Episode 11 Secret Life of the Hospital Bed

Hand versus chainsaw. It looks painful.

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

Are you all right?

HE CRIES

..with medical teams under constant pressure...

Can Dr Pizzi come to Resus, please?

For anybody as poorly as this little one,

we really need to treat them quickly.

..to meet our expectations.

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.

SHE SCREAMS IN PAIN

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 beds' eyes...

-Hello, my love. Hiya.

..as they share the most challenging...

I don't know what to do, I don't know.

..most intimate...

All right.

-..and most rewarding...

-Happy birthday!

The hospital is wonderful.

-..moments of our lives.

-Thank you for being here.

I'm not going anywhere else.

A hospital cannot function without beds. Beds are vital.

This is...

The population of Newcastle is fast approaching 300,000 people.

When faced with a medical emergency,

residents here head to the Royal Victoria Infirmary.

The A&E department has 29 extremely busy beds.

Obviously we are constantly moving patients from bed to bed

and onto different areas, depending on what they need.

-What have you done to your arm?

-Cut it with a chainsaw.

A&E beds travel the length and breadth of the hospital,

taking patients for X-rays, scans and to other wards.

Our hospital beds, they're like little superstars.

They are part of the team. I think the unsung heroes.

A&E bed nine is used to supporting patients in pain.

Oh!

Andy is 47 years old. He's injured his hip whilst kayaking.

-Just take your time.

-Ah! Oh!

-I've got it.

He's worried he's broken his hip bone.

HE MOANS

Can you straighten your legs out, or not?

An early examination ruled out a hernia,

but he's still in intense pain.

Andy was driven to A&E by his wife, Alison.

-That's got worse, it just gets worse...

-Just moving it?

-I didn't think it was that bad. But now I've had to move...

-OK.

The couple have been married for 12 years.

Something, I've ripped something.

Oh, do you know what, I didn't think it was that bad.

-I really didn't think it was that bad.

-You must have done something.

-Something is not right.

It must just be a certain movement.

Earlier today, Andy was kayaking with friends on the River Tees.

Went into a wave, turned around, let the wave drag me in backwards.

This time, as the boat kind of caught me, just went so quickly,

and I just gripped myself and then it just... As I did that,

before I went upside down, I just...

Oh, my God, it just literally... It was a searing pain in here.

Paddled to the side and I just called one of the guys over.

Kind of like, "I need to get out of the boat, need to get out of the boat."

I kind of just got myself out, but I was just hobbling around on the side.

This isn't Andy's first visit to hospital.

I've been in 20 times here.

I cut my finger, it was years ago, cut my finger through there,

that scar there,

with a carving knife, trying to cut the hedge when I was in my 20s,

because I didn't have any money to afford any proper clippers.

There was another time when I was about 16,

I was racing with my mate, just as kids racing along on bikes.

I said, "Why don't we have a race?" So we were doing that.

Going so quick, and I stopped peddling and my foot slipped and I

went over the handlebars.

Andy has been with A&E bed nine for 20 minutes.

I hope it's not an injection.

I don't like injections.

But at this particular point in time,

if it's a morphine injection, just bring it on.

Yeah, he's rubbish with needles.

I was just about to have my sandwich as well, it's put me off.

SHE LAUGHS

Just seeing him in pain.

See, I'm actually not too bad with pain.

-But that was painful.

-It's just the movement, isn't it?

So obviously something is not right.

Nurse Boyd comes to administer some pain relief.

-Hello. What's your name, sir?

-Andrew Taylor.

-Got some more painkillers for you.

-Oh, is that oral? Is it an oral one?

No needles, not from me. I wouldn't be that cruel to you.

-You just drink that one down.

-Oh, right, OK.

-All right. Ready?

-Mm-hm.

-Not too bad?

-No. It's got an essence of strawberry.

Some people hate it.

-Hello, mate.

-Hiya.

-Going to take you round for an X-ray.

-OK.

A&E bed nine takes Andy to X-ray.

If anything's broken, it will mean no sport for Andy for a long time.

Queen's Hospital in Romford, Essex.

Good morning.

The maternity ward has 25 beds,

all of them specifically designed to offer comfort and support to

the 9,000 women who give birth here each year.

BABY CRIES

There we go!

Hello!

Maternity bed seven is joined by 29-year-old Lauren,

her mum, Jacqueline, and husband, Robert.

There we go, another contraction.

Lauren's been in labour for four hours.

