All language subtitles for Ambulance S12E05_Subtitles01.ENG

This programme contains some strong
language and scenes which some
viewers may find upsetting

Ambulance Service.
Is the patient breathing?

Across the UK, more than 14 million
999 calls are made

for an ambulance a year,

with the
North West Ambulance Service

receiving a new cry for help
every 20 seconds.

As the pressure builds...

There's absolutely no reason
to talk to me like that.

I'm trying to help you here.

..the control room has to decide
who will receive an ambulance...

17-year-old male. Cardiac arrest.

..and who must wait.

We do have delays at the moment of
up to eight hours and 45 minutes.

On the ground, ambulance crews
race to save lives...

..and offer the best help they can.

It's been nice of you to come.

You're ever so nice to talk to.

Tell you what, Norman,
you're made of strong stuff!

Black pudding?

I love a bit of black pudding.

From the picket line...

Everyone's gone on strike
because no-one can afford to live.

..to the front line...

Are you going to be violent
towards our crew?

..this is the story
of some of the darkest days

in the history of our NHS.

He was quite happy to die
on the streets of Manchester.

It's going to probably get a little
bit worse before it gets better.

3276...

Unexploded bomb.

To my hometown!

Beats Darwen.

Nothing beats Darwen.

Morning.

Morning.

It's the Easter holidays

and the start
of a new 12-hour day shift

for the North West Ambulance
Service.

Did you get eggs?

Well, I noticed them at the back
of the fridge last night, so...

Did you? Yeah. I pretended
I hadn't seen them,

otherwise I'd have eaten them all.

This morning,
dispatchers Nat and Mel

are responsible for 22 ambulances

covering the 81 square miles
of Manchester and Salford.

Easter Sunday's like Christmas Day,
isn't it?

Yeah, it's a family day.

We're the Easter bunnies
dishing out jobs.

Think I'd rather have chocolate,
but, yeah, let's go. Me too.

Let's do it.

Home for the day.

THEY LAUGH

Also working
the bank holiday weekend

are Alpha 097 -
paramedics Ash and Sarah.

Sarah, cab's filled with choc
cos it's Easter.

A little chocolate egg!

Oh, thank you!

We can share this later. Mwah!

Well, I may have bought myself
one as well.

And Alpha 169 - Jill and Louis.

Alpha 169, very good morning.

Thank you very much for your
sign-on. Happy Easter weekend.

Happy Easter weekend!
We are ready and raring to go.

Fingers crossed for a good weekend.
I'll speak to you later.

Here we go. They're starting
to come in.

It's downhill from here.

Ambulance Service.
Is the patient breathing?

She's gone into labour?

An emergency ambulance
has been arranged for her, OK?

Can you see
any part of the baby now?

Just try and stay calm for me, OK?

We are coming as quick
as we possibly can.

Have you seen this Cat 1 labour,
saying baby's bottoms coming out?

Right. Can we have a second SP
on that, please?

Romeo 303.

Romeo 303. Thanks.

I've just got a Category 1 call
coming in.

It's a 34-year-old female,
conscious and breathing.

She's in labour.

It does say that the
baby's bum's being presented,

so it is looking
like a breech baby. Over.

Yeah, that's all received.
I'm mobile to it now.

A breech birth is when a baby's body

is positioned to come out
before its head.

This can result in the head
becoming stuck,

decreasing the flow of blood
and oxygen available to the baby

through the umbilical cord.

591, thank you.

I've just sent through
a breech labour.

There's several resources
on the way.

You're going to be
the second ambulance.

Two ambulances and an advanced
paramedic have also been dispatched.

Senior paramedic Jack

is eight minutes away.

Can you see the back
of the baby's neck yet?

No?

How's mum?

She's trying to push?

The head's coming?

She's doing really well.

Just encourage her to keep pushing.

WOMAN SCREAMS IN DISTANCE

What's happened?

Is baby out?

SIREN WAILS

What's happening?

OK, dry the baby with a towel.

This can help make the baby cry.

Make sure they're dry.

If you rub them, it should help.

Is the ambulance there with you?

Hello?

Hello.

OK. Resping all right now?

Well, congratulations.

I thought I were having
a C-section. Right?

Wanted to come out and given you
an Easter surprise. Yeah.

Romeo 303.

OVER RADIO: 303, hello,
it's dispatch here.

Can you confirm if baby is now born
or still breech?

Yeah. So, baby's born.

Was born just before my arrival.

Was born breech, conscious
and breathing,

just pinking up nicely now.

Is Dad cutting the cord? Yeah.

Between these two.

I'll be fine now.

Aw, congratulations!

