Episode 5 Secret Life of the Hospital Bed

Hospital beds in the NHS have never been under more pressure...

It's just...unrelenting at the moment.

..with more patients to care for than ever before, and only 150,000 beds to go round.

It is a fast-paced job. It's a nonstop conveyor belt.

In this series, we use special cameras on beds in four very different hospitals.

Comfy bed.

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

Left at the lights.

..and share the most challenging...

Oh, it's coming again.

Oooh...

You feel a bit upset. We'll look after you, OK?

-Are you OK, pet?

-..most intimate...

Goodnight.

..and most rewarding moments of our lives.

So, so happy.

Coming up...

in Newcastle, on A&E bed nine,

38-year-old Joanne is in shock.

All of a sudden, the ladders just flew off the van

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

On paediatric bed 27,

baby Ehtisham has been rushed in with a serious allergic reaction.

Hello, little man. How are we doing?

Allergic reactions are potentially quite dangerous,

because they can affect the upper airway,

so it is important that we get allergies checked out,

especially if it's the first time it's been experienced.

And in Birmingham, on day surgery bed 23,

73-year old Peter faces a crucial biopsy.

He's a bit of a joker, it's his way of dealing with things,

is to make a big joke of it, so that...it gets him through it.

Your bed's like an extra member of staff, almost.

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.

We'll return to find out how badly Joanne and Brian have been injured.

At Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital,

the day surgery unit sees a high proportion of elderly patients.

Bed 43 will be going home in about 20 minutes,

-if you still need the bed.

-Yes, I do, yeah.

Here, more than 80 beds work hard,

dealing with up to two patients each day.

Today, bed 23 is ready for retired builder, 73-year-old Peter.

He's having a biopsy to see if his prostate cancer has spread to his bladder.

I'm afraid it'll collapse.

Must be the hunger.

Got to be the hunger.

You've normally had about ten spuds by now, ain't ya?

Daughter Wendy is with him.

He's absolutely scared stiff.

Not that scared. I'm a bit scared, but...

-..I'll be just glad to see the end of it.

-Yeah.

Peter's checking into bed 23 at 12 noon,

with his operation due to take place this afternoon.

More hungry now than ever.

I know, I know.

Under anaesthetic, there's a risk of being sick

if you've had food or drink,

so he's been nil by mouth.

I'm going to be dead with the hunger if they don't hurry up.

-Smelling that food coming through he was like that, "Oh, God!"

-That was a killer.

-"Oh, my God!" Yeah.

-Oh!

He's got prostate cancer.

He's got cancer of the bones...

and now this.

Worst case scenario is that it's going to be another form of cancer...

that he's got to deal with.

-Hello.

-How are you?

-How are you? I'm fine, how are you?

I'm all right, thank you.

-I'm a staff nurse, nice to meet you.

-And you.

Staff nurse Shiwega has worked on the ward for three years.

What do you prefer to be called?

-Peter!

-Peter or Mr P?

-No!

Can you confirm your date of birth for me, please?

The 11th of the sixth, '43.

No, '73!

Oh, you look young. What's the secret?

20 Guinness.

And bacon and cabbage!

He's a bit of a joker. It's his way of dealing with things,

is to make a big joke of it, just so that...

It gets him through it, you know.

Any anxiety or depression?

Oh, I get depressed.

-Are you on medication?

-No, all I need is a woman!

Don't know where to put myself, you know.

Going to go and sit in the toilet for a minute!

It's a shame we cannot prescribe that!

On the NHS, yeah. Here's a woman, come down and see you in a bit.

Do you smoke or drink alcohol?

I drink a lot of Guinness.

But I don't smoke.

So how many do you have in a week?

Up to 160.

Is that... Are you kidding me?

No.

It's nice to meet you.

-Nice to meet you.

-Nice to meet you too.

-If you need anything, just give me a shout, I'm outside.

-OK.

All right, thanks very much.

Feel free to be at home, feel at home.

LAUGHTER

Feel at home, but no Guinness!

All right. All right, thanks.

-Bye!

-Thank you.

-Bye, love.

He does like the odd Guinness, and that's his way of dealing with...

the pain and the idea that

he has got cancer and it might not be something that they can cure.

His drinking is a big worry, because we don't think his tablets work

when he drinks to excess.

But at the end of the day, he's a 73-year-old man.

I'm not going to stop him. You know, at the end of the day,

it's what he wants to do.