My waters haven't broken yet, have they?

They're still intact? Yeah, OK.

Midwife Campatillo is on shift.

In and out.

In and out.

I think Lauren's doing OK. She's a bit in pain.

She's liking the gas and air.

Robert and Lauren have been together since they were 17.

They have one son, Harley.

She can squeeze pretty tight.

Last time, Lauren's mum thought she might have a broken hand.

There were complications during Harley's birth.

Lauren was in labour for 12 hours.

She wanted a water birth last time.

She couldn't have it.

It's sort of a plus that she gets to at least experience it.

Like 9% of mums, Lauren's determined to have her baby in

a birthing pool this time round.

She hopes the warm water may offer mild pain relief.

You can still use the covers.

-OK, we can go to the pool room. You're six centimetres dilated.

-Yay!

Well done. She's doing brilliant.

Yeah, she does not need any help,

so she can go herself at this moment in time.

Well done. Keep breathing.

The maternity unit has three suites with built-in birthing pools,

which work alongside the beds.

Everything is natural.

They can experience a really lovely labour and birth.

A birthing pool has become available in another room.

It is time for Lauren to leave maternity bed seven.

It is a really natural experience.

Basically, the baby from the inside is born in the water,

so it is like it is still attached to Mummy, but still in

a familiar environment.

Here, maternity bed ten sits alongside the birthing pool.

Before Lauren can get into the water,

Midwife Campatillo checks the baby's heart rate.

It's jumping around!

I can feel it, actually. Amazing.

Feeling emotional.

Mm.

Yeah, again.

Lauren's labour is progressing well.

If it stays on track,

she should be able to have her dream birth in water.

Last year in UK hospitals, more than six million operations were

carried out on patients who were discharged the same day.

They visited specialised units like the Queen Elizabeth Hospital's

day surgery, which has 81 beds.

Our beds are always busy. You have to know what's going on.

You have to make sure that the people you are working with

are aware of what you're doing,

because it affects everybody down the line.

These hospital beds are under constant pressure to get

patients through during a 12-hour shift.

And can you tell me, from the afternoon patients,

who's actually here?

Uh, yeah, OK. Thank you, cheers. Bye, bye.

It's midday and day surgery bed 55 is waiting for its next patient.

Take a seat in there for us.

-Right.

-What happens is, one of my nursing colleagues

in the bay will come over, tell you what's going to happen today.

54-year-old Julie is having surgery to remove

a cancerous growth that has returned on her leg.

A few years ago, it just started off as a little tiny spot, and I just

left it like that, and then about 12 months ago it started bleeding.

And Tim said to me, "I think you'd better go and get that checked out."

So I went to the doctor and got it checked out,

and it's a form of skin cancer but it's not melanoma.

Non-melanoma skin cancer is usually caused by overexposure to the sun.

It's one of the most common types of cancer in the world.

So I've had it removed once, but when they looked at it under

camera, they hadn't taken all of it because it was still on the outside.

Husband Tim is by her side. They've been married for four years.

No, she works in the chippy!

I walked in and then I asked her out!

I think I was a bit taken aback, really, when he asked me out.

-Comfy, Jules?

-Yes, thanks!

-Well done.

They have five children between them.

Julie's youngest, Toni Nicole, is also here today.

-Hello.

-Hi.

-My name is Maria.

I'm your surgeon today.

Surgeon Dr Athanasiadou will perform Julie's operation.

You're having something removed from your leg,

and we're going to probably use a skin graft.

Would you like to show me exactly where it is?

Mm-hmm, yeah.

Julie waited for just two months for this surgery.

Cancerous growths are removed as a priority.

After I've removed it, I'm going to take a shave of skin

from your thigh, and then for about five to seven days

you need to leave it undisturbed

to see if the skin graft is actually taking, as we call it,

-if it's worked, yeah?

-Will it always be like that colour?

There will be a difference in the colour.

In the beginning, it starts being quite red and then it becomes

a bit more pale.

Julie had the cancer cut out before,

but the cancerous cells have returned.

Some of it is taking these other dressings.

Despite having removed it fully, there is still a risk,

about 3-5%, there is still cancer left behind,

and that we can only tell under the microscope.

These are mainly the possibilities.

I'm just going to document everything in here.

-As soon as you're ready, we'll wheel you in, OK? Great. Thank you.

-OK.

The skin cancer is the size of a penny.

To reduce the risk of the cancer returning,

a bigger area of tissue will be removed.

