0:00:02 > 0:00:08This programme contains some strong language and some scenes which some viewers may find upsetting
0:00:08 > 0:00:10'Tell me exactly what's happened.'
0:00:10 > 0:00:13When the most serious emergencies strike,
0:00:13 > 0:00:16the ambulance has eight minutes to respond.
0:00:16 > 0:00:21- 'What shall I do with...'- Sir, I am going to tell you what to do, right?
0:00:21 > 0:00:25With 999 calls doubling in London over the past ten years...
0:00:25 > 0:00:27I'm not asking if you're an atheist.
0:00:27 > 0:00:29I'm asking, do you want an ambulance?
0:00:29 > 0:00:30..in the control centre,
0:00:30 > 0:00:34every single one needs a split second decision.
0:00:34 > 0:00:35Who needs an ambulance quickest...
0:00:35 > 0:00:38It's so critical that we try and cut him down.
0:00:38 > 0:00:41It's the only way we'll be able to try and save his life.
0:00:41 > 0:00:42..and who must wait?
0:00:42 > 0:00:49Kathleen, the ambulance will not be coming to you tonight. Kathleen?
0:00:49 > 0:00:54- From the moment a call comes in... - He's been stabbed in the stomach.
0:00:54 > 0:00:58Looking for an ambulance for a 16-year-old who's had her hand slashed by a machete.
0:00:58 > 0:01:02- Another stabbing? - ..crews race to save lives.
0:01:02 > 0:01:03Seconds feel like minutes,
0:01:03 > 0:01:06minutes feels like hours when you're waiting for an ambulance.
0:01:06 > 0:01:09My name's Peter, all right? We're going to look after you.
0:01:09 > 0:01:11We're going to give you some very strong pain medicines.
0:01:11 > 0:01:13'Got a 94-year-old female who's fallen.'
0:01:13 > 0:01:16'I need to know if he's breathing. It's really important.'
0:01:16 > 0:01:18'He's as drunk as 1,000 people.'
0:01:18 > 0:01:22The NHS is under unprecedented pressure.
0:01:22 > 0:01:25There was a hanging, there was a four-year-old
0:01:25 > 0:01:28that had fallen 20 foot and now we've got another double stabbing.
0:01:28 > 0:01:30You're the Queen of England?
0:01:30 > 0:01:31So why have you dialled 999?
0:01:31 > 0:01:35As London grows by over 100,000 people a year...
0:01:35 > 0:01:38You've overdosed, fella. You've overdosed.
0:01:38 > 0:01:43..ambulances are struggling to keep up. The situation is now critical.
0:01:43 > 0:01:45Someone's taken my echo 231 for something else!
0:01:45 > 0:01:48Another cardiac arrest, another deceased.
0:01:48 > 0:01:50Please, God, be an ambulance. Be an ambulance.
0:01:52 > 0:01:58This is the story behind the sirens through the eyes of the London Ambulance Service.
0:01:58 > 0:02:01Did you see what you were shot with? A shotgun?
0:02:03 > 0:02:08I think essentially we should say that she's gone. It's time to stop.
0:02:08 > 0:02:13Sometimes it's not easy, but you go on to your next job.
0:02:13 > 0:02:16There's somebody else you can help.
0:02:16 > 0:02:20Oh! London has woken up. Here we go.
0:02:34 > 0:02:38- Is she breathing?- Nah. - She's not breathing?- Nah.
0:02:38 > 0:02:40OK, sir, I need you to be really clear for me now.
0:02:40 > 0:02:43Is she breathing or is she not breathing?
0:02:43 > 0:02:45Cos if she's not breathing, you need to help her now.
0:02:45 > 0:02:49It's a normal Tuesday night and D Watch is in the control centre.
0:02:49 > 0:02:52Emergency ambulance. What's the address of the emergency?
0:03:01 > 0:03:07In the first four hours of tonight's shift, they've already taken nearly 1,000 calls.
0:03:19 > 0:03:23That's Bond Street underground station.
0:03:23 > 0:03:25Yeah.
0:03:30 > 0:03:344405, another stabbing, but it's in the fingers. From the police.
0:03:36 > 0:03:37At ten o'clock,
0:03:37 > 0:03:41there are 24 patients waiting for an ambulance in north west London.
0:03:41 > 0:03:44One has been waiting for four hours and 20 minutes.
0:03:44 > 0:03:47I've got a patient over here who's been waiting an hour
0:03:47 > 0:03:50and 20 minutes and every time we assign a truck, somebody else
0:03:50 > 0:03:54has chest pains or gets stabbed or has a convulsion or something.
0:03:54 > 0:03:56Unfortunately, we've got too many calls and not enough trucks
0:03:56 > 0:03:59and a lot of very sick people tonight.
0:03:59 > 0:04:03It's Francis's job as a dispatcher to make sure the most urgent calls
0:04:03 > 0:04:06get assigned to the ambulance crews who are closest to them.
0:04:06 > 0:04:09Once you think you've got everything sorted out, a new piece arrives
0:04:09 > 0:04:11that doesn't fit and you have to rejig everything.
0:04:11 > 0:04:13No problem. Thank you. Bye.
0:04:13 > 0:04:15Echo 131 available.
0:04:15 > 0:04:18A colleague of mine described it as playing
0:04:18 > 0:04:22a nightmarish game of Tetris, so it never stops.
0:04:22 > 0:04:25Francis allocates ambulances in the north west of London.
0:04:25 > 0:04:29One patient waiting is elderly faller Eric.
0:04:29 > 0:04:32Elderly fallers don't get put to the back of the queue
0:04:32 > 0:04:35but unfortunately, if they're conscious and breathing and relatively alert,
0:04:35 > 0:04:37it comes up as an amber call.
0:04:37 > 0:04:39It's now been three hours this guy's been waiting.
0:04:39 > 0:04:41He's 92 and has a back injury.
0:04:44 > 0:04:47- Right. Ready?- I'm good.
0:04:47 > 0:04:49Shani and Dave have just come on shift.
0:04:49 > 0:04:52They're the closest crew to Eric.
0:04:52 > 0:04:56When you hit green, that means you're ready for your next call.
0:04:58 > 0:05:00We call it greening up.
0:05:00 > 0:05:04That makes the OC aware that you are ready to take your next call.
0:05:09 > 0:05:11- We're going to...- How old is this?
0:05:11 > 0:05:15..Eric, who's fallen over,
0:05:15 > 0:05:18he's got a back injury and he's slouched on the chair.
0:05:18 > 0:05:23- Call come in at what time?- Seven o'clock.- Oh, man! It's ten o'clock.
0:05:23 > 0:05:29- Three hours old.- And he's 92. Bless him.- Three hours ain't fair, is it?
0:05:29 > 0:05:33- No.- Poor old Eric. Let's go and see if he's all right.
0:05:36 > 0:05:41Shani and Dave are a five-minute drive from Eric's house.
0:05:41 > 0:05:44Two miles away, at Hampstead train station,
0:05:44 > 0:05:48an emergency miscarriage call is in progress.
0:05:55 > 0:05:57Just reassure her that she is doing very well, OK?
0:05:57 > 0:06:01And help will be with her as soon as possible, OK?
0:06:01 > 0:06:05Shani and Dave are now 300 metres from Eric's front door.
0:06:05 > 0:06:08The miscarriage patient in Hampstead is a higher priority,
0:06:08 > 0:06:12so the allocator desk must divert them to Hampstead.
0:06:16 > 0:06:19- No, it's cancelled.- Cancelled again.
0:06:19 > 0:06:23This is upsetting, cos obviously now he's got to wait longer.
0:06:27 > 0:06:3017 weeks and the patient's head is visible.
0:06:31 > 0:06:36So potentially a premature labour for a 17-weeker.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39- Oh, this is going to be hard. - Hold on, guys.
0:06:39 > 0:06:41SIREN WAILS
0:06:45 > 0:06:47Baby's head is showing.
0:06:47 > 0:06:52That's not nice. Non-viable, innit, 17 weeks?
0:06:52 > 0:06:55She's still got to give birth to it, hasn't she?
0:06:55 > 0:06:59'Is the baby completely out now?'
0:06:59 > 0:07:02'OK. Have her push hard to get the baby out.'
0:07:05 > 0:07:10'I'm going to stay on the line until they're right there by you, OK?'
0:07:10 > 0:07:11'What then?'
0:07:12 > 0:07:15Keep breathing the gas. Keep breathing the gas.
0:07:15 > 0:07:19Just concentrate on the gas, my darling, all right?
0:07:19 > 0:07:21Just relax.
0:07:21 > 0:07:24WOMAN CRIES OUT
0:07:24 > 0:07:28I need you to keep calm. Keep taking the gas and air, darling.