Baby number four and an Easter baby.

Come here.
Let's get you all wrapped up.

BABY CRIES

All right, then, you ready
for a cuddle?

So, just keep her
nice and tucked in.

Keep her nice and warm.

Have we got a name?

Yeah. Casey.

Casey? Aw!

Beautiful.

CHILD: What colour eyes has she got?

What colour eyes have you got?

You've got green, haven't you?

Green. They might be green then.
One's blue and one's green.

Right then. We're going to take
her up to the hospital,

let the midwives
have a look at her

and just make sure she's OK.

Yeah, Mum's going as well.

And then they'll be back home later.

Yeah. Get back home
for their Easter dinner.

Oh, beautiful.
You're making me broody.

Two's enough for me, I think.

THEY LAUGH

You've done amazing.
It's an amazing job.

Romeo 303.

Romeo 303, thank you.
Just received your clear.

I believe a congratulations
is in order.

Yeah, that's right. Yeah.

8:18, little baby Casey was born.

Aw!

Yeah. Supposed to have a
C-section next week,

but, yeah, little Casey
had other ideas

and just turned up Easter morning.

Oh, that's lovely.

Well, thank you very much,
I'll speak to you in a bit.

So, I've just had an update
on the baby. Oh, go on?

A little girl, absolutely perfect.

Mum's fine. Baby's fine. Aw!

Oh, I'm so glad she's OK. I am.

What an entrance. I know.

Honestly. Happy birthday, baby girl.

Lovely, that. Aw!

313, are you receiving?

Everybody's going to be in churches,
it's Easter weekend.

This other woman came
in the background and she goes,

"He looks like he's leaving us."
I was like, "Oh, God."

It's halfway through the shift

and there are now over 300 patients
waiting for an ambulance.

Ambulance Service.
Is the patient breathing?

Busy, busy.

It's absolutely insane!
What is going on?

I feel like, in about an hour,
I'm just going to go BOOOF.

In Salford, Alpha 169,
Jill and Louis,

have just become available.

AUTOMATED MESSAGE:
999 Mode Activated.

Dementia.

Hi, Alpha 169,
I've got another job for you.

You're off to a Category 2 call.

It's come via the 111 service.

The patient is not opening her eyes

and suffers with dementia.

Her husband is on scene. Over.

Brilliant, will do, thanks for that.

Louis and Jill are the nearest
available ambulance

and are four miles away.

Got a lot of dementia jobs this
weekend, haven't we? Yeah, we have.

I'm just a bit concerned
about my wife at the moment.

She's in the back conservatory.

Hello. My name is Louis
and this is Jill.

What's this lady's name? Jean.

Jean.

How long has she had dementia for?

About four or five years.

She's been like this since
yesterday and today.

With her eyes shut? Her eyes shut
and I can't get any response.

OK. She wouldn't walk.

OK.

Jean, can you hear me, sweetheart?

Can you open your eyes for me, Jean?

It's worrying because it's gone
on for 24 hours.

It's never been on for this long?
No.

Right, so I don't know if you've
attempted to open her eyes but when

we've attempted to open her eyes
there, it's almost as if

she's keeping them shut. Yeah. Yeah,
there's not...

Trying to give her a shower.
It was an effort getting her in.

Yeah. But I got her in.
Undressed her, sat her down,

took everything off
and then showered her

but she didn't open her eyes.

And then I dressed her.

She had a hot cross bun today with
her eyes closed.

She ate that. She's ate that. Yeah.

I put it in her hand and she ate it.

So the checks that we've done
so far,

I think... They're OK, yeah? Mmm.

They're all OK.

It's a tricky one, isn't it? It is.

I do think it's a deterioration
of her dementia.

Are you her main carer? Yeah.

How are you managing?

Believe it or not, OK.

It's just this, it's upsetting.

Yeah, of course it is, yeah.

Have you noticed a decline in her
dementia over the...? Yeah, yeah.

Like I say, I've just been out
and bought a wheelchair.

But I don't want
her in the wheelchair all the time.

No, she needs to keep moving.

Definitely.
You've got the right attitude. Oh!

Hey, hang on.

Hello!

Back in the room!

SHE MUMBLES

So, how she's talking now,
is that normal?

Yeah.

Was you having a little sleep?

SHE MUMBLES

It was nice?

I'm jealous.

How long have you been married?

About 35 years.

Have you? This is our
second marriage, yeah. Right.

Who does your nails, Jean?

Do you go to the shop
and have them done?

Yeah, I take her down.

Nice colour them and all.

I just go down and look at
the chart and just...

What colour you fancy. Yeah.
Did you have red?