That's a bit bigger than what I thought.

Yeah, it's going to be a bit bigger, isn't it?

That size or something.

At the end of the day, it's better off being like that than

having to come back and have it all done again, isn't it?

-It's still cancerous, though.

-Yeah. Yeah.

-3-4% chance of coming back.

-Yeah, that's not much.

It's very low. Very, very low.

-I'm just going to pop your side up so we don't lose you on the way.

-OK.

-OK, you're taking her now, yeah?

-I am, yeah.

-Right.

-See you later.

-You'll be fine.

Day surgery bed 55 carries Julie to the operating theatre.

She should be reunited with her husband in under an hour...

..cancer-free.

The UK has 14 centres that specialise in children's medicine.

In Newcastle is the Great North Children's Hospital.

Here, nine beds work alongside a team of skilled paediatric staff.

They deal with 30,000 emergencies a year.

I need to find a bed on long stay for that patient.

Paediatric bed 27 is standing by to receive a teenager.

13-year-old Geneva is extremely sick and dehydrated.

-She's being treated by Nurse Park.

-Have you got any pain anywhere?

SHE MURMURS

When was the last time she was sick?

About ten minutes before, ten minutes ago.

More than ten times now since six o'clock in the morning.

And I'm quite worried because, obviously, of the dehydration.

Geneva's mum, Eva, is also a nurse.

She's concerned that her daughter has lost too much fluid.

I tried to give loads of fluids but she cannot tolerate it.

The more you give her, the much more that she's...

it's coming out from her.

So, that's really the reason why I brought her over.

And she's not tolerating any fluids?

She can manage to drink but once she drinks a little,

it doubled up the vomit.

So what I'll do is I'll get some water with some dioralyte in,

and we'll start a fluid challenge, just to see how she goes with 10ml

-every five minutes or something like that, OK?

-Thank you very much.

Geneva is displaying symptoms of the highly contagious infection

gastroenteritis. It affects one in five people in the UK every year.

To prevent the spread of any infection,

Geneva and paediatric bed 27 will stay in their own room,

away from other vulnerable patients.

I think this bed is actually really comfortable.

If I wasn't sick, I would rather, like, have it flat

and with a few pillows

but this is actually, like, better if you're sick because...

..you get to lie down but you get to kind of sit up as well.

Geneva is so dehydrated that her salt,

glucose and mineral levels have dropped.

She needs small but regular doses of rehydration powder,

dissolved in water.

If you could do it every five minutes in there, some water,

and syringe 10mls every five minutes.

We'll see how she goes and if she doesn't tolerate,

-then we'll think of something else, OK?

-OK.

-OK?

I want to feel better.

I don't think you can make it tomorrow.

You had this bad day and sickness.

It should be at least 48 hours until you are free.

What's happening tomorrow is I'm going back to school

but I don't think I'm going to go to school

because I'm quite sick right now.

But, like, I was actually looking forward to it,

to see my friends again.

Paediatric bed 27 will stay with Geneva until there's a change.

Hi. Hello, there. Your consultant.

Dr Clark is the emergency consultant.

-Can I wake her up?

-Yeah, yeah. Geneva.

-The doctor is here now.

-Hello, missus.

You all right? My name's Ryan...

-How are you?

-Sleepy.

-Sleepy.

I understand you've not really had a particularly pleasant morning.

And your dad had the same thing over the weekend. Is that right?

Oh, dear. How was your pain in your tummy now?

I understand you've had some tummy pain.

Erm... Haven't really felt any pain

since we got here because of the bed.

-Is the bed helping you, is it?

-Yeah.

-Right.

Can I have a little look at your tummy. Is that all right?

I'm just going to start down here. You tell me if it hurts.

Until Dr Clark can establish the severity of Geneva's infection,

she's confined to paediatric bed 27.

At the neighbouring RVI in Newcastle,

A&E bed nine is transporting 47-year-old Andy to X-ray.

He has intense pain in his hip after a kayaking accident.

-I don't think I've... I think it's something that's badly ripped.

-Yeah.

It's not a bone thing.

It's a bit like if anybody's got man flu.

Andrew's got man flu.

His eyes are all bloodshot as well, aren't they?

And he has had a week away in Germany. German beer.

Long days, long nights.

-Are you wheeling me to the pub?

-I wish, aye.

This isn't the first time Andy's been to hospital

with a sports injury.

I broke a ligament in my knee years ago, actually snapped a ligament.

