Episode 10 Secret Life of the Hospital Bed

Hand versus chainsaw.

That looks painful.

Our hospitals are taking care of more patients than ever...

-Are you all right?

-No...

Oh, poppet.

..with medical teams under constant pressure...

BEEPING

Could Dr Pitsy come to Resus, please?

Somebody as poorly as this little one,

we really need to treat them quickly.

..to meet our expectations. CRYING

I'm just worried about what he's going to be like afterwards.

But there's a crucial member of the team we sometimes forget.

I've never ever been on a bed like this.

The hospital bed.

Another ward, another story, another bed.

Ah!

In our lifetime,

we are likely to need one of them at least three times.

I've probably spent a quarter of my life on a hospital bed!

In this series,

our cameras have been given unprecedented access to beds

in four very different hospitals across the country.

It's life. Life and death, and everything that goes in between.

We'll see the world through the bed's eyes...

Hello, my love. Hiya.

..as they share the most challenging...

I don't know what to do...

I don't know.

..most intimate...

I'm OK.

I know.

..and most rewarding...

Happy birthday!

In't hospitals wonderful?

..moments of our lives.

Thank you for being here.

I'm not going anywhere else.

The hospital cannot function without beds.

Beds are vital.

This is The Secret Life Of The Hospital Bed.

Last year, there were more than 22 million visits

to hospital emergency departments in the UK.

Having a high-grade fever, and...

a heart rate of between 120 to 140...

The Royal Victoria Infirmary in Newcastle

has more A&E beds than monitoring bays

or examination rooms.

Hi, Rosie, it's just Gemma.

Do we have another cubicle round there?

These beds are never empty for long.

At busy times,

the emergency beds have nowhere to go but the corridors.

BRAKES CLANK

With all bays full of patients,

A&E bed nine is standing by.

BRAKE CLANKS

It's just before 4pm,

and today,

27-year-old Sister Hill is in charge of the department's workflow.

In the last hour,

I've had about 20 patients booked in to the emergency department,

so we've had an increased volume,

so we could call that a surge.

We don't get any more staff,

it's the same staff we've had all day.

I've got no beds on the assessment suite at the moment,

which is our admissions unit.

The A&E department is already dealing with

a major motorway pile-up.

All bays and rooms are occupied by patients.

PHONE RINGS

RVI A&E?

And then, another road traffic accident.

Hi, you all right?

OK. Cheers.

Someone's been driving down the A1

and a ladder's fallen off the back of a lorry

and hit a car and bounced off.

Hiya. Sorry, I'm supposed to have a word with you.

A car has been hit by a ladder.

It flew off the roof of a van

whilst 38-year-old Joanne was travelling at speed.

Onto that trolley, here, please.

Joanne is transferred to A&E bed nine.

You keep your arms nice and still. OK. Thank you.

On the lift.

Ready, steady, lift.

Paramedics who were first on the scene assess the mum of two.

Remember what I said about your breathing?

-Yes, sorry.

-It's really important.

She may have damaged her neck and spine.

As a precaution,

she's been put in a neck brace.

Well, you're in the right place, OK?

-You're well looked after.

-Oh!

Joanne is in shock.

Right, we'll get you booked in.

Thank you. Thanks very much indeed.

I'll go and ring Autoglass for you.

Emergency care assistant Buxton,

who was first to attend, is a friend.

I heard the voice first, and then realised it was Gemma!

THEY LAUGH

When we seen the job came up on the screen

and I didn't realise it was her, until I seen her dad,

then...I looked at the screen and noticed it was Joanne's name.

It's nice to know that somebody's there that you know

when you've had an accident like that.

Joanne's 66-year-old father Brian was a passenger in the car.

All of a sudden,

the ladder's just flew off the van

and just smashed straight into the windscreen in front of us.

So obviously, I slammed the brakes on,

we were just lucky that...

We're just lucky to be here, put it this way.

I'm surprised nobody went into the back of the car

and caused any more accidents.

Dad Brian was taken straight to see a consultant on arrival.

Paramedic Colin has news on Joanne's father.

He's all right, don't worry about it.

He's fine, he's a big, strong man, isn't he?

-He is. He is.

-He's been very lucky, like yourself.

-He's been examined in the back of the ambulance.

-Right.

But we'd like an X-ray.

-Right, no problem.

-But he's happy for him to walk around.

-As long as he's all right.

-Don't worry about him.