Yeah, we got glitter. Did you?

Yeah.

Do you remember that?

You can see you're smiling.

Do you have any respite?

No. No.

I mean, I was reading some
of the books they sent.

They sort of call it the long
goodbye, don't they?

It's not a nice thing.
It's painful, isn't it?

It affects me more than Jean.

Because Jean don't know she's
got it. No.

And it's not like cancer,
where you can nurse somebody. No.

No.

Have you had anyone come
round and assess her mobility?

Any OTs or anything like that?
No. No.

Do you feel like you want an
assessment?

Because we can arrange it for you.

Er, yeah. Yeah? Yeah.

Hiya, I wonder if you can help me?

My name's Jill, I'm a paramedic from
the Ambulance Service.

Can I potentially refer a patient
to you, please?

Husband is the main carer for her.

I think he's slipping
under the radar. He's just...

Because he's managing himself,
he's not got any help or support.

Then he's buying his own
equipment, stuff like that.

So I think that's an element, yeah,

where he could utilise possibly
an OT assessment,

come out, assess her mobility and
see if there's any aids

that she needs around the house.

I don't know whether you'd be able
to do some bloods to see

if she's got an infection brewing
or whether you'd be able

to come out, do an assessment,
see what you think?

Will do, excellent.
Thank you very much.

All right, then, bye-bye.

Right, someone's going to come out
today. They didn't say what time.

It's an over-two-hour response.

You're doing a good job.
You are.

Well, yeah. I mean, wedding vows,

it was in sickness and health,
you know, so... Yeah.

Is Stuart doing an all right job?

Hey, she raised her eyebrows then,
she went...

Didn't you? He's a good egg.

We can always tell who's
a good egg and who's a bad egg.

Thank you very much. Be careful,
watch your step. I will do.

Take care. See you later.
See you later.

RADIO: Alpha, 169, thank you.

I've just got you clear
from this job.

I can see you left the patient
at home. Have you got an update?

So, this lady had dementia.

Her husband was the main carer

and he's just looked after her and
she's just slowly, slowly declined.

It was sad, really, because he just
sort of like said,

"It's like..."

What did he say, Louis?

He said it was like a long goodbye.
It was like a long goodbye.

Living with someone with dementia,

you just literally watching them
deteriorate day by day.

And it was so sad, really.

It sounds like he really loved
the wife then.

He was just saying, you know,
it's in sickness and in health

and that's what he took
his vows for.

And he's prepared to, you know,

care for her in her sickness
and in health days.

So, yeah, bless him.

He was, he was a good egg.

Aw, it's got me all choked up,
that, you know.

Are you two OK?

We are good, thank you.

Good, thank you very much. Um...

Sorry, I've got all choked up.

Aw.

You all right, mate?

She's got dementia.

He's just solely looking after
her and...

It's just watching someone that he
loves deteriorate, just...

I can just...

You know. I get it.

I get it.

Mmm.

Outside of work, as a family,
we are dealing with a bereavement.

Coming to work sometimes just,

you know, you can relate
to these jobs.

Because we are so busy,

sometimes you don't get
time to think.

You're dealing with what's in front
of you right there and then.

It's when you take a step back
from it that you think,

"Oh," and then you remember.

You remember what's going on.

Grief comes in waves.

It's up and down all the time.

And...

..it makes me appreciate the time
that I've got.

I try to make every moment count.

Life is fragile and anything
can happen.

097, go ahead.

You said she's fallen from about
12 foot, is that right?

OK, so, an emergency ambulance
has been arranged for it.

We do need to make you aware
that we are very busy.

We aim to be with you as soon
as we have an ambulance available.

So, currently, it's likely
this could be over 30 minutes.

It's the final hour of the shift.

Call volumes remain high.

A new call is being answered
every 20 seconds.

Is he breathing in and out normally?

And there are still 298 patients
waiting for an ambulance.

498, thank you very much.

This is a Cat 1, please.

A three-year-old female.

Said to have been bitten on
the face by a dog.

I do apologise that we have got
emergency calls queuing,

but if his condition does
get worse or changes,

you can call us straight
back on 999.

We've got this five-year-old
that's fallen off a trampoline

and broken her arm in two places.

It's come out "refer to a treatment
centre within the hour",

but she can't take the child
because she's got other children

at the property.

She's screaming in the background.

That just sums up the day,
doesn't it?

097, I have just sent a
Cat 2 through to you, please.

It's a 58-year-old male.

He is conscious and breathing.

He has had a fall and got
a head injury

and the patient is also
reported to be intoxicated.

If you could update us from scene,
that'd be great, thank you.