0:07:33 > 0:07:36Are you feeling like you want to push?
0:07:36 > 0:07:39You are beginning to open a little, darling, all right?
0:07:39 > 0:07:42I'm not... Why are you panicked?
0:07:42 > 0:07:47Does it make you feel better if I tell you I've delivered 17 babies?
0:07:47 > 0:07:49Right. So don't worry.
0:07:49 > 0:07:52You're in safe hands, all right?
0:07:52 > 0:07:57When you feel the urge to push, just try and pant through it. Yeah.
0:07:57 > 0:08:01With the gas and air, because the longer you leave it to push,
0:08:01 > 0:08:04the easier it will be for you, all right?
0:08:13 > 0:08:15That's all right.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28- Shani, can you just give me... How old is she?- 26.
0:08:28 > 0:08:31You've been told it's a miscarriage?
0:08:31 > 0:08:33OK.
0:08:33 > 0:08:37Echo 380, can you show us blue to the Royal Free?
0:08:37 > 0:08:44This stuff's free. I'm saying it's free so have as much as you want.
0:08:49 > 0:08:51We're fine, my darling.
0:08:51 > 0:08:53Just relax.
0:08:57 > 0:09:02- I can't do it.- You can.- I can't. - You can and you will. Pant.
0:09:02 > 0:09:06Pant through it. Pant through it. You're OK.
0:09:14 > 0:09:17Another cardiac arrest, another deceased.
0:09:19 > 0:09:22We're holding 13 at the moment on the north west, and our
0:09:22 > 0:09:27oldest call now is three hours and one minute that we've been holding.
0:09:27 > 0:09:29That's a three-year-old with a high temperature.
0:09:29 > 0:09:33Like to be not holding any at all.
0:09:33 > 0:09:37- Um... That's the aim, but... - Does that ever happen?
0:09:38 > 0:09:40It's not happened for a long time.
0:09:41 > 0:09:46There have been 350 999 calls in the past two hours,
0:09:46 > 0:09:49and in north west London there are currently
0:09:49 > 0:09:53no ambulances available for the 1.2 million people who live there.
0:10:00 > 0:10:02It's impossible for me to say.
0:10:02 > 0:10:05This is really an emergency ambulance line.
0:10:12 > 0:10:15Yeah, you said that before.
0:10:19 > 0:10:21Tell me exactly what's happened.
0:10:24 > 0:10:25Is she still on the floor?
0:10:25 > 0:10:27And what's her name, please?
0:10:32 > 0:10:33Sorted!
0:10:36 > 0:10:37BEEPING
0:10:37 > 0:10:42- Er, Swallow House. Really? We were there the other day.- It's Peggy.
0:10:42 > 0:10:44Ambulance crew Andy and Dean
0:10:44 > 0:10:46have just accepted their fourth call of the night.
0:10:46 > 0:10:49It's to another elderly faller - Peggy.
0:10:49 > 0:10:52She has a heart condition and they travel on blue lights for
0:10:52 > 0:10:55the 2.1 mile journey to her flat.
0:10:57 > 0:11:02- Peggy, what happened?- You tell me. - Can you not remember falling?
0:11:03 > 0:11:06Did you fall from sitting or standing?
0:11:06 > 0:11:09Can you point your toes to the ceiling?
0:11:10 > 0:11:12Move your legs, Peggy.
0:11:12 > 0:11:15- There you go, marvellous.- Perfect! - Right, I'll have a little look...
0:11:15 > 0:11:18Elderly patients like Peggy account for two thirds
0:11:18 > 0:11:20of all ambulance callouts in London.
0:11:20 > 0:11:23What time did you fall, Peggy?
0:11:23 > 0:11:25- How long ago?- Well, quite a while,
0:11:25 > 0:11:30because I couldn't remember where I'd left my pendant.
0:11:30 > 0:11:32- Oh, dear.- Oh, no. Where was it?
0:11:32 > 0:11:35- On the kitchen table. - Right, shall we get you up?
0:11:35 > 0:11:38- But I had to get to it, you see. - Did you? Shall we sit you up?
0:11:38 > 0:11:40Bend your legs, Peggy.
0:11:41 > 0:11:43How's that?
0:11:43 > 0:11:44- OK?- Yes.
0:11:44 > 0:11:48- I think I might have felt a little bit dizzy.- OK.
0:11:48 > 0:11:50- Well, what...? - But I'm not certain.- OK.
0:11:50 > 0:11:53Look, first things first, shall we get you up, get you into a chair?
0:11:53 > 0:11:55And then we can do some checks, eh?
0:11:55 > 0:11:58Ready? One, two, three...
0:12:00 > 0:12:03- Marvellous.- There you go. - Marvellous indeed!
0:12:03 > 0:12:05- So we're going to... - Let's feel your wrists, quickly.
0:12:05 > 0:12:09- Where do you sit, on the wheelie one?- Yeah.
0:12:09 > 0:12:13Yeah, I've got you. You're not going anywhere. Just pop yourself down.
0:12:15 > 0:12:16Whee!
0:12:16 > 0:12:18SHE COUGHS
0:12:18 > 0:12:21Do you want me to make you another cup of tea?
0:12:21 > 0:12:24- Ooh, I'd love a cup!- I know. Cos your one was on the floor.
0:12:24 > 0:12:27How do you like your tea? Do you have sugar?
0:12:27 > 0:12:30- Three sweeteners.- Three sweeteners?!
0:12:30 > 0:12:34Peggy is visited by a carer two times a week.
0:12:34 > 0:12:36Public spending on elderly care services
0:12:36 > 0:12:38has dropped 9% in the last five years.
0:12:40 > 0:12:42So you felt a bit short of breath?
0:12:42 > 0:12:45Stood with your back to the seat?
0:12:45 > 0:12:47And how long has that been going on for?
0:12:50 > 0:12:53Have you seen your doctor about it?
0:12:53 > 0:12:55OK.
0:12:55 > 0:12:58I can tell, I can tell. It's probably cos you're talking a lot.
0:12:58 > 0:13:00It might be an idea to pop you to hospital.
0:13:00 > 0:13:02You might have a bit of a chest infection,
0:13:02 > 0:13:04then we can have a listen to your chest.
0:13:04 > 0:13:06How many smokes do you have a day?
0:13:09 > 0:13:12I've been to you before!
0:13:12 > 0:13:15Cos you told me that you started smoking when you were 80.
0:13:15 > 0:13:17Was it because you started putting weight on?
0:13:18 > 0:13:22That's it. I do, I remember coming to you before.
0:13:22 > 0:13:25- Started when she was 80 years old. - That's brilliant.
0:13:29 > 0:13:31Have you? Are you cutting down?
0:13:32 > 0:13:35Do you not? But it keeps you slim.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38I need to borrow a finger to do your blood sugar.
0:13:39 > 0:13:41You're a diabetic, in't ya?
0:13:42 > 0:13:43THEY LAUGH
0:13:43 > 0:13:47I need to come up under your jumper to have a listen to your chest.
0:13:47 > 0:13:48- Is that OK?- Of course.
0:13:54 > 0:13:55Ha-ha.
0:13:55 > 0:13:57What are you calling him(?)
0:13:57 > 0:14:01- You said it, not me.- He's been called worse tonight.- Yeah.
0:14:01 > 0:14:03SHE WHEEZES
0:14:03 > 0:14:04Crackles, upper right.
0:14:05 > 0:14:07Reduced air entry.
0:14:09 > 0:14:13- Have you been able to sleep all right?- I'm not a good sleeper.
0:14:13 > 0:14:17- No?- Right, you might need a chest X-ray.
0:14:17 > 0:14:20Is it all right with you if we pop you in? You can finish your tea.
0:14:21 > 0:14:23They probably will, cos look at the time it is.
0:14:33 > 0:14:37- Yeah, I think...- She's tachy now. She wasn't tachy before.- Hmm.
0:14:37 > 0:14:39They're a bit tight, in't they?
0:14:39 > 0:14:42Peggy's heart rate is getting dangerously high.
0:14:42 > 0:14:45Worried that her condition is deteriorating,
0:14:45 > 0:14:48Andy and Dean decide to take her into hospital.
0:14:48 > 0:14:50- That's it. It's on.- OK.
0:14:52 > 0:14:5536... Right, Peggy...
0:14:55 > 0:14:57Time to get you in our chair, young lady.
0:14:57 > 0:15:00- Just stay there a minute, Peggy. - Wait there, Peggy.- OK.
0:15:00 > 0:15:02I'm just setting things up, all right?
0:15:02 > 0:15:05- Grab my elbows.- Give Dean a bit of a hug.- Grab my elbows...
0:15:05 > 0:15:08'Nobody has any time for anybody in London any more.
