.- But it'll do the job.
0:42:06 > 0:42:07- Melvin?- Yeah.
0:42:07 > 0:42:10Shall we just get you up and have a little walk around,
0:42:10 > 0:42:15- make sure you're back to your normal self?- Yeah.- Yeah?- Yeah.- Go on.
0:42:15 > 0:42:17Let's see you stand up, Melvin, and take a few steps.
0:42:17 > 0:42:19I'll move out your way.
0:42:19 > 0:42:20Show us how you do it.
0:42:22 > 0:42:23Easy.
0:42:25 > 0:42:27This normal for him?
0:42:27 > 0:42:30Go on, hold his hands then. OK.
0:42:30 > 0:42:34- Oh, ay-up, there you go. Hey! - SHE LAUGHS
0:42:34 > 0:42:37All right, I think we know that you're all right.
0:42:37 > 0:42:41He's in good spirits. In fact, I'd go as far as saying he's feisty.
0:42:41 > 0:42:43All his observations are fine
0:42:43 > 0:42:45and he's walked quite happily to the chair.
0:42:45 > 0:42:47I've just cleaned his head up
0:42:47 > 0:42:50and it just needed a little bit of tissue glue.
0:42:50 > 0:42:53That's going to keep him out of hospital, which is always a plus,
0:42:53 > 0:42:56so we've got a happy ending all round, haven't we, Melvin?
0:42:56 > 0:42:58- Yeah.- All right then, Melvin.
0:42:58 > 0:43:01It's been a pleasure meeting you, all right.
0:43:01 > 0:43:05- Yeah, and you.- Behave yourself. - Yeah.- Bye-bye. Bye-bye.