Not a problem. We'll let you know
when we get there.

I think that's going to give
them a late finish.

Ash and Sarah are the nearest
available ambulance

and are one mile away from
the patient.

Fall and head injury... Had a little
bit too much. ..with intoxication.

The only problem I find is that,

when people are intoxicated,

sometimes, they don't always listen
to the advice that you give.

Yeah, it's difficult, isn't it,
that, I think.

I'm hoping that he...

..he listens.

If he needs to go in,
that he'll come with us.

Hello!

Good afternoon. I'm Ashley. Hello!
This is Sarah. What's your name?

John. John. What's happened today,
John? Why are we here?

I fell over. Oh, have you?
Where did you fall?

Over the TV and everything.
You fell into the TV. OK.

John, just while Ashley's talking
to you, can I do some checks on you?

Yeah. Perfect. Are you the carer
that picked him up?

No. No. I'm his son.
Oh, right, OK.

So, what's the story?
That's my son. That's your son.

The neighbour's upstairs.
I'm his son. Right.

Can you relax that arm down, John?
They picked him up.

It's just going to go tight
on your arm, OK?

He's got a cut on the back of his
head. OK.

So then they called me, I've come.

So, what time, around, did the
people pick him up off the floor?

It's got to be round about half one.
Oh, right, OK.

All right. And do you know
what time he fell? Do you know?

I'm not sure. He falls
quite a lot, actually. Does he?

Is he a frequent faller? Have you
got his copy of his medication?

Is he on any blood thinners
or anything?

Oh, wonderful. It's all there.

So, we're on clopi.

Thiamine.

John, do you know
what time you fell?

About one o'clock this morning. You
fell at one o'clock this morning?

Have you been on the floor
all that time?

I can explain. So, I came
at ten to eight this morning. Right.

So this is his second fall
of the day? Right, OK.

We got it through
that we were intoxicated.

Are we a regular drinker?

Dependent, every day?

Oh, right, OK.

And apart from that,
what's his medical history?

See, I've only been back in his life
since October, to be fair.

Right, OK. All right.

John, I think, today, I want to
run you down to Salford Hospital

to go and speak to a doctor.

Your blood pressure's a little
on the low side,

and your temperature's quite low.
I'm not going to hospital.

OK. Let me explain why I want you
to go and speak to a doctor.

Just listen to what they've got to
say. I'm not going to the hospital!

You have to go.

John? It's a little laceration.
I can patch it up.

I'm not going!
I'll just clean it up.

John, why don't you want
to go to the hospital?

Cos I don't want to.
OK. Is there a particular reason

why you don't want to go? The
waiting list.

The waiting time. Yeah.

I think it's important we get that
head checked, though, by a doctor.

You take clopidogrel. It's a little
bit like a blood thinner.

If you've been falling,
we could have a bleed.

I know what's wrong with me.

Right.

Well, John, here's our problem.

So, you've had two falls
already today, haven't you?

And what about if you
have another one?

We don't want to leave you here

and then come back
and everything be worse.

What do you think?

I know it's not nice sitting
in hospital and waiting, but I

think you need some checks doing,
and I think we need a plan

to make sure
that you're safe to be here.

Cos at the minute...
I agree with yous. Yeah? You do?

So, does that mean that you'll come
with us? Yeah. Oh, thank you, John.

Are you travelling with, or are
you going to just be contactable

by phone? Contactable by phone.
That's fine.

Have you just got the one?

No, two. Two.

A girl, I've got.
A girl as well?

Lovely. Who's more trouble?

I don't know.

THEY LAUGH
You! Rascal!

THEY LAUGH

John, what have you had
to drink today?

Cider. And do you have
a cider every day? Yes. Yeah.

And how long have you been
drinking cider every day for,

or alcohol every day?
Years. Years.

And have you ever been offered any
help or anything with your drinking,

like a rehab clinic? Yes. Yeah?

And have you done them before?

Yeah? Did they work?

No. No. No. No.

Evidently not. No.

And would you be interested
if I offered to make a phone call to

ask if they can start you on some
kind of help with your drinking?

Would you be happy with that?

I know what I need. Good.

Would you be happy for me to make
that phone call?

Yes. Oh, wonderful.

Right. If you need me, phone me.

Right, John, let's get you going.

SON:

I love you! Yeah. Take care.

You've got a lot of people
that care for you.

He's just come back
into your life, hasn't he?

That must feel nice,
to have him back.

Did you just lose touch?

Row.

It wasn't a nice story.

Yeah. His mam...

Well, a friend of mine,
I let him in me house,

but he took her. He took her?