0:15:08 > 0:15:12'But if you're elderly, they can be quite isolated.
0:15:12 > 0:15:16'You have to assume that, in calling 999 and asking for an ambulance,
0:15:16 > 0:15:18'they're kind of at their wits' end.'
0:15:18 > 0:15:20What did you say?
0:15:20 > 0:15:22- Arms in the air. - I've got me arms in the air...
0:15:22 > 0:15:24- There you go. - But you just don't care.
0:15:24 > 0:15:28'You're the only people in the world who can help them
0:15:28 > 0:15:30'and that's a huge responsibility.'
0:15:42 > 0:15:44- A what? Really? - ANDY LAUGHS
0:15:44 > 0:15:46- On our chair?! - LAUGHTER CONTINUES
0:15:46 > 0:15:48You have made our day.
0:15:53 > 0:15:56- I can't believe it.- She was very good.- I honestly cannot believe it.
0:15:56 > 0:15:59- That was moving down there, weren't it?- Bold.- Yeah!
0:15:59 > 0:16:03At the Royal Free Hospital, Shani and Dave's miscarriage patient
0:16:03 > 0:16:06turns out not to be pregnant at all and has run off.
0:16:08 > 0:16:12- What can you do?- Nothing. - I can't believe I was so badly had!
0:16:15 > 0:16:16Oh, well.
0:16:17 > 0:16:19Fucking hell!
0:16:21 > 0:16:25I can't believe it! I've never been had like that, ever!
0:16:30 > 0:16:32PHONE RINGS
0:16:32 > 0:16:37- Hello, Echo 380?- I'm just calling for an update on this young lady.
0:16:37 > 0:16:39It seems that she hasn't...
0:16:39 > 0:16:41This hasn't been her first visit today.
0:16:41 > 0:16:44I swear to God, everything down there was bulging
0:16:44 > 0:16:46as if something was going to come out of it.
0:16:46 > 0:16:49We obviously blued her into, um, the Royal Free,
0:16:49 > 0:16:52cos we was concerned and wanted her to be seen straightaway,
0:16:52 > 0:16:57cos she'd been told that she's going to miscarry and it's a stillborn
0:16:57 > 0:17:00and, obviously, when we got there, the Royal Free recognised
0:17:00 > 0:17:03that she'd been in four times already that day by ambulance.
0:17:03 > 0:17:07- And was it her fourth visit to the Royal Free today?- Yeah.
0:17:07 > 0:17:08So she is known to you guys.
0:17:08 > 0:17:10I'm not sure, to be honest.
0:17:10 > 0:17:12I don't know if there's underlying mental health issues
0:17:12 > 0:17:15or if she just enjoys hoaxing the emergency services.
0:17:16 > 0:17:20Nice one. Thank you, my friend. Take care, bye-bye.
0:17:20 > 0:17:23It's an abuse of the service and whether the abuse of the service
0:17:23 > 0:17:25can be excused or not - that's the only question.
0:17:25 > 0:17:28If the person has no mental health issues, and just likes
0:17:28 > 0:17:31the colour of ambulances, then it's extremely irritating.
0:17:31 > 0:17:34- She's on the phone again. - She's on the phone AGAIN?!- Yeah.
0:17:34 > 0:17:35Via buses.
0:17:39 > 0:17:43Area controller Anne-Marie listens to the second call from the woman
0:17:43 > 0:17:47claiming to be having a miscarriage to assess the situation.
0:17:47 > 0:17:49- 'Are you the patient? - Yeah, I collapsed...
0:17:49 > 0:17:52'I've collapsed on the floor and I've blacked out
0:17:52 > 0:17:55'and I've knocked my tooth out and I've just been vomiting and, like,
0:17:55 > 0:17:59- 'I've got pancreatitis.- Sure, and how many weeks pregnant are you?
0:17:59 > 0:18:02- 'I'm five.- Five weeks, OK.'
0:18:02 > 0:18:06Yeah, she's saying she's knocked her tooth out now as well.
0:18:07 > 0:18:09It's rather annoying, if she's...
0:18:09 > 0:18:11She's obviously wasting everybody's time.
0:18:14 > 0:18:15Really?
0:18:16 > 0:18:17All right, I'll pass that on.
0:18:17 > 0:18:21Thanks for that, mate. Cheers, bye-bye.
0:18:21 > 0:18:24Tony said he had her a couple of months ago, identical situations -
0:18:24 > 0:18:28giving, er, birth on a bus with some visible bulge and screaming
0:18:28 > 0:18:32like a banshee and they sent two crews down for the same thing.
0:18:32 > 0:18:35So this is...this is months this has been going on.
0:18:36 > 0:18:39'People take it for granted.
0:18:39 > 0:18:42'If people in London had to pay £500 every time they phoned an ambulance,
0:18:42 > 0:18:45'we wouldn't get half the calls we get.
0:18:45 > 0:18:47'If they knew what it would be like to pay, they wouldn't do it.
0:18:47 > 0:18:50'They wouldn't abuse the service the way they do.'
0:18:53 > 0:18:55Hello, 380, it's Anne-Marie. You all right?
0:18:55 > 0:18:57Hello, Anne-Marie, you all right?
0:18:57 > 0:19:00- She's called again. - Oh, she's called AGAIN?!
0:19:00 > 0:19:02She's really convincing, because I've listened to the tape
0:19:02 > 0:19:06and she's saying that she fell, hit her head, blacked out
0:19:06 > 0:19:08and had loss of consciousness, she doesn't know for how long,
0:19:08 > 0:19:10and she's knocked her tooth out.
0:19:10 > 0:19:14Oh, she said that she'd knocked her tooth out to me as well.
0:19:14 > 0:19:16- Yeah.- So that's not a new thing.
0:19:16 > 0:19:20- Does she want us to run on it again? - Do you want us to run on it again?
0:19:20 > 0:19:22- Would you mind? - No, no, we'll run on it again.
0:19:22 > 0:19:24- Yeah, we'll run on it again, send it down.- Yeah?- Yeah.
0:19:24 > 0:19:27We can't say, "Oh, it's her again!" and not send an ambulance.
0:19:27 > 0:19:29Because that may be the one time that there is actually
0:19:29 > 0:19:33a person there with that description of diagnosis, who is in labour,
0:19:33 > 0:19:36and it would be a death sentence if we didn't send an ambulance,
0:19:36 > 0:19:39but it's maddening, unfortunately.
0:19:39 > 0:19:41So we think this is her again.
0:19:41 > 0:19:42FOUR months pregnant.
0:19:48 > 0:19:51It's mad that she's phoned in again, it's absolutely crazy.
0:19:51 > 0:19:53She's changed her story, hasn't she? It's different, isn't it?
0:19:53 > 0:19:56Yeah, I'm intrigued to know what she's going to say
0:19:56 > 0:19:58when she sees us, though, cos we've now seen her once before.
0:19:58 > 0:20:01Her face might be a bit of a picture.
0:20:01 > 0:20:03But I can't believe that she keeps phoning in.
0:20:03 > 0:20:05Surely she'll realises that we know...
0:20:05 > 0:20:08Well, she must know that, in a small area, we...
0:20:08 > 0:20:11there's a possibility she might get the same ambulance crew, surely.
0:20:11 > 0:20:13Yeah, you'd expect, wouldn't you?
0:20:19 > 0:20:21'I've had miscarries myself.
0:20:21 > 0:20:24'Quite a horrific thing to go through.
0:20:24 > 0:20:29'As you miscarry, you feel so empty inside
0:20:29 > 0:20:31'and you have a sense of loss
0:20:31 > 0:20:35'and you're grieving over something that you haven't got.'
0:20:35 > 0:20:38ELECTRONIC VOICE: 'Cancelling all functions.'
0:20:38 > 0:20:41'So you do quite often relate
0:20:41 > 0:20:44'what you've been through in life to calls.'
0:20:50 > 0:20:53All right, why don't we get in the back of the ambulance
0:20:53 > 0:20:55and we can have a proper chat there, yeah?
0:21:01 > 0:21:04But alcohol's a condition, isn't it?
0:21:04 > 0:21:06Look, you follow Dave.
0:21:06 > 0:21:09- I'm not going to tell you off. - I should've told you the truth.
0:21:09 > 0:21:12What I'm going to say to you is what you've got to understand...
0:21:13 > 0:21:18- Yeah.- The ambulance crew...- And you've had a lot of ambulances out.
0:21:18 > 0:21:21- I'll be honest with you, when you called...- Yeah?
0:21:21 > 0:21:23..we was going to a 95-year-old
0:21:23 > 0:21:27who'd been on the floor for three hours and we was round the corner
0:21:27 > 0:21:30from his address and we got cancelled to come to you.