That was...worse. That was worse.

Woo-ooh!

Ow!

Andy needs to lie flat for the X-ray of his pelvis.

But even after painkillers, he's in severe pain.

He's taken back to his wife, Alison.

I just think Andrew exaggerates.

Sorry.

The X-ray reveals Andy hasn't broken any bones or caused any

serious lasting damage to his hip.

A&E consultant Mr Zaharia does a final examination.

-Ooh! Bbbrrrrr...

-Sorry.

-Yeah.

-Sorry.

I think what you've actually done is torn the muscle,

-probably at the insertion there.

-Right.

In terms of treatment, there's nothing specific.

-I do expect that this is going to be sore for some time.

-Right.

How we manage that pain is just with the barrage of pain relief

-that we would normally give. So strong, regular painkillers.

-Mm-hm.

We can give you crutches for a period to see if that helps

-you to mobilise. OK?

-Thank you.

-Cool, thank you.

Thank God for that. Thank God for that.

That is sore. That is sore when he touched me just there.

Yeah, you nearly jumped off that bed.

It looks very much like Andy's got a hip abductor strain.

So, when he's been in the kayak, he's had a sudden impact

from a wave and he's had a sudden contraction to that area.

Essentially, his muscles have torn.

There are some muscles that are very easy to rest

but the hip's not one of them. Similar to the back,

you're kind of potentially using that muscle all the time.

It's 10:15 PM.

Andy has now been on A&E be nine for nearly two hours.

He's still waiting for his crutches so he can leave with wife, Alison.

I'm bored. I want to go home now.

I'm just going to get your crutches.

And then they'll help you off the bed.

Health care assistant Belle arrives.

SHARP INTAKES OF BREATH

Getting in and out of chairs, feel for the arms of the chairs.

Don't use these for getting up and in and out of chairs.

They'll slip away from you.

When you're going up and down the stairs,

go up and down on your backside, rather than on these.

-Are we OK to go now that he's...

-Yeah.

Thank you very much.

Andy is discharged from A&E and instructed to rest.

A&E bed nine is stripped down ready for its next patient.

At Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital,

day surgery bed 55 is taking Julie to the operating theatre.

She's having a cancerous growth removed from her leg.

So, this is the theatre, OK?

So, we are going to do the local anaesthetic first and then

we'll leave you to walk a little bit while I get scrubbed and everything.

And then we drape everything.

Rest your head back. Do you need another pillow?

-No, I'm fine, thanks.

-You can rest your hand as well.

Julie's skin cancer is a non-melanoma.

The risk of it spreading is low,

if all the cancerous cells can be cut out.

When she comes to put her knife in, I'll come and give you

a hand to squeeze because it can be a big sting. All right?

So, you're going to feel a sharp scratch and then

a bit of stinging, OK?

Sharp scratch now.

That's the stinging part.

-Is that it?

-No, a little bit more.

We have to put it all the way around cos what you see,

we obviously have to take a slightly bigger area,

so we just need to make sure there's lots of anaesthetic.

You're doing really well.

If you feel any pain while we're operating,

I'm just going to top it up a bit, OK?

Now, Mrs Price, do you feel anything sharp here?

-No.

-No?

That's a good sign.

The cancer will be removed by Dr Athanasiadou.

So, we've taken this out

and so we're going to focus on the skin graft now, yeah?

WHIRRING

-Feeling OK?

-Yeah. I can't feel nothing. I'm fine.

WHIRRING

You've done really well.

-How are we doing, all right?

-I actually just saw that.

-You didn't mean to?

-No, I didn't mean to.

It's actually deeper than what I thought.

Skin taken from Julie's thigh is used to repair the area.

-Will there always be that great, big, massive dent?

-Yes.

It won't be as deep as it looks now.

It's much bigger than what I thought it was going to be.

These are the last few stitches

and we will just put quite a bulky dressing on it,

and then you need to rest at home.

-Will that be OK?

-Yes.

Oh, this was much bigger than last time they took away.

Much bigger. But I don't feel anything.

But I didn't like the look of it, even though I looked at it twice.

-Bye.

-Bye. Thank you.

Thank you.

Day surgery bed 55 takes Julie back to the ward

to be reunited with her husband Tim.

Queen's Hospital maternity unit, Romford.

-I'll do it. I'll do everything.

-All right.

29-year-old Lauren is getting ready to give birth.

Maternity bed ten is by her side,

but Lauren is hoping to use the room's birthing pool.