So I left. Yeah.

I bet it was a hard decision
to make, wasn't it?

VOICEOVER: It's really important
not to judge if people are

in this dark place.

Before people know it,
it can have consumed your life,

and I think it's really important
that we understand the reason.

Family's everything to me
and I think this job's definitely

taught me to really, really
appreciate them.

It's so important to have people
around you when you're going through

something that can
devastate someone's world.

As a paramedic, I can go to people
and, aside from all the

medical treatment that I can help
with, it's so important to be

there as a person,
just say, "I've got you."

Do you feel like your health
has declined since then? Yes. Yeah.

Are you drinking more? Yes.

So maybe if we tried some kind
of detox or rehab or help again,

you've got more of a reason to do it
this time, haven't you?

Cos you've got
your family back. Yes.

Where are we now?
We're here. We're at the hospital.

Let's get you sorted.

Oh, he was a nice man. He was. He's
had a lot of struggles, I think.

Has he? 097, thank you.

I've just got you clear off that
last job. He was alcohol-dependent.

He's not doing too
well at the minute. Oh, no.

I think alcohol's one of
the hardest ones, isn't it?

Cos it's so easily accessible.
It's everywhere, isn't it?

That's how we socialise,
it's all around us.

His son's recently come back
into his life, so I had a good old

heart-to-heart with him
and I'm hoping that, cos now

he's got his family, he can kind of

find the strength to muster through
and get a bit better.

Oh, well, I really hope
he's OK, bless him,

and I hope you guys are too.

I know that's took you out for
a late finish, and I do apologise.

We really appreciate it. Doesn't
matter. I'm sure he did as well.

But thank you very much for today

and I will speak to you in the
morning. Drive safely.

Night! Goodnight!

Bank holiday Monday. I've got a
feeling it's going to be busy today.

I've got a feeling
it's going to be busy.

Morning.

That's lovely. Thank you very much.
Sleep well and enjoy your days off.

Yeah, see you later.

Today, the service is bracing
for an upsurge in calls following

the Easter weekend, and it's
expected that over 6,000 referral

services across the North West
will be closed for the bank holiday.

I've got a job for you. We're
going out to a 37-year-old male.

It's a Cat 3, this job.
It does look as though we attended

last night as well,
in the early hours.

This male's having
an anxiety attack.

Right, I am in. What's going on?

The majority of the jobs
at the top, we're waiting

for the police on a lot of them,
the mental-health jobs

with weapons and markers,
so I'm just going through them now

and seeing what the sitch is.

The team in Control are already
beginning to feel the impact,

with 35% more people
currently waiting for an ambulance

compared with the morning before.

We have got older Cat 3s.
Have you got anything for them?

Ambulance Service.
Is the patient breathing?

Do you know if he's injured at all?

We're not going to be able to do a
triage, we are going to get

some help to them as soon as
possible, as we don't know

what's happening.

Romeo 303.

303, we've just had a Cat 1.

It's a 42-year-old male.

There is an ambulance running
as well, backing you up,

and I'll keep you updated
if I get anything further.

That's all received. Thank you.

Senior paramedic Jack, who was seven
minutes away from the patient,

is immediately dispatched.

He will be joined by an ambulance
who are four miles away.

MAN SCREAMS

Hiya. Who do we have here?

Robert. Robert.

I'm Jack.
MAN SCREAMS

I'm Jack. All right?
MAN GROANS

Robert, listen,
I need you to talk to me, OK?

You tell me what's happened tonight.
Who the fuck are you?

I'm Jack. I'm a paramedic. Ah!

Just here to look after you.
All right?

ROBERT SHOUTS ANGRILY

Robert!

You just stay nice and relaxed,
all right.

Can I just...?

Jack. Your friends have called for
me cos they're worried about you.

OK?

Are you able to tell me
what's happened?

He's just gone like this, yeah?

Have you been up all night?

Yeah. You've been drinking?

Have any drugs that you know of?

No?

I'm just going to do a few checks on
you, Robert, OK?

I'll be back in a sec.

RADIO BEEPS
Romeo 303.

ROBERT SCREAMS
303.

Hiya, can we get GMP running
on this, please?

This male's been really agitated,
quite aggressive.

Yeah. Roger that.
We'll ring them now. Thank you.

RADIO DISCONNECTS

Are you free?

Yeah. Job 7384, will you ask for
police, please?

The second ambulance crew have
arrived to assist at the scene.

Hiya. You all right? How's it going?

This is Robert. Not managed to do
any obs on him at the minute.

Quite... Hello, pal.

Quite agitated. OK.
Can't get much from him.