0:21:31 > 0:21:34- I'm not saying it to make you feel bad.- No, no.
0:21:34 > 0:21:37I'm being honest with you.
0:21:37 > 0:21:40I myself... I've had a couple of miscarriages,
0:21:40 > 0:21:42- so it's very close to home, the subject.- Yeah.
0:21:42 > 0:21:45So is it... Is it like an attention thing?
0:21:54 > 0:21:59Yeah. All I can stress to you is there's a question of whether
0:21:59 > 0:22:03- the police might arrest you for nuisance calling.- No, I understand.
0:22:03 > 0:22:06You've got to consider that as well, because there are people out there
0:22:06 > 0:22:10- who need our help, that really need help.- Yeah.
0:22:10 > 0:22:12- But you've got to understand... - I totally understand.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15..the concept of, when you call an ambulance,
0:22:15 > 0:22:17you've now seen for yourself what happens.
0:22:21 > 0:22:24'When it turns out it's all fake,
0:22:24 > 0:22:28'you have to look at the bigger picture. What is she going through?
0:22:28 > 0:22:34'What makes someone want to fake something as big as that?
0:22:34 > 0:22:36'I do feel very sorry for her,
0:22:36 > 0:22:43'because she's obviously in a bad place herself to do that.'
0:22:47 > 0:22:49Well, I'm...
0:22:49 > 0:22:51I'm being honest with you, just so you know.
0:22:51 > 0:22:54You know, you only needed one ambulance today, didn't you?
0:22:54 > 0:22:56- I did and they couldn't help... - But you needed five...
0:23:01 > 0:23:04Shani and Dave have now spent nearly three hours dealing
0:23:04 > 0:23:07with this patient and they still need to take her to hospital...
0:23:09 > 0:23:13..leaving other crews to deal with the incoming 999 calls.
0:23:13 > 0:23:15Tell me exactly what's happened.
0:23:25 > 0:23:28You can't shout and scream at me like that, my love, OK?
0:23:30 > 0:23:32Yeah, we'll get you some help, OK?
0:23:32 > 0:23:35Is the baby completely out now?
0:23:35 > 0:23:37Is the baby completely out?
0:23:37 > 0:23:39Is the baby crying?
0:23:41 > 0:23:45It's just gone 2.30am and Andy and Dean have been treating Peggy
0:23:45 > 0:23:47for the last hour and a quarter.
0:23:51 > 0:23:53- Aw!- No, don't say that!
0:23:56 > 0:23:58Throw you away? I'm not going to do that!
0:24:01 > 0:24:03You can call me a gentleman, but not an officer.
0:24:08 > 0:24:10What's that?
0:24:13 > 0:24:15HE LAUGHS
0:24:22 > 0:24:23Oh, dear!
0:24:27 > 0:24:28You've had... You've had what?
0:24:30 > 0:24:31Yeah?
0:24:34 > 0:24:35Yeah?
0:24:39 > 0:24:41Were they?
0:24:41 > 0:24:45- Mm-hm.- Oh, no! I don't know what to say, Peggy.
0:24:49 > 0:24:51I should do another one.
0:24:53 > 0:24:57- She looks worse now, though, now we've moved her.- She does, yeah.
0:24:57 > 0:24:59- Let's just blue her in anyway.- Yeah.
0:25:01 > 0:25:03SIREN WAILS
0:25:12 > 0:25:13You all right, Peggy?
0:25:15 > 0:25:16Peggy?
0:25:16 > 0:25:18How are you feeling? You tired?
0:25:20 > 0:25:24- Have a little bit of sleep, if you need to.- I need to.- Yeah?
0:25:24 > 0:25:27Is it well past your bedtime, is it?
0:25:27 > 0:25:29Yeah?
0:25:37 > 0:25:38Here you are, Peggy. I'll pull up this...
0:25:38 > 0:25:41I'll pop the blanket further up around your neck.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43Lift your chin up.
0:25:43 > 0:25:45There you go.
0:25:45 > 0:25:47- Thank you, darling.- OK? All right?
0:25:48 > 0:25:51'It's very, very important to treat people like Peggy
0:25:51 > 0:25:55'with the respect and the dignity that you'd hope to be treated with,
0:25:55 > 0:25:58'when your final days eventually come.'
0:25:58 > 0:26:00You all right, Peggy?
0:26:00 > 0:26:01Thank you, yes.
0:26:03 > 0:26:04You're welcome.
0:26:06 > 0:26:07You feel like the Queen?
0:26:09 > 0:26:13- Has my driving woken her up?- No, she says she feels like the Queen.
0:26:13 > 0:26:17- Oh, does she?- I think that's testament to your driving.- Ah!
0:26:17 > 0:26:19It's like Driving Miss Daisy.
0:26:23 > 0:26:25'You might be the last person
0:26:25 > 0:26:28'with whom they have any kind of relationship with, really.'
0:26:33 > 0:26:37- I'm just pulling up, Dean.- Eh? - Just pulling up.- All right, mate.
0:26:37 > 0:26:39'If you can just give them a little bit of happiness,
0:26:39 > 0:26:42'a little bit of joy, a little bit of sense that...that they're not
0:26:42 > 0:26:46'all alone in the world, necessarily, for however long
0:26:46 > 0:26:49'they've got left, then, yeah, very, very important.
0:26:49 > 0:26:51'It's one of the most important jobs in the world, I think.'
0:26:51 > 0:26:54Right, then, young lady, let's get you seen to, eh?
0:26:57 > 0:26:59We can't do that!
0:27:02 > 0:27:05You've just got the oxygen going up into your nostrils.
0:27:05 > 0:27:07Just watch we don't catch on that wire, mate.
0:27:26 > 0:27:28You know, I was thinking...
0:27:28 > 0:27:32- "Are you just going to go?" - And then she was just fine.- Yeah.
0:27:32 > 0:27:35It was weird. Cos when she started going,
0:27:35 > 0:27:39- "I just want to die," and I'm thinking...- Yeah, I know.- .."Uh-oh!"
0:27:39 > 0:27:42- They don't make 'em like that any more.- No, no.
0:27:42 > 0:27:44- They're a dying breed. - Yeah, absolutely.
0:27:52 > 0:27:54Tell me exactly what's happened.
0:27:57 > 0:28:00Where has he been stabbed?
0:28:00 > 0:28:0212 hours later and D Watch is back at work
0:28:02 > 0:28:04for the Wednesday night shift.
0:28:06 > 0:28:08I feel like I'm ever so low down.
0:28:13 > 0:28:14THEY GIGGLE
0:28:15 > 0:28:17I'm having a hot flush.
0:28:20 > 0:28:23Londoners call for an ambulance more than any other region,
0:28:23 > 0:28:27logging 1.9 million emergency calls a year.
0:28:27 > 0:28:32Busy. Very busy. People are staying out longer, because the sun's out.
0:28:32 > 0:28:35Instead of heading home an hour ago, they're still out and having fun
0:28:35 > 0:28:37and drinking and crashing cars and falling over
0:28:37 > 0:28:41and punching each other. All the usual stuff!
0:28:43 > 0:28:45Since the start of tonight's shift,
0:28:45 > 0:28:49the call takers have received nearly 200 calls from across London.
0:28:50 > 0:28:52Tell me exactly what's happened.
0:28:55 > 0:28:58You can't get in your house?
0:28:58 > 0:29:00Hold on. Sorry, can I stop you there?
0:29:00 > 0:29:02You've called for an emergency ambulance.
0:29:02 > 0:29:04We deal with cardiac arrests,
0:29:04 > 0:29:07bleeding, stuff like that, taking people to hospital.
0:29:07 > 0:29:12So, is anybody injured or hurt or...?
0:29:12 > 0:29:14Then why have you asked for the ambulance?
0:29:14 > 0:29:16That's all we deal with.
0:29:16 > 0:29:19We cannot deal with people getting into their homes.
0:29:22 > 0:29:24She's taken an overdose, OK.
0:29:24 > 0:29:26All right, darling, you need to take a deep breath for me.
0:29:26 > 0:29:29We're going to get her some help, OK?
0:29:29 > 0:29:31Is she breathing?
0:29:31 > 0:29:33You don't know? OK, darling, listen to me.
0:29:33 > 0:29:35I need you to get right next to her, OK?
0:29:37 > 0:29:39OK.
0:29:39 > 0:29:41Can you pass your phone to your mum, please?
0:29:43 > 0:29:45OK, we need to check her breathing now.
0:29:45 > 0:29:47Because she's not breathing, we need to start CPR.
0:29:50 > 0:29:51Is she breathing?
0:29:53 > 0:29:56OK, darling, we need to start CPR, OK?