You just get, like, shock, don't you?

Definitely. Natural reaction after what's happened.

Are you still in pain?

-Oh, aye.

-Out of ten?

I'd say it's gone up to seven, now.

-It was seven before.

-Was it?

-I thought it was six.

-Eight!

It could have been a lot worse, but it wasn't.

SHE SIGHS

Have I got glass on my face?

-Got you some tiny cuts.

-Tiny shards.

Joanne's dad Brian has also been given a neck brace

ahead of an X-ray.

Are you all right?

-Aye.

-Are you sure?

The accident happened less than an hour ago.

Brian is also still in shock.

You're just driving along and...

Prang.

But...

we're here, that's the main thing.

-Lucky. Lucky to be here.

-Yes.

One guy I must see, he worked for the electric van.

-We need to find out who he is.

-We need to find out who he is.

There was a gentleman that stopped in an electricity van behind him,

got Joanne and her dad out, and sat them in their van.

And unfortunately, I didn't get his name for to thank him very much.

-Thank you.

-Thank you.

Thank you very much for what you did.

He... Well, he just...

He stopped and he helped and he put Joanne in the van,

and...and just looked after her until everybody came.

He was really, really good.

Joanne is shown pictures of her car.

I can't believe that, looking at the picture,

I cannot believe that I haven't been decapitated.

Oh, you're right. That was it,

it was the ladders underneath the car that had come off.

A&E bed nine will stay with Joanne and her father

as they wait for a further examination.

HIGH-PITCHED BEEPING

Nice deep breaths, you're going to blow baby out, OK?

Across the UK,

around 80 new babies are born every hour.

Baby!

There we go!

One of the country's largest maternity units

is at Queens Hospital, Romford.

The 25 maternity beds here are in high demand.

Once a baby is born,

they need to be freed up ready for the next expectant mum.

Maternity services are a bit like A&E departments.

For maternity, you prioritise, you triage.

We escalate, we have a traffic light system here at Queens,

and basically, for any woman that comes in,

you'll be deemed as low, medium or high-risk.

Maternity bed seven is moved for its next mum-to-be.

They're cleaning your room at the moment,

but as soon as it is nice and clean and done,

we're going to transfer you.

OK.

Iona and Liviu are originally from Romania,

and are having their first baby.

Iona's contractions have started.

The contraction, too much.

Iona was scheduled to have an elective Caesarean section tomorrow

because her baby is in the breech position.

Tomorrow, 8am, she have appointment for the Caesarean.

-But...

-The water is...

-..she's broken.

-She's now, the Caesarean,

not tomorrow, you know?

The baby want out!

The baby, the head is here.

OK.

Your room is ready.

Working alongside maternity bed seven is midwife Madzikanda.

Breech, it is a complicated delivery.

The baby is coming bum-first instead of headfirst,

so the head is right at the top of her abdomen,

and then the bum is presenting down instead of coming headfirst.

And it will be difficult for the...

..legs to be delivered,

so that's when they normally opt for a section.

The surgical team in theatres

are currently tied up with other emergencies.

Until they become free, all Iona can do is wait with maternity bed seven.

Newcastle RVI's emergency department is full.

Seriously injured patients are being treated

following a motorway accident.

-So there's a cubicle ready now for her.

-Right.

There's also an additional cubicle if we need it.

A&E bed nine has been with mum-of-two Joanne for 45 minutes.

She was brought in by ambulance with her dad, Brian.

They were involved in an accident on the A1.

Three-storey ladder, straight through the windscreen.

Lucky it didn't take her head off.

And they didn't hit the ground, did they? No.

-No, they didn't hit the ground.

-They came straight off.

I just remember shouting to Joanne, the ladders!

And then, bang.

The windscreen was out.

Joanne's in shock,

and has pain in her back.

She's been given pain relief.

Dad Brian is taken to X-ray.

-Now, we need to get around this side.

-OK!

All right, Dad, I'll be here.

Obviously, I went forward and...

..hit my head off the windscreen and whatnot, you know, but...

luckily, I had my arms up when the windscreen came in.

I'm more worried about my daughter

than what I am about myself.

As long as she's all right, that's the main thing.

That's all I want.

I suppose that's a...

It's a dad thing.

Joanne and her children live around the corner from her mum and dad.

A&E bed nine is taking her to a monitoring bay.

The backboard is taken away.

SHE SIGHS

And I think I've got blood on my new top!