ROBERT SCREAMS

I've...
OBJECTS CLATTER

..got GMP running. Thank you.

All right. We're just going
to give you a minute, Robert.

All right, mate.

Has he been like that since...?
Since yous have been here?

He's been a bit shouty but that's
the first time he's thrown anything.

Robert!

303's just shouting out.
303, go ahead.

Hiya, just wondered if you've got
GMP running yet?

Er, yeah, they should be,
we're still on the phone to them

at the moment,
passing all the details.

Has anything else happened?
Are you all safe?

He's started throwing things now.
Just thrown a glass ashtray.

So I think, really, we're not safe
to be in there now.

So we'll approach again
when GMP arrives.

Yeah. Have they just shouted it up?

The crew have left the address
for safety, yeah.

While Jack and the crew await
backup from the police,

the service continues to receive a
new 999 call every 30 seconds.

Can you tell me exactly
what's happened?

Just take a deep breath for me.

An ambulance will be provided as
soon as there's one available, OK?

There are currently 197 patients
waiting for an ambulance,

up a third since the start
of the shift.

OK. So unfortunately, I can't
advise exactly how long it will be.

Our delays are currently
over 30 minutes.

You are on a priority response, it's
just the next available ambulance.

Be advised, due to severe pressure,
we're experiencing high demand.

We are seeing delays of up to
four hours.

That's the current timeframe.
It could come before that, OK?

ROBERT SHOUTS

We need to keep ourselves safe,
don't we?

They've said definitely no sort of
history of drug taking?

That's what they've said, yeah.
But...

ROBERT SCREAMS
I don't know.

You said before that you was
going to send it now.

Yeah, so... No, I said an emergency
ambulance has been arranged

but they are the current delays.

So they...

Five hours.

Because that's on a priority,
so that's a different category

of a call. Because they're
unresponsive and not breathing,

they're classed as in
cardiac arrest.

Four miles away, in Stretford,
senior paramedic Jack

and the ambulance crew
are still waiting for the police.

Just with him being,
throwing and stuff,

we're just waiting for the police.

We won't be long. It sounds like
he's got an alcohol problem. Yeah.

Definitely, we need to wait for GMP.

SIRENS APPROACH
Sounds like they're...

They sound like they're here,
don't they?

He's been drinking heavily
over the last two weeks,

so that might be why he's had a fit.

After waiting outside for ten
minutes, the crew can now re-enter

with backup from the police.

So, we've got a call for this male,
query fitting.

When we've turned up,
he's been quite aggressive.

Has engaged a little bit,
then he started throwing stuff.

So at that point, we thought

it's not safe for us to stay in
there, really.

ROBERT SHOUTS

Don't know any medical history.
Not being able to do any obs.

So he needs to be going in,
and clearly lacks capacity.

You had a seizure last night, buddy?

ROBERT: If you don't move away,

I'm going to push you away, sirs.
Careful.

We're here to help you, aren't we?
Are you trying to stop me, then?

We're just trying to help you,
aren't we? Yeah?

Have a seat and have a chat
with us.

I can't make you.

No, I'm going to make you.

That's what I said,
I'm not going to make you.

ROBERT SHOUTS

What we should probably look to do
is just try and get him out

and onto the vehicle and get going.

We're not going to get anywhere
here, are we?

So, section five, Mental Capacity
Act, we think he needs to go

to hospital, and he lacks capacity
at the minute

to make a decision to refuse.
So we're going to take him.

No!

Get yourself on here.

Come and sit on there,
come on, pal.

Just a bit further up.

Robert!

Robert. Robert. Listen to me, pal.

Robert. Robert.

ROBERT SHOUTS

Robert?

Robert?

ROBERT SHOUTS AGGRESSIVELY

Right, I'll jump off.
Are you just got to get going?

The patient will be
taken to Salford Royal Hospital,

where he will be assessed
by mental-health specialists.

303, I've got your clear through,
thank you.

Just want to check you're all right
after that job?

Yeah, yeah, I'm all good.

It's very unfair on you guys.

It's not nice when you have to go
in a situation like that,

especially when they start
throwing things. Yeah.

No, it is, it's horrible.

It's not why we come to work, is it?

It must be stressful for you guys
as well, up there,

because you can't see
what's going on, can you?

I suppose, at this end it's waiting
for updates, where you try

and get the police
there as soon as possible

and just hope everybody's safe until
you've got the extra help you need.

But thank you for that. I hope it
doesn't affect the rest of your day.

We're all good, but, yeah,
thanks for checking up.

Tell me exactly what's
happened, please?

Do you feel like she may harm
the children?