And it makes him happy.

So we just let him carry on with it.

Later, we'll see how Peter gets on with his important biopsy.

The Great North Children's Hospital in Newcastle has 246 beds.

So, what's happened with you, John?

-I feel off a bike.

-You've fallen off your bike?

They're the smallest beds in the hospital, providing specialist care

for teenagers and babies,

and every age group in between.

-I'm going, don't worry.

-Everyone's coming.

On average, 100 children a day will arrive at the paediatrics emergency department.

I've just had four referrals from another hospital,

however, as far as I'm aware, we don't have any beds at the moment,

but again, we can't refuse the patients if they need to come.

We'll just find beds for them when they get here.

Bed 27 is freed up and ready to see its second patient of the day.

-Thank you.

-And if you just pop him on the bed there, if that's OK.

Six-month-old Ehtisham

has been rushed in by ambulance after his mum and grandparents

noticed a serious rash all over his body.

-Has it carried on getting worse?

-Yeah, I think so, yeah.

-So it hasn't got any better at all.

-His back is worse.

What we'll do, we'll get one of the doctors to come

-and have a little chat with you and we'll see what we need to do. All right? Lovely.

-Thanks.

-Thank you.

Any allergic reactions in babies this young

can be life-threatening.

Dr Cummings is quick to attend.

-Hello, my name's Dan, I'm one of the doctors.

-Hi.

How are we doing?

I give him pasta, food.

After five minutes when I see he's got, like, red patches and white patches on his body

and it starts getting worse and worse.

His ears and his face and everywhere.

Um, it's still there.

It didn't go away.

-Um, he's quiet eating as well.

-OK.

-Has he ever had anything like this before?

-No. First time.

Hello, little man.

How are we doing?

Allergic reactions are potentially quite dangerous,

cos they can affect the upper airway and have...

Cause difficulty breathing, so it is important that

we get allergies checked out, especially if it's the first time it's been experienced.

Dr Cummings' priority is to make sure Ehtisham's airway is clear.

OK.

It's OK. Just checking his tongue's not swollen up.

-OK.

-OK.

-OK, is there any allergies in the family?

-Has anyone got asthma, hay fever?

-Yeah, he had eczema, dry skin and stuff like that.

Yeah, my, um, my husband had eczema as well.

-And my... he had hay fever all the time as well.

-OK.

Yeah, in the family we have allergic to peanuts, nuts, and stuff like that as well.

And wheat as well.

OK, so we're fine.

'Sashaman's family have got quite a significant allergy history,'

with a couple of family members having

very severe allergic reactions,

which means they've got to carry adrenaline pens.

I'm really happy that the reaction hasn't been that severe,

because they're really scary and potentially life-threatening.

But with such a significant family history, it is important that we consider that there may be

a more severe reactions down the line.

-I've got some medicine for him.

-Right.

-To help with his scratching. And it'll help with his rash as well.

-OK.

OK?

-There.

-That's lovely medicine.

Oh, it feels a bit funny this one, doesn't it?

There we go. There we go, all done.

-Thank you.

-All done.

Thank you very much.

Ehtisham needs to stay on bed 27 for observations.

The next three hours are critical.

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.

Back at Birmingham Queen Elizabeth Hospital, day surgery bed 23

has played host to Peter for over two hours now.

He's been waiting to go to theatre

to see if he has cancer in his bladder.

I get frustrated waiting too long.

-Two o'clock.

-It's 2:40pm.

This is a joke.

Oh, God.

Tiring, all this waiting around.

Another hour passes in bed 23 when Ward Sister Davies comes to speak to

Peter about his planned operation.

-Hello there.

-Hello.

-Hello.

I'm really sorry but Theatre have just rung me to say that they need

to cancel you today, they have run out of time to do the operation.

All right? So what we're proposing to do is send you home today.

I don't want to go home now.

He's having you on! Don't worry.

It is always a last resort when we cancel patients.

It's a really long day for the patients,

especially if they've had to be nil by mouth, and, obviously,

the longer they wait, the more tired, frustrated,

dehydrated they get.

Last year, less than 1% of all surgeries

were cancelled at the last minute.

That's lovely.

Unfortunately, Peter is one of the unlucky few.

I can't make it tomorrow so he's going to have to, unfortunately,

come in on his own.

OK? Come on then.

I can't have another day off work, unfortunately.

-Thanks very much. Are you on tomorrow?