SHE CHUCKLES

I'm pleased I'm off the board now.

I knew it was precautionary for them to put us on.

I've definitely done something to the bottom of my back,

the doctor hasn't examined yet,

cos they're going to give us some more painkillers.

I don't know if it's a new injury,

or if it's pre-existing,

and it's just exasperated it or not, I don't know.

A further examination shows that Joanne's existing back complaint

has been aggravated.

She's referred for physio, and given pain relief.

The results of dad Brian's x-rays

are being assessed by consultant Dr Carol.

I can't see anything that resembles a break,

but he does have long-standing degenerative problems

affecting his neck,

so that is likely to be aggravated by whatever injury he's had today.

So I'll go and have a chat with him.

But there's certainly no new injury

that we need to do anything active with.

Yes.

Mr Short, is that right?

Hiya, I'm Brian, I'm one of the other doctors.

Nigel told me about what he found.

What you will experience is when you've been in bed overnight,

it's all going to seize up,

so when you wake up tomorrow morning,

it's going to feel... as bad as it gets.

If you're getting regular painkillers,

-that should loosen up quite a bit.

-Right.

But then, the following morning,

you're going to be backwards again and you're going to be stiff again,

so it's important you keep some painkillers by your bed.

Shall I take that for you, then?

Take this off, please. Thank you.

HE SIGHS

-That's a relief, just getting that off.

-Fine.

Even now, you're probably going to be fairly seized up...

-Yeah.

-..having sat in the collar for a little while.

OK?

Joanne's pain relief is taking effect.

Dad Brian joins her alongside bed nine, back in the corridor.

Ow. Ow.

Oh, it's stuck in my head.

-What, some glass?

-Aye.

Ow. Ow.

Just a minute.

SHE GASPS

Ohh... You got it?

-SHE GASPS

-Ow!

-Aw!

-Aye, there is a chunk of glass.

Whoa, Jesus!

SHE SIGHS

A piece of glass stuck in her head.

There's some more as well.

Was, you know, going to hopefully be home in time for a cup of tea

and watch Corrers, but I don't think that's...

-Maybe breakfast!

-I was going to say,

I think that may be Coronation Street tomorrow night

instead of tonight!

But at least we're smiling.

Takes more than this for to knock Geordies back!

HE LAUGHS

As soon as Joanne's cuts have been cleaned,

they can both leave A&E

and bed nine.

The emergency department at Newcastle's RVI is busy 24/7.

Each bed sees up to ten patients daily.

There's also some bruises there,

-where it looks as if you might have been grappled a bit.

-Uh-huh.

Running the emergency department is a bit like running a kitchen.

Everything is time-dependent,

everything has to be run through a head chef.

If it doesn't work like that,

the emergency department falls apart.

Nine can, eight can't.

She's not ready to go yet, she hasn't had any antibiotics.

-He's...too sick.

-I'll just...

-Yep, okey dokey.

A&E bed nine is ready for the next one.

Right, I'll get you to hop onto this wizardy-looking bed.

19-year-old Ashley has come into hospital.

-Is that too high for you?

-He's passing large amounts of blood.

-It's a bit high.

-Right.

Come and have a seat up here.

He's also been vomiting, and is in lots of pain.

So how can we help you today, love?

Ashley's being seen by registrar Dr Long.

As soon as I got off the bus,

I just... I felt like...

-..I had a accident from the back.

-Right.

So I went to the toilet, and it was just all blood.

-Right.

-Like, lots and lots of blood.

What colour was the blood?

-Some was, like, really light red.

-Yeah.

-And then other times, it was like...dark.

-OK.

From then,

I've just been nonstop vomiting,

with the pain, and everything else.

-Your pain's kicked up a bit, has it?

-Yeah.

Ashley recently had his appendix out.

After the surgery, there were serious complications.

Popped into the nurse when I got discharged,

like, with the blood,

and it was an infection thing

in my stomach after I got it out.

-In the stomach, or...in the appendix?

-In the appendix area.

-And you had bleeding with that as well, did you?

-Yeah.

-So you've had quite a complicated appendix.

-Yeah, I have.

And before that, are you normally fit and well?

Well...a month before I got my appendix out,

I had an emergency tonsillectomy.

You're having a lot of emergency surgery, aren't you?!

You get no points for coming back, you know?

I know!

10% of adults in the UK will experience rectal bleeding.

When serious, it's treated as a medical emergency.