I know we get mental health
a lot, but I've noticed today

that they're a little bit more.
100%.

Holidays are definitely the worst
time for people with mental health

because loneliness sets in. Yeah.

So that loneliness goes into -
it kicks in the depression.

The depression kicks in
any other mental health conditions.

There's people who just don't
have family, like.

They don't have anyone at all.

And that's, like,
it's heartbreaking.

During bank holidays, the North West
Ambulance Service see a 12% rise

in patients calling
about their mental health.

Across the North West, the 267
mental health services available

are offering a significant reduction
in what they can do to help,

because of the bank holiday.

Hi, police. Is the patient
breathing and awake?

What's happened?

People are not getting the help,
are they?

No. And sometimes it's...
It is a cry for help, ringing us,

especially on, like, weekends
like this weekend,

where everywhere's shut.

Where else are they going to go?
I know.

They're going to ring us.

Hi, police.

Yeah, OK.

The police have asked the Ambulance
Service to do a welfare check

on the patient.

097, I have got a job waiting
for you. It has been in for quite

a while, unfortunately,

almost seven and a half hours now.
Ooh.

It initially came
through via the police.

It's for a 51-year-old male.

He is on his own at the property,
states he's feeling suicidal.

Ah, that's all received.

We'll pop down and see what
we can do for him.

I mean, he might be known.
I was going to say, if he's...

He could be known to
mental health services,

so he'd probably have contacts.

Today, for example,
is a bank holiday.

We can't access own people's GPs.

We've got the out of hours

but how much they can do in relation
to mental health services... Yeah.

..I'm unsure of.

It's a shame, isn't it,
that it's got to that stage,

doesn't know what to do with
himself. Yeah.

DOOR OPENS

Hiya. Are we all right to come in?

Of course you can, yeah.
Lovely. I'm Ashley. This is Sarah.

So, what's your name again?
Andy. Andy.

So, what's going on, Andy? I've just
been having ups and downs recently,

with what's happening in my life in
the last year -

my fiancee passing away,
and my brother.

Aw. And your brother.
And my dad's in a care home now, so.

I'm so sorry to hear that.

That was a big year, wasn't it?
Yeah.

Yeah. Have you had
some bereavement counselling?

Has that ever been offered to you?

It's been offered but I've never
accepted it at the moment.

No? I'm on medication
at the moment.

Are you? What medication do you
take? Mirtazapine.

I'm guessing, at the moment, you
don't feel that's working for you?

Is that right?
Since I'm not even taking it.

Why do you not take it?
Do you just think...?

Cos of the drink. The drinking.

Did you have a plan to take your own
life or...? Just to hurt myself.

Just to hurt yourself.
What stopped you?

And would you be open to help
with your alcohol?

That's good. That ball's rolling,
isn't it? Yeah, yeah.

Good. And well done for accepting...

..accepting to get the help
with them.

With it being the bank holiday
weekend, and things like this,

our options are quite limited
for what we can do.

But I think, at the moment,
because your feelings are getting

so strong that now we're wanting
to start harming ourself,

I want to kind of put a stop
to that.

They've got a good mental health
liaison team at Salford,

at the hospital.
Yeah, I saw them last time.

You saw them last time? Yeah.
Did you feel like they helped?

Yeah. Yeah? Yeah. Yeah? That's good.

I would like to take you down
to them today

to speak to them again today
about it.

So, would you be happy to come
to the hospital with us today?

We'll have a ride down.

Did you used to work?

You said...
Used to work at B&Q for 21 years.

Oh, did you? Yeah, but when my dad
thought he had sepsis,

he had a bad fall, so I left work.
Oh, did you look after your dad?

Yeah, and then, sadly, he had to go
in a care home.

Yeah. Struggling to walk.

Have you thought about getting
yourself back into work?

Only when I'm better, but charity
work to start with.

Yeah. Going in a charity shop or
maybe summat else along those lines.

I've got a list
of mental health numbers.

You know, if you ever feel
like you need to talk to anyone.

OK. Who's this?

Oh, that was Joanne, my fiancee,
who passed away.

Oh, is it? Yeah, yeah.

Sadly, she died at 46.

Aw. Yeah, it was mainly through
drinking, I think, but...

Was it?

She were pretty, weren't she? Yeah.

Sadly, 46 when she passed
away, I found her.

Did you? In the house.

That's got to be hard, that.
See, that's traumatic anyway.

That's traumatic for anybody,
in't it, that?

Keep your shoes on.
Keep them on, yeah? Yeah.

Oh, yeah. We don't do the washing,
Andy, so we're all right.