Husband Robert and mum Jacqueline are with her.

She did know from the start of the first baby that she wanted

the pool birth, the relaxing experience.

And she didn't feel she got that.

Thank you.

You can go in the pool now.

On maternity bed ten,

Midwife Campatillo checks the baby's heart rate.

It's Lauren's second bed since admission.

The first time I checked it was when we went in room nine,

it was a good foetal heart rate and then the second time I checked

I had a difference between the heart rate I checked 15 minute before,

so it was like the baseline of the heart rate was dropping.

So I did call my colleague just to confirm what I heard.

What's wrong?

The baby's heart rate baseline dropped a bit,

so we just need to keep an eye on that.

It's still in the normal limit, but we still need to keep an eye,

all right?

I just need to listen again in a little while, OK?

OK.

Do you like the gas?

She loves the gas.

A low heart rate is an indication that the baby is in distress.

The birth plan may need to change.

We're going to go down to the labour ward

-just to keep a close monitor on the baby, all right?

-OK.

So close.

Lauren's transferred to a third bed.

It's maternity bed 18 in the consultant-led ward.

Specialist doctors are on hand in case

the birth becomes more complicated.

She's trembling. Straighten your legs.

It can be foetal distress, so we really need the close monitor

on the baby and we need doctors,

we need the machine for monitoring the baby

and of course we need the baby doctor around as well.

The heart rate of the baby's dropped,

so I think it's a case of being safe than sorry,

so they've abandoned the water birth at the minute.

They've brought her down here to be closely monitored.

I think she's disappointed, isn't she?

Yeah. They said not to rule out water birth.

If it comes down they would take her back up,

but also in that time she may deliver anyway.

Senior Midwife Khorti examines Lauren.

Lauren, I'm just going to take a quick look.

-You haven't got pain at the moment, have you?

-No.

-OK.

So, what I'd like you to do is turn on your side for me.

The baby may be at risk if it isn't born soon.

To progress the birth, the team needs to break Lauren's waters.

I'm scared.

Everything's fine.

You've got everybody here.

I'm scared.

-Don't be scared.

-Just relax. Relax.

-This is much more relaxing than last time.

-There was probably about

three doctors in the room,

a couple of midwives.

I think a water birth would be...

LAUREN GROANS

I think just cos Lauren wanted the experience.

Can't give birth every day.

Is it coming?

-Yeah, fully dilated.

-OK.

Oh, God!

It might be over soon. You can rest.

If you want to push, stop using the gas.

I need to call for help. Don't be scared, all right?

I need the doctor to come in.

So I had to push the emergency buzzer for extra hands

and for help from a senior midwife and from the doctor.

Extra staff are needed to assist the delivery.

LAUREN SCREAMS

INDISTINCT DISCUSSION

Let's just push and get the baby out.

Lauren's baby's heart rate has dropped to a dangerously low level.

The next few minutes on maternity bed 18 are critical.

At the children's emergency department in Newcastle,

13-year-old Geneva has been on paediatric bed 27

for an hour and a half.

Can I have a little look at your tummy, is that all right?

She's dehydrated after a serious bout of sickness and diarrhoea.

Dr Clark is the emergency consultant on duty.

-It hurts all over here.

-It's all right.

So, the good thing about your tummy, though, when I'm pressing...

is that it's nice and soft.

I think the fact that Dad had something very similar over

the weekend is a big clue that it's probably just gastroenteritis.

We'll make sure that we can try and get things to settle down quickly

and try and get you away.

-Lovely. I'll pop in and see you a bit. OK?

-OK.

-Thanks a lot.

-Thank you very much.

-You're very welcome.

We tend to usually see a lot more gastroenteritis in the winter months.

However, recently there has been a vaccine introduced that

has reduced the amount of diarrhoea and vomiting that we see.

What I want to do right now is drink a whole bottle of water,

but I can't.

It's particularly important for Geneva to have a bed because

first of all she's in discomfort, so we want her to be comfortable.

But actually more importantly,

she's got an infective gastroenteritis,

we don't particularly want her in the waiting room, spreading that

illness around to all the children who are here with injuries.

Paediatric bed 27 and mum Eva have been in very close contact

with Geneva since admission.

Now Eva is showing signs of infection.

I'll just go to the toilet.

But if you need them, if you feel sick or something, press the buzzer.

I need to go to the toilet.