Since his appendix operation,

Ashley has been taking medication to help with his pain.

No, it's just I'm...

I'm on regular medication at the minute,

I'm on morphine,

tramadol...

and regular paracetamol.

-And you took all that, and you're still in pain at the moment?

-Yeah.

-I'm going to have a feel of your stomach.

-Yeah.

Where is it most sore, if you had to point to one spot?

-Here.

-Just down there.

Have we given you anything for pain relief yet?

No, she tried to put a cannula in my arm,

but she couldn't.

HE GASPS

-That sore?

-She couldn't get my veins.

Dr Long must establish whether Ashley's symptoms

are a result of his previous surgery,

or something new.

That better?

Just going to press a wee bit harder, love, all right?

Big breath in for me.

And all the way out.

She needs to do an internal examination.

-OK, have you had one of these done before?

-Yeah.

I'm just going to pop a wee finger up.

If it's really uncomfortable, let me know, all right?

There's no blood there at the moment that I can see.

It could just be a one-off.

We need to do some blood tests, OK?

So we'll get you going on some fluids.

Take your watch off for me, love.

They normally have to get it through the side of my wrist, before.

Oh, that's a cheery thought, isn't it!

Ashley needs fluids.

Vomiting has left him dehydrated.

Blood tests will detect any infection.

We've got a few tiny ones for us to play with.

OK?

Just a lot of pain?

I'm feeling this is probably blocked off.

How do we normally find anything on you?

Is it your other arm?

Normally they get them in... Like...

We can't get in that one.

That... Like, that one's normally best.

Is that the best one?

We'll do round this side.

Ashley's had trouble providing a blood sample before.

How many attempts last time?

-About eight!

-Oh, no!

I had like, little holes all over my arms!

Cos they tried, like, the same one a couple of times.

And it was like, ow!

Ashley will stay with A&E bed nine until the blood sample is taken.

It will reveal if there's any serious infection.

At Queens Hospital in Romford,

the labour ward is busy.

Yeah, I can't actually book the appointment, Nikki,

but I can e-mail 'em with the patient...

Staff are dealing with several emergencies.

There we go.

Hello!

Hey, lovely!

Maternity bed seven is with Iona.

She was scheduled to have a Caesarean section

because her baby's lying in a breech position.

SHE GROANS

But she's already started contractions.

Gas and air is helping to ease the pain.

Iona and Liviu married a year ago.

They moved to the UK to make a better life for themselves.

Iona has been waiting with maternity bed seven

for over two hours.

Her contractions are getting stronger.

Oh!

Ohhhh!

SHE GROWLS

The sensation to push is a sign that the birth is imminent.

Tell me what you feel like doing.

The sensation for to push.

-You feel like pushing?

-Yes.

Hmmm.

-Hello, there.

-Hello.

How are you doing?

Obstetrician Dr Robinson arrives to establish

how far Iona's labour has progressed.

You have progressed in labour,

you are about 8cm dilated,

so that's why the pains have got stronger

and you're feeling the urges to push.

I'm going to go and speak to a consultant

and see what the safest way is to deliver your baby.

But because you have progressed so quickly,

it may not be safe to do a Caesarean,

we may end up delivering you vaginally in the theatre.

A Caesarean section is no longer an option for Iona.

Maternity bed seven takes her to theatre.

-You need to stay here...

-Oh!

A team of midwives is on standby.

SHE GROANS

They will assist in what is going to be a high-risk breech birth.

In the heart of Newcastle

sits the Great North Children's Hospital.

It has its own A&E department...

..with nine special paediatric beds.

Obviously, if the patients need to come, the patients need to come.

I haven't got any medical beds, do you know what I mean?

So it's just whether it's bed or cubicle,

if I'm going to pop them on, like, Ward 10 or 11, kind of thing.

The beds are the smallest in the hospital...

..designed to look after patients under 16

who need emergency treatment.

Breathe in!

Breathing in.

And out.

Paediatric bed 27's next patient is 11-year-old John.

His mum Tina brought him in after he fell off his bike.

Swing your legs round, then.

That's it. OK, I'm Laura...

He may have broken his arm.

-Just stay there for a moment, all right?

-Thank you.

-Now, is it John?

-Yes.

Nurse practitioner Raine gets the details of the accident.

This your mum that you've brought with you today?

Yes.

OK. I'll give my hands a little wash,

then we'll find out what's been happening with you.