-No.

Who's he got tomorrow?

I don't know.

Your legs are killing you, aren't they?

A bit disappointed that I waited so long but nothing we can do about it.

-If there's an emergency, there's an emergency.

-Yeah.

I could have a lot of exercise.

THEY LAUGH

So Peter will return tomorrow...

-See you tomorrow.

-See you later.

..in the hope that his bladder biopsy will finally go ahead.

Coming up on The Secret Life Of The Hospital Bed...

..in Birmingham, on day surgery bed 41,

73-year-old Peter is back to find out if his cancer has spread.

The advantage of you being asleep is that we can take a biopsy of that red patch,

if it still looks red, and if it looks suspicious.

Yeah.

On paediatric bed 27, baby Ehtisham starts to rally.

-No, I think he's looking a bit less red.

-Yeah, yeah.

He is, he is, yeah.

And in Newcastle, on A&E bed nine,

47-year-old Andy struggles with intense pain.

Just take your time, sir.

Aaaargh!

I've got it.

In Newcastle, bed 27 on the paediatric A&E ward

is still with baby Ehtisham, who's been under observation for the last three hours.

Ooh, OK.

HE GURGLES

He was brought to hospital after having an allergic reaction

to trying pasta for the first time.

-Oh, you not feeling well?

-HE GURGLES

You not feeling well?

Oh! Poor baby.

'I started giving him solid food when he was five-and-a-half months,'

so it was almost like two, two-and-a-half weeks now.

I never give him pasta, anything like that before.

Normally just fruit or carrots, like that.

So, the first time I try, and then this happen.

KNOCK ON DOOR

Ehtisham was given an antihistamine earlier.

Dr Cummings is back to check his progress.

The colour is... Yeah, I think it's gone slightly less now.

-Before, it was quite a lot.

-He's looking a little bit better?

Yeah. Yeah.

You see from here as well.

It was very red before.

Yeah.

No, I think he's looking a bit less red.

-Yeah, yeah. He is, yeah.

-I'm quite happy with that.

-So, I think this medication I've given you has worked.

-OK.

And what we'll do is we'll give you

the same medication we've given him to take home,

-just as a liquid.

-OK.

'Obviously, the first thing to do is to advise Mum

'that if he gets any of these symptoms again,'

she can give him this medication

and then either to ring her GP, or ourselves

and we'll happily see him again.

'In the meantime, we're going to put a referral through

'to the allergy specialist doctors.'

It may be that, just because he's had a mild reaction to this,

we can't avoid the fact that he may also have a more severe reaction

to something else as well.

So, it's important to identify those factors so we can minimise the risk.

Erm...

we are going home now!

You are better. The doctor said you can go home.

And...

you can have your medicine tomorrow, that's it.

And then we can be normal...

After two-and-a-half hours,

Ehtisham is ready to leave bed 27.

-OK, give him two doses tomorrow.

-Yeah.

-Just to make sure.

-Yeah.

And that will be all. It's just as and when.

But give us a ring if he gets...

-Thank you.

-Bye-bye.

-Bye. Thanks very much.

-Bye.

-Bye.

-Bye.

Bed 27 is freed up and ready to receive its next patient.

Next door, at the Royal Victoria Infirmary,

the A&E department has 29 extremely busy beds.

-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.

We'll return later to find out how serious his injuries are.

In Birmingham, at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital Day Surgery,

73-year-old Peter has returned for a biopsy on his bladder

to see if his cancer has spread.

It should have happened yesterday,

but the operation was cancelled due to a number of emergencies.

Hello. I'm back again.

-How are you?

-Not too bad.

Yesterday, Peter spent four hours waiting on bed 23.

But he's hoping everything will go smoothly today.

-Peter Hessian.

-That's me.

-Hello.

-I'm Rachel, one of the nurses looking after you.

How are you doing? Come through.

OK, just this room.

He's in bed 41 today

and Nurse Lloyd is caring for him

They cancelled at five o'clock. Did you go home and eat plenty?

I just had a pork pie and a pint of milk.

Is that all you had?

I'm not a very big eater.

It's two days in a row now.

I had bacon and cabbage.

-It's good.

-Very nice.

Blood pressure is perfect, 142/83.

Thank you! That's what I like to hear!

-Keep me smiling!

-We will.

-All right.

-OK.

-Yeah.

You try and make it as nice as possible for them

cos I know nobody wants to be in hospital.