SHE RETCHES

Geneva's mum developing similar symptoms now isn't a great surprise.

If there is a gastroenteritis going around the house, then it's

no surprise that multiple family members are affected.

The virus particles can live for several days.

They can be transferred from surfaces and carried on clothing.

How do you feel?

I can manage.

Mummy's a nurse.

Typical mum.

It's better that you feel this rather than the children.

I'm OK. I'm a typical hard nurse.

Strong, independent woman.

-Hello!

-Hi.

How are you feeling?

Have you been sick any more while you've been with us?

-No.

-Have you had any more diarrhoea.

-No.

-OK.

Have you managed to take any of that fluid that we've given you?

-Yeah.

-Yeah, she's nearly finished.

-Oh, it's nearly all gone.

That's fantastic. That is fantastic.

So, given everything, I think I'll be happy enough with you going home.

-Is that OK?

-Yeah.

-Are you all right?

-Me? No.

I kept going to the toilet.

Feel sick and diarrhoea as well.

-They're terrible, these bugs.

-I know.

Can you give me a smile? There we go.

So, in the nicest possible way...

After three hours, paediatric bed 27 has done its job.

-OK?

-Yeah.

-Good stuff.

-Thank you so much.

-Oh, you're very welcome.

It's given a thorough clean to get rid of any germs before

the next patient arrives.

Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital.

Day surgery bed 55 and its patient Julie

are back on the ward with husband Tim.

Julie's had an operation to remove a cancerous growth on her leg.

I tell you what, Nicole will be impressed with that.

It's massive.

-Is it?

-It's massive.

That is a crater.

It's like as big as that and as thick as that.

This is the second time Julie's had this procedure.

I've got to come back here next Monday to have a dressing change.

She said, "But even then, it's not going to look nice."

-Are you in pain at all?

-No.

-Just let me know cos it might wear off a bit.

-OK.

What happens when she wants to pop in the shower and that?

We'll give you all the discharge advice. It tells you specifically

what you can and can't do and stuff like that.

-Is that all right?

-Brill.

-Yeah, thank you.

-Cheers.

Daughter Toni Nicole is also here.

How much blood?

Nicole, why do you ask? Cos you know you don't like it.

You need to keep the dressing clean and dry for your appointment.

I can't shower for a week?

No. You can do with the one without the dressing.

You can put plastic over it.

-Oh, so I can put a bin bag over it?

-Yeah, you can do that.

-Oh, right.

-What about clingfilm?

Yeah, sometimes they use it. Make sure you don't soak it.

Thank you very much.

-Take care of yourself.

-Thank you.

-I'll get somebody to escort you out.

-Thank you.

Julie will have to wait eight weeks for test results.

If all of the cancer has been removed,

she won't need any more surgery.

It's 1pm at Queen's Hospital maternity unit.

29-year-old Lauren planned to give birth in a pool,

but her baby's heart rate has dropped dangerously low,

so she's been moved to a consultant-led ward.

Don't use the gas now. Let's try and get the baby out.

Lauren has been with maternity bed 18 for 30 minutes.

It's her third bed during this birth.

Push down. Push down. That's good.

Very good.

There's a team of five midwives and doctors.

Maternity bed 18 will be here for as long as it takes.

-Head down.

-Push, push, push.

-Head down. That's it.

-Push, push, push.

Come on. This is so close.

It's not coming!

SHE SCREAMS

Oh, yay!

Hello, baby.

It's a boy.

To welcome a new life is an amazing experience every time.

I always say to the baby, I say, "happy birthday,"

because it is, isn't it?

The start of the life, so she'll be happy.

Lauren's new baby's heartbeat is normal.

As you can hear for yourself, he's absolutely fine.

Well done, Lauren. Well done.

Another lovely little boy.

He's gorgeous.

He looks exactly like his brother.

-SHE GASPS:

-His brother!

I think Lauren would have really liked to have experienced the water birth.

It's not such a big deal cos the baby was born happy and healthy,

but maybe next time.

Lauren will stay on maternity bed 18 until she's ready to move

to a ward with her new baby boy Brody.

Our hospital beds have given us intimate access to

the work of the NHS.

After a month of rest,

Andy is almost 100% fit and back out in his kayak.

Julie is still waiting for the all-clear

following her skin cancer op,

but her leg has healed well.

And Lauren is grateful to all the staff at Queen's Hospital for

the safe arrival of her second son Brody.

The beds are now back on their wards ready and waiting

for their next round of patients.