What's happened tonight?

I came off my bike going down stairs.

And how many were you attempting to go down?

About 20.

About 20. And when did you come off?

At, like, the last one.

At the last one. So, you've gone down 19,

and then you fell off at the last one.

And he had his cousin on the back.

Right. And how old's your cousin?

-Nine.

-Nine.

-Nine.

And then when you fell off, did you go over to the side?

Nurse Practitioner Raine checks to see if it's broken.

-Can you make your elbows go nice and straight?

-Yes.

OK, and then can you bend them up?

And then bend them back out?

And then can you flip them over and then back again?

Brilliant. Let me just have a little peep at this arm.

OK.

Now, any pain down in there?

No.

Any pain as we come up?

-Any there?

-Not there.

OK. How about there?

A little tingly. A little tingly, OK. And what about up there?

-Nope.

-No. OK. Anything there?

Can you lift your foot up and touch...

Brilliant, and then back down to the bed, squash my hand in.

Let's see. If you curl your toes up...lovely.

With no broken bones,

Nurse Practitioner Raine

examines the deep lacerations on John's elbow.

-I think your worst cut is up here, isn't it?

-Yeah.

So if you just pop it out for me...

-It's deep, as well.

-It is, isn't it?

My brake, I think, went into it.

You're a tough cookie.

So, what I want to do, I want to give these a really good clean,

especially that one, and then hopefully

we can put a Steri-Strip along there,

just to bring the edges back together.

Is that all right?

-If it doesn't hurt.

-Yeah.

I'm relieved that there's nothing broken.

Just a good clean-up and we can get home and have some tea.

This is not the first time John's mum, Tina, has brought him to A&E.

He's always into mischief when he's outside playing on his bikes,

falling off scooters, going to the skatepark, banging his head.

He's always got bruises up and down his body.

He's a typical little boy.

I usually get hurt climbing trees

and going to the skatepark and all that.

Where I split my hand open, it's got scars.

It's when I was climbing the fence.

I tried to grab the top, but then I realised it had spikes on it.

You might need a stitch.

I hope I don't because it'll sting even more and I don't like stitches.

Nurse Beatty arrives to clean the grit from John's cuts.

Shall we start on this arm?

That one looks all right, doesn't it?

So, you often give your cousin rides on the back of your bike, do you?

-Sometimes.

-Sometimes.

I don't usually let him.

-Do you not normally go down stairs with him on the back?

-No.

I can't go down the stairs on my bike

without anybody on the back, anyway. I'm too scared.

They're all pretty clean, to be honest.

This one's got a bit of sock fluff.

-They're brand-new socks.

-THEY LAUGH

Right, elbow.

It's a big one, there.

-OK.

-She needs to make sure there's no glass or anything in.

Children suffer 2,000 injuries every year on their bikes.

-How we getting on?

-All right.

We're good.

-Do you think you'll go down them again?

-Yes.

Do you? Do you think you'll wear a helmet next time?

-No.

-You should wear a helmet.

-MUM:

-I know.

-You'll end up back on this bed, won't you?

-That's good.

-It's not good.

-It is, I like these beds.

-Oh.

If grit is left in the wound,

it's likely to get infected and fail to heal.

Just pop your arm out straight for me again.

Nurse Practitioner Raine

wants to prepare the area with anaesthetic cream.

What we'll do, we'll put that magic cream on to make it go numb

and then we can give it a really good clean

cos you've got little dots of gravel in there.

-MUM:

-You can see it, can't you?

-NURSE:

-Yeah, and it needs to come out. Is that OK?

Will I not feel a thing when...?

-No.

-You'll just feel us, like, rubbing.

So, we'll put a little bit of gel in the wound and a little bit around.

And then cover it over and it'll go nice and white

and that's how we know it's numb.

Give us a look.

-HE WINCES

-You all right?

There you go.

Just relax your arm down.

That's it.

In 20 minutes, the wound will be numb.

Until then, John will have to wait with paediatric bed 27

to find out if stitches are needed.

At Newcastle's RVI,

A&E bed nine is with 19-year-old Ashley.

He was rushed into hospital following heavy blood loss.

Registrar Doctor Long has struggled to get a blood sample.

Shall we look at the ultrasound

before we stick any more holes in you?

She's having to use an ultrasound machine

to find a suitable vein in Ashley's arm.

Can I just have a look at your other arm and see if that's any better?

Just in case that one looks any better.