0:29:56 > 0:29:59Speed is of the essence in cardiac arrest cases and,
0:29:59 > 0:30:01for the best chance of survival,
0:30:01 > 0:30:04chest compressions need to start as soon as possible.
0:30:04 > 0:30:08Right, I'm going to give you some instructions. Place the heel of your hand on her breast bone
0:30:08 > 0:30:11in the centre of her chest right between her nipples, OK?
0:30:11 > 0:30:13And put your other hand on top.
0:30:13 > 0:30:17The average 999 call lasts just over five minutes.
0:30:17 > 0:30:20Across the desk, Emma has been on the line to a man threatening to
0:30:20 > 0:30:22take his own life for half an hour.
0:30:22 > 0:30:24We're trying to help you. Whereabouts are you?
0:30:27 > 0:30:2831 bus stop.
0:30:29 > 0:30:32What are you outside of? What shops can you see?
0:30:35 > 0:30:37Because I want to help you.
0:30:41 > 0:30:43No, why are you going to do that?
0:30:43 > 0:30:45Don't start smashing things up.
0:30:45 > 0:30:48Why do you feel like you want to do that?
0:30:48 > 0:30:49Count out loud for me.
0:30:49 > 0:30:52Three, four, one, two, three, four.
0:30:52 > 0:30:56- No, they're doing it now.- They're doing it now. OK, I'm going to leave you with the paramedics, OK?
0:31:02 > 0:31:03You're not a bad person.
0:31:03 > 0:31:06You're just somebody going through a bad time.
0:31:06 > 0:31:08I'm here with you
0:31:08 > 0:31:10So you can talk to me.
0:31:10 > 0:31:12So don't focus on smashing things up around you.
0:31:14 > 0:31:19With psychiatric patients, especially suicidal patients,
0:31:19 > 0:31:22you never know when they're going to put that phone down and then you
0:31:22 > 0:31:24may lose contact with them,
0:31:24 > 0:31:26you know, for good.
0:31:26 > 0:31:28It's so important to make sure that the beginning of the call that
0:31:28 > 0:31:31you try and get as much information as possible.
0:31:36 > 0:31:39But I don't... I don't want you to jump off any bridge.
0:31:39 > 0:31:41Please don't do that, David.
0:31:41 > 0:31:44All right? We've got an ambulance out so that we can help you.
0:31:46 > 0:31:47Why? Why will you go?
0:31:49 > 0:31:50Please don't go.
0:31:52 > 0:31:54Stay on the phone with me.
0:31:54 > 0:31:56We're going to get some help for you. You'll feel better.
0:32:07 > 0:32:10Going to a male
0:32:10 > 0:32:14stating he wants to die and that he wants to jump in the river.
0:32:16 > 0:32:18I've never done anyone jumped in the river. Have you?
0:32:18 > 0:32:20- Yeah.- You have?
0:32:20 > 0:32:21- Twice.- Twice.
0:32:23 > 0:32:26I had one that jumped in at Camden Lock and we retrieved him.
0:32:26 > 0:32:29He was fine, though. He was just extremely cold.
0:32:29 > 0:32:33- And another one, I went along in Embankment and...- Embankment?
0:32:33 > 0:32:35Yeah. There was a body floating.
0:32:35 > 0:32:37- Oh, no.- So it wasn't really a...
0:32:37 > 0:32:39- So he was dead?- Yeah.
0:32:41 > 0:32:44Can you see any ambulances anywhere?
0:32:46 > 0:32:48What are you going to run away from?
0:32:52 > 0:32:54They're coming there to help you.
0:32:54 > 0:32:55But they would...
0:32:58 > 0:33:00There's no reason for them to put you in a cell.
0:33:10 > 0:33:11OK, 380.
0:33:30 > 0:33:32Roger that. Cheers, mate. Thanks for the update.
0:33:32 > 0:33:34What do you want me to do, David?
0:33:46 > 0:33:47David, David, it's OK.
0:33:47 > 0:33:48It's all right.
0:33:48 > 0:33:50They're there to help you.
0:34:03 > 0:34:04Please don't run away.
0:34:07 > 0:34:08Don't put the phone down.
0:34:11 > 0:34:13- Hello.- Hi.
0:34:13 > 0:34:15Well, this is a David but it's not the David.
0:34:15 > 0:34:17OK, so we don't know where he's gone.
0:34:22 > 0:34:24What's going on with him that he feels like
0:34:24 > 0:34:25he's going to kill himself?
0:34:27 > 0:34:29How did you happen to meet with him today?
0:34:31 > 0:34:33You just bumped into each other on the street?
0:34:33 > 0:34:34So how are we going to find him, then?
0:34:37 > 0:34:38What way did he go?
0:34:48 > 0:34:50So did he have the station on his left?
0:34:50 > 0:34:52So he's gone towards Camden Lock?
0:34:52 > 0:34:54Straight up the high road.
0:34:54 > 0:34:55All right, then.
0:34:59 > 0:35:02Just got an update actually. Let's have a look. Here we go.
0:35:02 > 0:35:04Caller states, "Can see ambulance crews outside McDonald's."
0:35:06 > 0:35:09There's more updates. Caller states, "Wants to run away."
0:35:10 > 0:35:12Do you want to go back round? If we go back round,
0:35:12 > 0:35:15we go back to McDonald's. That's all we can do really.
0:35:18 > 0:35:23The London Ambulance Service now treats nearly 2,700 patients
0:35:23 > 0:35:25every week with mental health problems.
0:35:28 > 0:35:30It's one of two things.
0:35:30 > 0:35:31He might be doing it for the attention.
0:35:31 > 0:35:35Of course he's loving all this if he is.
0:35:35 > 0:35:38But then it's probably mental health and he might be having
0:35:38 > 0:35:41a real crisis and might just be scared to approach us.
0:35:41 > 0:35:43It's a difficult one to say.
0:35:43 > 0:35:44Yep.
0:35:49 > 0:35:51But we don't want you to do that, David.
0:35:54 > 0:35:57Why don't you speak to someone today so that you don't feel that way?
0:35:58 > 0:36:00Please let us help you, David.
0:36:00 > 0:36:02That's what we're here for.
0:36:11 > 0:36:13We can do something to help you.
0:36:29 > 0:36:31It's a scary thing, yeah.
0:36:31 > 0:36:33It is a scary thing but I'm here.
0:36:33 > 0:36:34I'm here to help you.
0:36:38 > 0:36:40There are people that do want to help you.
0:36:43 > 0:36:44David.
0:36:48 > 0:36:50Is that him there on the phone?
0:36:50 > 0:36:52Yes, hopefully it is.
0:36:52 > 0:36:54- I think we've found him.- Ready?
0:36:56 > 0:36:57We've been to him before.
0:36:57 > 0:36:59Can you see the ambulance?
0:36:59 > 0:37:00Hello, mate.
0:37:00 > 0:37:02- You all right?- You can.
0:37:02 > 0:37:04They're going to help you, all right?
0:37:05 > 0:37:06Can you hear me still?
0:37:12 > 0:37:16You don't need to be upset. We've met you before. We know.
0:37:16 > 0:37:19- Don't be scared. We're here to help you, mate.- Just relax, my darling. - Come on.
0:37:19 > 0:37:22I'm going to leave you with ambulance crew, all right, David?
0:37:22 > 0:37:25- Don't be scared. We're here to help you, mate.- Just relax, my darling.
0:37:31 > 0:37:36Call handler Emma has spent an hour on the phone to the suicidal patient.
0:37:36 > 0:37:41Sometimes you come off the phone and you think, "Have I done a good enough job?"
0:37:42 > 0:37:45Sometimes you just want to get in your car and just go round there
0:37:45 > 0:37:49and tell him everything's going to be all right but, you know,
0:37:49 > 0:37:52that's not a possibility, unfortunately.
0:37:52 > 0:37:56It's very difficult to be there saying, "I can't do any more than this.
0:37:56 > 0:37:57"I'm doing as much as I can."
0:38:05 > 0:38:06OK, have you called us before?
0:38:12 > 0:38:13OK, is this Kathleen?
0:38:16 > 0:38:18Listen, listen, bear with me one second.
0:38:19 > 0:38:22Over the past four weeks, frequent caller Kathleen
0:38:22 > 0:38:25has clocked up 87 calls to the ambulance service.
0:38:26 > 0:38:29She's already been visited by an ambulance crew and
0:38:29 > 0:38:31a district nurse today.
0:38:31 > 0:38:34The paramedics have all assessed that she doesn't need an emergency ambulance.
0:38:34 > 0:38:36And we're struggling a bit tonight.
0:38:36 > 0:38:38There is nothing we can do for her.
0:38:40 > 0:38:42She's just going to keep calling and keep calling.
0:38:42 > 0:38:45And she said, "I'm going to keep calling till I get one."