A lot of the time, people are nervous, they don't want to be here

so we try and have a laugh and a joke where possible.

I gave theatres a call. They know you're here.

I think you are third on the list so maybe a little bit of a wait but

hopefully not as much as yesterday.

Depends how long the cases are before.

Hopefully not too long. All right.

Consultant urologist Mr Doherty

is one of the UK's most renowned prostate cancer specialists.

-You're here this afternoon to have an inspection of your bladder.

-Yeah.

Is that how you understand it?

-Yeah.

-And I believe one of my registrars

had a look with a flexible telescope some time ago, a few weeks ago.

-Yeah.

-Saw a red patch?

-Yeah.

-And that's what we're going to look at today.

The advantage of you being asleep

is that we can take a biopsy of that red patch

-if it still looks red and if it looks suspicious.

-Yeah.

Good, OK, good. I'll see you shortly.

Thanks very much!

2.15 and earlier than he expected, bed 41 takes Peter to theatre.

Peter is currently being treated for prostate cancer.

Today, he's having a bladder biopsy

to check that the cancer hasn't spread.

It's a massive thing to go through emotionally. Generally speaking,

it's a bit, "My God, it's going to change my lifestyle,

"my days are numbered."

Part of our job as consultants is to explain the patient that it doesn't

necessarily mean they're going to die rapidly of something,

but they are likely to need treatments to control it,

and sometimes we can even cure people with cancer.

We'll come back to Peter later as he returns to the ward.

At the Royal Victoria Infirmary 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.

Back at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham,

73-year-old Peter is having a biopsy

on his bladder to see if his prostate cancer has spread.

Consultant Mr Doherty has just completed the procedure.

So we've just finished looking inside his bladder

and we're very pleased that there's nothing dangerous there.

He'll be pleased to know there's nothing more serious.

The cancer hasn't spread any further.

He's a character. He seems to be very accepting of the diagnosis,

and gets on with it. He takes his treatment on the chin, so to speak.

He's responding well to treatment hence why he's in good spirits.

The day surgery unit closes at eight o'clock.

At the end of his second day,

bed 41 transports Peter to a ward to recover.

So, once you've ate, drank and got up and moved around,

we'll look to discharge you still.

I feel 100%.

Raring to go.

I could get up and walk, if I was allowed to.

Just glad it's over!

I'll be glad to get home.

Daughter Wendy arrives to take Peter home.

But he can't be released until he has gone to the toilet.

I can't go to the toilet!

I just feel, it's coming, like, but it doesn't,

-and you're just...

-HE SIGHS

LAUGHTER

Just need to make sure everything's working properly before we leave.

It's probably messed up my sex life now!

LAUGHTER

What's that, then?

If he doesn't manage to go soon, Peter may need medical intervention.

If you can't pee in the next half an hour or so,

we may have to catheterise you, but we'll speak to the doctor about that.

Is there any chance somebody

can go out and get me three pints of Guinness?

Closest thing we've got is probably alcohol gels.

Only joking. Thanks.

Up to 70% of patients have trouble going to the loo after surgery.

I'll have another drop of water.

It seemed I was in there an hour.

It's just...not coming out.

30 minutes go by.

He just wants to go home, at end of the day.

He's just really fed up.

Peter returns.

No success.

I've not been.

OK, so we'll keep you overnight.

Oh, I've been but I forgot to save it!

Oh!

You're trying. You're all dressed up to go home, as well.

-Yeah!

-Give us a hug.

-All right?

-Give us a hug. All right?

-All right.

-I'll see you in the morning.

-Yeah.

-Yeah?

-All right?

-I'll see what happens.

-All right. See you later.

-Ta-ra.

-Ta-ra.

Delighted,

but I won't be delighted as much till I see the back of the door!

Peter managed to go to the toilet during the night.

He can finally go home.

-All right.

-All the best. Take care.

-OK.

-Bye.

-Bye!

Peter leaves in the knowledge

that his cancer hasn't spread any further.

Our hospital beds have given us intimate access

to the work of the NHS.

Since their car accident, Joanne and Brian

have tracked down the driver who helped them, to say thank you.

Peter has undergone chemotherapy for his prostate cancer.

He's hoping to enjoy a pint of Guinness before too long.

And Andy's hip has fully recovered, he's just glad to be free of pain.

The beds are now back on their wards,

ready and waiting for their next round of patients.