OK, sharp scratch coming.

We've found some blood, which is good.

We know you're not a zombie.

Here's your bits and bobs.

Ashley recently had his appendix taken out.

The blood loss he's experiencing could be a sign of infection.

A&E bed nine takes him for an X-ray.

The heavy bleeding could also be caused by a perforated bowel.

The X-ray will also cover Ashley's chest and abdomen.

Ashley, can you just tell me your date of birth, please?

Dr Long is concerned about Ashley's extreme abdominal pain.

He's looking like he's going to have to come into hospital

for a couple of days, so I think our priorities at the moment

is to get him comfortable in terms of pain relief,

make sure he's not got any ongoing infection, and I think just due to

his level of pain and his past medical history,

a surgical review would be appropriate for him.

OK, Ashley, deep breath in there.

A consultation with a surgeon will determine whether Ashley needs

another operation.

I'll give him a call now for you.

Meanwhile, Nurse Burke has arrived at A&E bed nine

to give Ashley more pain relief.

Right, have you had morphine before?

Yeah.

But Ashley's condition is deteriorating.

You all right?

You OK?

Ashley?

Ashley?

Are you OK?

Ashley?

You OK?

Are you all right?

What's the matter? Ashley?

What's the matter?

Is it the pain? Has it come back?

A&E bed nine takes Ashley back to the bay to be monitored.

You all right?

I just had a massive pain and...

Don't know what happened.

Dr Long has made the decision to transfer Ashley

to the surgical team.

Oh, hi, it's Becky on A&E reg's.

Can I refer you a patient, please?

He's taken his own Oramorph,

tramadol, and he's still in a lot of pain,

so he's had some IV morphine from us. But I think,

given his past history and the amount of pain that he's in,

he's not going to escape, I think, without a surgical review,

plus admission.

Ashley leaves A&E bed nine for a bed in the observation unit,

where he'll be seen by a surgeon.

This one's much better, yeah.

It's more comfier than the one round the corner.

A&E bed nine is free for the next emergency patient.

Yeah, I feel like I'll be all right, yeah.

Across at the Great North Children's Hospital...

Hello, Paed A&E.

Hello, Paed DD, Becky speaking.

The paediatric emergency department is also busy.

Has he been coming regularly for blood tests, has he?

A&E bed 27 and 11-year-old John

have been together for just over an hour.

He's had an accident and fallen off his bike.

My arm's killing.

The wound, which is filled with gravel, may need stitches.

I'm not getting stitches.

Needles going through my arm. I'll end up punching them.

Nurses have tried to clean the wound,

but the pain was too much for John.

You ready for us to try again?

-Yes.

-Yeah?

Anaesthetic cream was applied 45 minutes ago.

Nurse Beatty will try again.

-Are you scared?

-Yes. Why's it white?

Because it'll have gone a bit numb.

-Thank you.

-Don't look.

-I can still feel it.

-Don't kick the nurse!

THEY LAUGH

-His legs are going...

-Yeah, I don't want an injury, as well.

-Squeeze my hand.

-Good lad.

-I'll squeeze my own.

Don't want to break your hand.

The wound has to be cleaned in case John needs stitches.

They're really stuck in there.

-Keep still.

-It hurts.

-Give us your hand.

-I'm getting the bits out, don't worry.

They're coming.

HE TAKES SHALLOW BREATHS

-Hurry up.

-I'm trying. I'm trying!

THEY LAUGH

Oh, got some more.

-Aah!

-Maybe we could swap places and have your mum on the bed.

Yeah. I'm not holding his hand any more!

THEY LAUGH

It looks just all, like, black and dirty

and ugly and disgusting.

There's one piece of grit that Nurse Beatty is struggling to remove.

I just can't get that last bit of gravel at the back.

-Oh, just leave it.

-You can't just leave it!

Are you happy for me to have another little poke?

I think we've got it.

-Good?

-Is that it out?

I think we've got it.

-Yeah.

-Yes!

It looks like it's gone, doesn't it?

-Yes.

-Now, whether we can get that together...

If John's large cut can't be closed with Steri-Strips,

he will need stitches.

I don't know whether we're going to get that together.

Will it not just heal?

-No, it's quite... It's deep.

-Oh.

Right, I need you to keep your arm straight for me.

No.

Sorry.

So, will I need stitches?

I think what we should do is ask Louise to come back

and have another look.

I just don't think the Steri-Strips are going to stick.