0:38:45 > 0:38:47And I said, "It don't work like that, Kathleen!"
0:38:47 > 0:38:48We're not social services.
0:38:48 > 0:38:51You know, we can't take an ambulance off the road,
0:38:51 > 0:38:55potentially taking it away from someone in cardiac arrest for someone
0:38:55 > 0:38:59who's been deemed by paramedics as not requiring an ambulance.
0:39:00 > 0:39:04Frequent callers cost the NHS almost £19 million a year.
0:39:05 > 0:39:08A team of clinicians working in control room must assess if
0:39:08 > 0:39:12the most prolific 999 callers really need an ambulance.
0:39:14 > 0:39:18There are a couple of different ways that frequent callers are defined.
0:39:18 > 0:39:23One, is that they will call five times or more in a month.
0:39:23 > 0:39:26Or, 12 times or more in three months
0:39:26 > 0:39:27from a residential address.
0:39:27 > 0:39:31We do have a list of known frequent callers.
0:39:31 > 0:39:35At the moment, it's around about the 160 that we've got files on
0:39:35 > 0:39:36that we can access.
0:39:36 > 0:39:37Is your breathing normal?
0:39:39 > 0:39:41Are you there by yourself or is someone there with you?
0:39:42 > 0:39:45All right, I'm organising the help for you so stay on the line.
0:39:45 > 0:39:47We'll be there as soon as we can but it can take up to an hour.
0:39:47 > 0:39:49It can be a little bit longer depending on how busy we are.
0:39:49 > 0:39:52Obviously, we'll be there as soon as possible.
0:39:52 > 0:39:54It will be there as soon as we can, madam, OK?
0:39:58 > 0:40:01In north London, Shani and Dave are taking the patient who is
0:40:01 > 0:40:03threatening suicide to A&E.
0:40:04 > 0:40:09I know for a fact from his history, cos I've picked him up before,
0:40:09 > 0:40:13that he had a lot of heartbreak when he was a child. Um...
0:40:15 > 0:40:18and I've heard his stories before - absolutely horrific,
0:40:18 > 0:40:20you wouldn't wish it on anyone.
0:40:20 > 0:40:24And there's nothing we can do, other than listen to him,
0:40:24 > 0:40:28because I can't make it better, I can't take that pain away for him,
0:40:28 > 0:40:31and he will use alcohol to take the pain away.
0:40:36 > 0:40:40Every year, it's estimated over a million people are admitted
0:40:40 > 0:40:42to A&E for mental health problems.
0:40:50 > 0:40:51Is this Kathleen?
0:40:52 > 0:40:54I think you just called.
0:40:57 > 0:41:00Over the next two hours, Kathleen, who has dementia,
0:41:00 > 0:41:02calls a further five times.
0:41:03 > 0:41:06Emergency ambulance. What's the address of the emergency?
0:41:08 > 0:41:10You've been waiting 20 minutes?
0:41:11 > 0:41:14Tonight we're on about 15 calls now,
0:41:14 > 0:41:17in the space of about five and half, six hours,
0:41:17 > 0:41:18so, she's in pretty...
0:41:18 > 0:41:20And some of those were while the ambulance crew
0:41:20 > 0:41:22and the district nurse were in the house with her,
0:41:22 > 0:41:24telling her, "You don't need to go to hospital."
0:41:24 > 0:41:26We have to do something, we've got to break this cycle,
0:41:26 > 0:41:30because if we don't, it'll impact on the area and the people around her -
0:41:30 > 0:41:32and, you know, it's not their fault, either.
0:41:32 > 0:41:35After consultation with the senior clinician,
0:41:35 > 0:41:38the decision is taken only to send an ambulance to Kathleen
0:41:38 > 0:41:42this evening if her daughter, who is travelling to check on her,
0:41:42 > 0:41:44believes it is absolutely necessary.
0:41:52 > 0:41:54Hello?
0:41:54 > 0:41:55Hello!
0:41:55 > 0:41:56Kathleen?
0:41:56 > 0:41:59Hello, Kathleen, it's Liam from the ambulance again.
0:41:59 > 0:42:03Kathleen, an ambulance will not come now.
0:42:05 > 0:42:06Kathleen...
0:42:06 > 0:42:08We've been to you already tonight,
0:42:08 > 0:42:12you've had the district nurse out tonight.
0:42:12 > 0:42:14Yes, yes.
0:42:14 > 0:42:17Yes, but she knows you well.
0:42:17 > 0:42:19- No, I want... I can't sleep...- I know.
0:42:20 > 0:42:21I know.
0:42:21 > 0:42:23Nothing's come for me.
0:42:23 > 0:42:25Kathleen...
0:42:25 > 0:42:26Kathleen, no.
0:42:27 > 0:42:30The ambulance will not be coming to you tonight.
0:42:31 > 0:42:35Kathleen, I also need to tell you, if you do keep phoning and phoning,
0:42:35 > 0:42:37the ambulance will still not come,
0:42:37 > 0:42:40we'll ring you back every now and again, one of my colleagues...
0:42:43 > 0:42:44OK, Kathleen, I'm going to go now.
0:42:49 > 0:42:50Kathleen...
0:42:50 > 0:42:52I'm now going to speak to your daughter,
0:42:52 > 0:42:54before it gets too late, OK?
0:42:54 > 0:42:56No, you're not, love.
0:42:56 > 0:42:57I'm going to speak with your daughter.
0:42:57 > 0:42:59It's been nice talking to you, Kathleen.
0:42:59 > 0:43:01Speak to you soon, Kathleen. Bye-bye.
0:43:03 > 0:43:06So, I've actually muted Kathleen, now.
0:43:06 > 0:43:09I just want to hear what she's doing,
0:43:09 > 0:43:10while she's in the background.
0:43:10 > 0:43:12OK, she's put the phone down.
0:43:12 > 0:43:14- Oh, she's picked it up again... - RECEIVER RATTLES
0:43:14 > 0:43:17..and she's put it back down again.
0:43:17 > 0:43:21- KEYPAD BEEPS - Nine, nine, nine.
0:43:21 > 0:43:22Kathleen?
0:43:23 > 0:43:24We'll always...
0:43:24 > 0:43:27We'll always answer the phone to you, Kathleen, all right?
0:43:27 > 0:43:29- I'm going to ring your daughter now. Bye-bye.- No...
0:43:29 > 0:43:31I know, darling.
0:43:31 > 0:43:33Kathleen, you only need to ring us...
0:43:33 > 0:43:36You only need to ring us if something changes.
0:43:36 > 0:43:38All right? I'll speak to you later, Kathleen.
0:43:38 > 0:43:39- Bye-bye for now.- No.
0:43:39 > 0:43:43So, again, I'm going to mute, and I will probably not wait much longer.
0:43:43 > 0:43:44She's phoned.
0:43:44 > 0:43:46- KEYPAD BEEPS - Nine, nine, nine.
0:43:46 > 0:43:49She's straight back on the phone, so I'm going to hang up now.
0:43:49 > 0:43:50I'll ring her daughter.
0:43:50 > 0:43:53It's always distressing, cos she's absolutely adamant
0:43:53 > 0:43:57and convinced that she must have an ambulance. Nothing else will do.
0:43:57 > 0:44:00Nobody believes her, she wants to go to hospital.
0:44:00 > 0:44:02It's now 10.45 at night,
0:44:02 > 0:44:05they're not going to be doing anything for her at the hospital.
0:44:05 > 0:44:08This is an ongoing problem for one to two years.
0:44:08 > 0:44:12You know, conscious of her age, but, to her, it's real.
0:44:12 > 0:44:14And she's entitled to courtesy, she's entitled to respect,
0:44:14 > 0:44:17but what we have to do is just manage her demands -
0:44:17 > 0:44:19there you go, she's straight back on the phone again.
0:44:19 > 0:44:20Kathleen, listen, I need to hang up,
0:44:20 > 0:44:22because I need to take other emergency calls.
0:44:25 > 0:44:26OK?
0:44:34 > 0:44:36Cricklewood.
0:44:36 > 0:44:38Fell onto the track?
0:44:39 > 0:44:41Four hours into their shift,
0:44:41 > 0:44:44Andy and Dean are on their third patient of the night.
0:44:47 > 0:44:50You're definitely liking the old "de-dar", ain't you?
0:44:50 > 0:44:52Feeling a kid again.
0:44:52 > 0:44:55- I do like that siren. - All you need is a bell, as well.
0:44:55 > 0:44:57- Ding, ding, ding, ding, ding!- Yeah!
0:45:00 > 0:45:02It's very easy to roll your eyes, sometimes,
0:45:02 > 0:45:05at the kind of thing that you're being sent to.