I couldn't get the wound together just with the small Steri-Strips.

They just wouldn't stick and the wound wouldn't come together.

I don't know if you could come and have a quick look

-and see what you can do.

-Yeah, no, I'll have a little look.

Hello, poppet!

-Can I have a look at this as well?

-Yeah.

Let me just have a little peep, see how clean it is.

That's perfect. Let me see what we can do.

I don't want stitches.

You don't.

So, if you pop your arm out for me...

Nurse Practitioner Raine attempts to

bind the wound with a longer Steri-Strip.

-How does that feel?

-OK.

I'm just going to put another one on.

Can I have a look?

Oh, yes.

-Are you all right?

-Yes.

-You've been super-brave today.

So, these need to stay on for five days,

and they need to stay clean and dry

in that time, OK?

John didn't want stitches, but he would like something else...

Have you got a bandage?

We'll give you a nice dressing on, maybe.

You're desperate for a bandage, aren't you?

-THEY LAUGH

-Let's have a little look.

I think it'd probably be better if we leave that open,

rather than putting a dressing on.

Right. Aw, I want a bandage!

-MUM:

-You don't need a bandage!

THEY LAUGH

-MUM:

-Come on, then. We can go home.

John and his mum head home.

Paediatric bed nine is cleaned and prepped,

ready for its next patient.

It's midnight at Queen's Hospital, Romford and there's an emergency.

30-year-old Iona has been rushed to theatre

on maternity bed seven.

We're just going to clean you and check how the baby is.

Is that OK?

IONA MOANS

Iona was scheduled to have a Caesarean

to deliver her breech baby.

But now she's gone into labour naturally.

It's progressed too far for surgery

or an epidural for pain relief.

You just stay here, make sure that she stays on the table

and doesn't fall off.

Deep breath in and out.

A little bit more in the middle...

That's it. We're going to get your husband in, OK?

Dr Noyan is the anaesthetist

dealing with this emergency delivery.

The plan was to do a Caesarean section.

-Yeah.

-OK. The Caesarean section doesn't make any point

-because the baby is too low down.

-Yeah.

So, in that case, I can't do the spinal anaesthetic

because with the spinal anaesthetic, she can't push as hard

to get the baby out.

I think this baby's coming, so let's see if we can deliver your baby.

IONA MOANS

-The baby's coming now, all right? Yeah?

-Yeah.

All right, Iona, you're doing so well.

I know you're in a lot of pain, but it's too late now for the epidural

-because the baby's just there.

-IONA MOANS

Is that better?

A ten-strong team of doctors,

midwives and other theatre staff are working together

to try and deliver the baby safely.

It's a very high-intensity situation.

There's a lot of things that can go terribly wrong.

Any movement of the mum can be dangerous.

I'm going to put your legs up into the stirrups.

-IONA:

-Oh, no! Oh!

Iona, look at me, OK?

-With the pain, I want you to push.

-SHE STRAINS

Push all the way down, nowhere else.

3% of all births are breech.

Most aren't delivered naturally.

This will soon be over.

Deep breath...

Iona, push into your bottom.

And push, push, push, like you've never pushed before.

Lower, lower.

-She's coming...

-That's it. That's it.

30 minutes after being brought to theatre, Iona gives birth.

That's it.

Good job, you two.

Congratulations.

BABY CRIES

IONA CRIES

It's a healthy baby girl.

THEY SPEAK OWN LANGUAGE

BABY CRIES

-Is that your first baby?

-Yeah.

-Wow!

-Well done. Congratulations.

THEY SPEAK OWN LANGUAGE

Over three hours after arriving on maternity bed seven,

Iona and Liviu are with their new baby daughter, Chloe.

-No, it's OK.

-It's OK if I put you on monitor?

-Congratulations.

-Thank you very much.

I'm really happy.

Now, we're absolutely perfect.

The baby's good,

my wife is OK, you know.

We're together, a family.

It's perfect.

Our hospital beds have given us intimate access

to the work of the NHS.

After a short stay on paediatric bed 27,

John's wounds have healed, and he's back doing stunts on his bike.

Ashley was treated for a serious infection

and spent five days in hospital.

It's now cleared up.

Since the car accident,

Joanne and Brian have tracked down the driver who helped them,

to say thank you.

And after a high-risk delivery, baby Chloe is doing well.

The beds are now back on their wards,

ready and waiting for their next round of patients.