0:45:05 > 0:45:07- It's just here, isn't it?- Yep.
0:45:07 > 0:45:08- Is it?- Yeah.- Yeah.
0:45:16 > 0:45:17What, did he fall from this height?
0:45:24 > 0:45:25I know.
0:45:31 > 0:45:33- Thanks, mate.- Cheers, dude.
0:45:33 > 0:45:35You all right, mate?
0:45:35 > 0:45:36Fella?
0:45:36 > 0:45:38'I'd never have, in a million years,
0:45:38 > 0:45:41'wouldn't believe the kind of things that people phone an ambulance for.'
0:45:41 > 0:45:42How you doing, mate?
0:45:42 > 0:45:45It's the ambulance. You hurt yourself on the train?
0:45:45 > 0:45:48'It's people who shouldn't be calling for an ambulance -
0:45:48 > 0:45:50'or not even not calling for an ambulance,
0:45:50 > 0:45:55'but shouldn't even be seeking medical attention at all, really.'
0:45:55 > 0:45:57This call was not exactly as it was given.
0:45:58 > 0:46:02Andy and Dean have spent 40 minutes with this patient.
0:46:02 > 0:46:05Meanwhile, there are 17 callers in the west of London
0:46:05 > 0:46:07still waiting for an ambulance.
0:46:15 > 0:46:17Tell me exactly what's happened.
0:46:25 > 0:46:26What's happened?
0:46:28 > 0:46:29Yep.
0:46:43 > 0:46:45OK, Kathleen, I'm going to have to clear the line now,
0:46:45 > 0:46:48so I can answer emergency calls.
0:46:48 > 0:46:52If there's any change, call us back, but otherwise...
0:46:52 > 0:46:54Please don't keep calling.
0:46:54 > 0:46:58We've spoken at length about your mum Kathleen tonight,
0:46:58 > 0:47:01and my clinical advisor on call, the senior,
0:47:01 > 0:47:05has agreed with me that we will put this "No Send" in for tonight.
0:47:05 > 0:47:08- Right, OK. - Your mum has been told.- Yeah.
0:47:08 > 0:47:11- To be perfectly blunt, she didn't take a blind bit of notice.- Right.
0:47:11 > 0:47:15So, I had five phone calls on 999 whilst I was on the phone to her.
0:47:15 > 0:47:17Oh, God.
0:47:17 > 0:47:18Now, something Mum did put to me
0:47:18 > 0:47:21when I was near the end of the call with her, which...
0:47:21 > 0:47:23I've never spoken to Mum much before,
0:47:23 > 0:47:24so I don't know if it's normal -
0:47:24 > 0:47:27does she threaten to do away with herself?
0:47:27 > 0:47:29- Yes, I've had that, as well. - OK, so...
0:47:29 > 0:47:34I used to get really upset with it. I'm hearing it so frequent now...
0:47:34 > 0:47:38- So, that's normal and frequent from her?- Yes, it is.
0:47:38 > 0:47:40Does she have any record
0:47:40 > 0:47:43- of having attempted to do away with herself?- No, she hasn't, no.
0:47:43 > 0:47:46Does she have any means of doing it?
0:47:46 > 0:47:48Erm...she's only got paracetamol.
0:47:48 > 0:47:50- And does she use them?- Erm...
0:47:50 > 0:47:53Well, I think half the time she forgets to take them, anyway.
0:47:53 > 0:47:55OK, all right.
0:47:55 > 0:47:58So, she's unlikely to do it because she forgets to take them anyway. OK.
0:47:58 > 0:48:04- We are not going to send, unless out-of-hours doctor...- Right.
0:48:04 > 0:48:07- ..someone else, or you... - Yes.- ..tell us to,
0:48:07 > 0:48:09but we will collect all Mum's calls,
0:48:09 > 0:48:14they will be reviewed by one of my clinicians in the clinical hub,
0:48:14 > 0:48:17so it'll be a paramedic with experience in this.
0:48:17 > 0:48:21- Every now and again, periodically, we may try to ring her...- Yes.
0:48:21 > 0:48:26..but once Mum stops ringing, I don't plan to wake her up
0:48:26 > 0:48:28by phoning her to see if she's all right.
0:48:28 > 0:48:30- No.- Does that make sense? - Yes, it does.
0:48:30 > 0:48:35- All right, Linda, all the best. I hope Mum feels better.- Yes, so do I.
0:48:35 > 0:48:37But I don't know that tonight's going to make any impact on her,
0:48:37 > 0:48:40- to be perfectly honest. - Probably not.- All right?
0:48:40 > 0:48:44Cos I think it's a mental stage now that she's reached, actually.
0:48:44 > 0:48:46- Possible.- Yeah. OK.- All right, lovey.- Thank you very much.
0:48:46 > 0:48:49- All the best. Bye-bye, now. - Thank you.- Bye-bye.- Bye-bye.
0:48:51 > 0:48:54I've got to be honest - she's somebody's mum,
0:48:54 > 0:48:58and, in a few years' time, that could be you, me, or anybody else,
0:48:58 > 0:49:03and I would want them to be treated with the utmost care, decency...
0:49:03 > 0:49:06but it's got to be appropriate.
0:49:06 > 0:49:07She's on the phone again.
0:49:07 > 0:49:10Oh, Kathleen, for crying out loud.
0:49:11 > 0:49:14Anyway, there you go. Some you win.
0:49:14 > 0:49:19- I'm in terrible agony.- OK. And I'm sorry for that, I really am.
0:49:19 > 0:49:23I'm sorry for that - but I am going to clear the line, now,
0:49:23 > 0:49:24to take another emergency call.
0:49:24 > 0:49:27General broadcast, general broadcast, all mobiles,
0:49:27 > 0:49:31looking for any ambulance or FRU at the moment for an emergency call.
0:49:31 > 0:49:3616-year-old female who's had her hands slashed by a machete...
0:49:37 > 0:49:40'London can seem quite cold and lonely sometimes.
0:49:41 > 0:49:45'If nobody knows who you are, nobody's going to talk to you.
0:49:45 > 0:49:49'When I first arrived, I used to say "hi" to people I passed on the street.'
0:49:49 > 0:49:51Because that's what we do back in my hometown.
0:49:52 > 0:49:54I stopped that fairly quickly.
0:49:55 > 0:49:58It's not so much that London destroys my faith in humanity
0:49:58 > 0:50:00but it does test it.
0:50:05 > 0:50:07DIALLING TONE
0:50:07 > 0:50:11- 'Hello?'- CAD 85? All right, thank you, bye.
0:50:11 > 0:50:13It looks like it's a hostage-taking.
0:50:19 > 0:50:20In the north-west of London,
0:50:20 > 0:50:23a serious category A call has just come in.
0:50:23 > 0:50:27But none of the 28 crews covering this area are currently available.
0:50:29 > 0:50:31Within a mile of the suspected hostage-taking,
0:50:31 > 0:50:34one crew is on a mental-health call,
0:50:34 > 0:50:37another crew is treating a patient with septicaemia,
0:50:37 > 0:50:41and Shani and Dave are helping an elderly faller up off the ground.
0:50:41 > 0:50:43And then what we'll do is we'll all go together.
0:50:43 > 0:50:47We'll pull up and you'll push up with your legs. One, two, three...
0:50:47 > 0:50:50- Push, push, push, push, push. - Blimey, that was good!- Push.
0:50:50 > 0:50:52- Just try and stand up for us.- It's all right, we're here, we're here.
0:50:52 > 0:50:54- FRANCIS:- Let me just GB this.
0:50:54 > 0:50:57General broadcast to mobiles, general broadcast to mobiles -
0:50:57 > 0:51:00looking for an ambulance, please, for a police call.
0:51:00 > 0:51:0250-year-old male has locked himself in the property,
0:51:02 > 0:51:06'saying he's harmed someone inside and is armed with a knife
0:51:06 > 0:51:08'and it's turning into a hostage-taking.
0:51:08 > 0:51:10'That's any ambulance available, please.
0:51:10 > 0:51:13'Any ambulance able to assist, if you could, please go green or make yourself known.'
0:51:13 > 0:51:17General broadcast at 38. Foxtrot, Bravo, red base, out.
0:51:17 > 0:51:20'General broadcasts are used when we're holding calls'
0:51:20 > 0:51:23and don't have trucks available for them immediately.
0:51:23 > 0:51:27We just put out the general broadcast so they can hear it and respond if they can.
0:51:27 > 0:51:28'Here's Echo 380.'
0:51:28 > 0:51:31Do you want to just hold that call for a couple of seconds while
0:51:31 > 0:51:34we can get out to the vehicle and take that one over?
0:51:34 > 0:51:37'Roger, 380. As quickly as you can.'
0:51:37 > 0:51:39Thank you for coming up, I appreciate that.
0:51:39 > 0:51:42It's only going to take them... six, seven minutes to get there.
0:51:42 > 0:51:45North West 5. This is around the corner from the station.
0:51:45 > 0:51:47It's not far, is it?
0:51:49 > 0:51:51'999 mode.'
0:51:51 > 0:51:54We'll need to get our stab jackets on.
0:51:54 > 0:51:58'When you get situations that involve violence, stabbings, guns,
0:51:58 > 0:52:03'we will drive to the call, they'll keep us updated and they kind of
0:52:03 > 0:52:07'keep you back until the police are definitely on scene.
0:52:09 > 0:52:11'You kind of have to suss it out en route.
0:52:11 > 0:52:12'Control are in touch with you,
0:52:12 > 0:52:16'you'll get little snippets of, "There's lots of shouting going on."
0:52:16 > 0:52:20'Our safety comes first, cos we're no good to a patient if we're not safe.'
0:52:22 > 0:52:24When Shani and Dave arrive,
0:52:24 > 0:52:27police are already on scene and have arrested the man.
0:52:29 > 0:52:33He's hurt himself with a knife of some sort.
0:52:33 > 0:52:36But the problem is, is he's saying that he's murdered other people.
0:52:36 > 0:52:39He's suggesting that one's in the bin or someone's in his flat,
0:52:39 > 0:52:42and they've been through his flat, they've been through the bins.
0:52:42 > 0:52:45They cannot find any evidence of someone being murdered.
0:52:48 > 0:52:51Let's get you in the warm, all right? Get you out of this cold.
0:52:51 > 0:52:54MAN SOBS
0:52:54 > 0:52:56It's just here, yeah? Any drugs?
0:52:57 > 0:52:59Yeah? What have you had?
0:53:02 > 0:53:05Cocaine and heroin tonight? How did you take the heroin?
0:53:06 > 0:53:09You smoked the heroin. And how did you take the cocaine?
0:53:09 > 0:53:12Snorted the cocaine. OK. How much did you have?
0:53:13 > 0:53:15Not a lot. How much is not a lot, mate?
0:53:16 > 0:53:17Not enough!
0:53:17 > 0:53:21Let's just get a bit of a what's happened so I understand better what's happened.
0:53:21 > 0:53:24So you've had an argument with your girlfriend and then who's done these injuries?
0:53:24 > 0:53:27Did you do them yourself or has someone done them to you?
0:53:28 > 0:53:31You were fighting with someone?
0:53:31 > 0:53:32And you put them in the bin.
0:53:35 > 0:53:36OK, OK.
0:53:37 > 0:53:40Are you hearing any voices at the moment? You are, yeah?
0:53:40 > 0:53:42What are the voices saying in your head?
0:53:53 > 0:53:55There's no-one been hurt by you, mate.
0:54:01 > 0:54:04I've been through your flat, friend, and there's nothing...
0:54:04 > 0:54:07There's no-one in there and there's no signs of you've hurt anyone.
0:54:07 > 0:54:11You know, what's happening is, what you took earlier is making
0:54:11 > 0:54:14you think that something's happened, and it clearly hasn't.
0:54:14 > 0:54:18OK? So, just relax. You're not going to prison for a long time.
0:54:18 > 0:54:20He's calming down,
0:54:20 > 0:54:23and I think Dave and the policeman at the moment are building up
0:54:23 > 0:54:25quite a good rapport with him
0:54:25 > 0:54:27cos he was quite emotionally upset earlier.
0:54:27 > 0:54:29And it's hard to get the full history.
0:54:29 > 0:54:33But he's only got a few cuts on his hand. Nothing life-threatening.
0:54:45 > 0:54:48'The police are going to take him to the police station.'
0:54:48 > 0:54:51They're going to get him to see his FME, and then they'll talk
0:54:51 > 0:54:55to him about the mental health side of things and take it from there.
0:55:03 > 0:55:05'380, good morning. I just wondered,'
0:55:05 > 0:55:07what was the actual outcome in the end? Over.
0:55:07 > 0:55:10This gentleman had locked himself in his flat.
0:55:10 > 0:55:13'His girlfriend had got in touch with the police.
0:55:13 > 0:55:14'The police had gone round.'
0:55:14 > 0:55:17He then self-harmed to his hands.
0:55:17 > 0:55:20'We've assessed him but we're not taking him to hospital.'
0:55:20 > 0:55:22Roger, 380. Thanks for the update.
0:55:22 > 0:55:25Glad everything worked out and you guys are OK. Over.
0:55:26 > 0:55:31MUSIC: Coles Corner by Richard Hawley
0:55:34 > 0:55:37I wonder how may people have seen the sunrise over London
0:55:37 > 0:55:40- as many times as we have, hey?- It's lovely, isn't it?- Yeah, it is nice.
0:55:40 > 0:55:44- No-one around.- I'd rather be on that plane that's flying over.
0:55:44 > 0:55:48- That's very true. Where do you want it to be going?- Ibiza.- Ibiza!
0:55:48 > 0:55:50- Cyprus.- Cyprus?
0:55:50 > 0:55:54- I'd go to the Bahamas.- Really?- Yeah.
0:55:54 > 0:55:57- I want to be on it, never mind where's it going.- That is true.
0:55:57 > 0:55:59That is beautiful, isn't it?
0:55:59 > 0:56:02# Hold back the night from us... #
0:56:02 > 0:56:05There's always a sense of relief that we got through it
0:56:05 > 0:56:08when we finish. We all walk out of there at the end of the day
0:56:08 > 0:56:11knowing we've done the best job to the best of our abilities.
0:56:11 > 0:56:16I can't believe I used to hate this job. And now I love it.
0:56:16 > 0:56:19A lot of the time, it's kind of nonsense that we go to anyway.
0:56:19 > 0:56:22- But when it's genuine... - You get a buzz out of it.
0:56:22 > 0:56:25People call us when it's literally the most desperate they could
0:56:25 > 0:56:29ever be. And who do they call? 999 ambulance.
0:56:29 > 0:56:31- It's not the Ghostbusters, is it?- No.
0:56:33 > 0:56:38# Out over the rivers and on into dark... #
0:56:38 > 0:56:41'Everyone's a little bit broken in some way. Everyone.
0:56:41 > 0:56:46'Some of us have hit rock-bottom and been depressed, you know?
0:56:46 > 0:56:50'So, we can use that to our advantage to make us understand
0:56:50 > 0:56:53'what people need, how to help people better.'
0:56:55 > 0:56:58- All the weirdness is over for tonight.- Really?
0:56:58 > 0:57:00I like a little bit of weirdness in the morning.
0:57:00 > 0:57:03- We just had a cardiac arrest in a brothel.- Lovely.
0:57:03 > 0:57:06I mean, if you're going to arrest, that's the way you want to go,
0:57:06 > 0:57:08- isn't it?- Well... That's it, my friend.
0:57:08 > 0:57:10I'm going to go home and get some sleep.
0:57:10 > 0:57:14# Going down town where there's people
0:57:15 > 0:57:16# The loneliness... #
0:57:16 > 0:57:19'What's the address of the emergency?'
0:57:19 > 0:57:21- WOMAN:- 'It's...Baker Street.
0:57:21 > 0:57:25- MAN:- 'It's on the junction with Dorset Street.
0:57:25 > 0:57:26'Just on the crossroads.
0:57:26 > 0:57:29'It looks like a baby swan here. But...
0:57:29 > 0:57:31'Sorry, there's a baby swan?
0:57:31 > 0:57:35'This lady's just phoned you and her English isn't very good.
0:57:35 > 0:57:38'And you're saying there's a baby swan?
0:57:38 > 0:57:40'It's by a tree, looks like it's been hit by a car.
0:57:40 > 0:57:43'It's a swan, as in, like, a duck?
0:57:43 > 0:57:47'Yeah. You just can't contact the RSPCA at this hour in the morning.
0:57:47 > 0:57:49'I thought you might be able to help.'
0:57:49 > 0:57:52This is the ambulance service and we won't be able to help you
0:57:52 > 0:57:55- with a swan that's been hit by a car.- 'All right, Cheers, mate.'
0:57:55 > 0:57:56All right, take care. Bye-bye.
0:57:59 > 0:58:02# Cold city lights glowing
0:58:05 > 0:58:09# The traffic of life is flowing
0:58:11 > 0:58:17# Out over the rivers and on into dark
0:58:21 > 0:58:25# Hold back the night. #
0:58:25 > 0:58:28Next time, it's the weekend shift.
0:58:28 > 0:58:31OD on cocaine and MDMA.
0:58:31 > 0:58:33- Red 1.- Red 1. Oh, no.