So, you've had a tough time, haven't
you, this last 12 months.

How often do you speak
to your daughter?

Every day, really. Yeah? Yeah. Good.

Good. I lost my
brother a couple of years ago.

Not nice. No.

It's... It's not nice to go through.

My brother sadly passed
away in 2020.

He was alcohol-dependent because he
lost his three-month-old daughter,

and that just set him
into a really bad place.

My brother was my,
like, best friend as well.

And he was 11 years older than me.

Same as mine. Yeah. Yeah.

So it's the same, yeah.

It's hard to go through, isn't it,
losing someone? Yeah.

And you've lost...

..three people.

Yeah. Yeah.

There was always, like,
a sense of sadness with him.

No matter what we did or who was
around, there was always

this lingering sadness and we just
couldn't kind of

pull him back from that.

The day that he lost his daughter,

we lost him.

Bereavement can hit people
in so many ways.

I've seen it first-hand.

Well, you sound...
I've got to be better first.

Yeah, absolutely. I've got to get
better first, haven't I?

You're going to get yourself into
a place where you're ready

to get a job. You know, you've just
got to listen

to what's right for you. Yeah.

Don't push yourself too much. No.

Losing people is part of life,

and I think it's how you use

your experiences in the future
that's important.

You should be proud of yourself.
You're doing really well.

And I know sometimes it
doesn't feel like...

It mustn't feel like you are,
but you really are.

It can be a really dark,
lonely world

if you don't have anybody
there next to you.

I'm just so lucky that, in my job,

I can be that person for someone.

And being that person for someone

can literally change their life.

Right, then.

Mind the step.
It's a big step, Andy.

Don't be falling out like I were
before. Ashley'll catch you.

THEY LAUGH

Right, come on,
let's get you inside.

Alpha 097.

097, just got your clear through.
Have you got an update?

Obviously, mental health.

But unfortunately, over the last
12 months, he's had two

very close bereavements.

He's obviously just tried to cope

with it using all other
possible avenues.

He obviously wants to get back
on his feet and he wants

to be there for his daughter.

Aw, bless him.

Ah, well, thank you for that
one anyway.

If you want to head back
in for now and grab your rest break.

Thanks very much for the update.

Just before you go,
we have got a little treat for you.

We've got a joke.

What did the police officer
say to his belly button?

I don't know. What did the police
officer say to his belly button?

You're under A VEST.

Oh, dear.

That is absolutely awful!

It's made us proper chuckle!

We thought you'd appreciate it.

You have made me laugh, to be fair.

Happy to help.

Tell me exactly what's happened.

Nine hours into the shift and there
are nearly twice as many patients

waiting for an ambulance as there
were at the start of the shift.

Due to severe pressures, we are
in high demand at the moment.

An ambulance will arrive
as soon as possible.

However, it is likely to take up to
and over three hours at the moment.

So I do need to ask you,
is there any way that someone

could safely take
you to the hospital

or you could make your own way?

Hello, is the patient breathing?

CALLER COUGHS

How long have you had
this cough for?

Which symptom is your main
concern right now?

Your breathing.

Alpha 169. Thank you. I've just
passed you a Cat 2 call.

It's come via the 111 service.

The patient is reported to have
chest pain, breathing problems,

coughing and has been vomiting
for two days, over.

Thank you very much. We're mobile.

Chest infection day, today. Mmm.

What you doing tonight, Jill?

Probably making tea.

Making tea? After a 12-hour shift?

Yeah. Chips, egg and beans,
old school.

Either that or corned beef hash.

Seen the price of corned beef
at the minute?

It's ridiculous. Three quid!

Three quid for a tin of corned beef.
Proper cost of living!

Cost of living crisis!
Couldn't believe it, three quid!

Have cows got dearer?!

Hi. You OK? What's your name?

Jennifer. Jennifer.

What's been going on today,
Jennifer?

And the chest pain that you've got,
have you got that now?

Mainly when you're coughing.

OK. Any other medical problems?

OK, no problem.

Your oxygen levels are really good,
OK?

I think a lot of it is...

Is your anxiety,
I think, maybe playing a part.

You're quite anxious.
Talk to me about your mental health.

You said that's been on a decline.

Is that something that's
been ongoing?

I've been through work on that
because, when I was 16, my boyfriend

was murdered in front of me,
in his flat. Oh, dear.

Then I lost my mum.

It just goes on and on in the years
that pass. Yeah.

Oh, it's been nonstop. Yeah.

Are you under any
mental health teams? Yeah.

So, I do think
that you're definitely overdue

a mental health assessment.

Would you be willing for us to speak
to the mental health team?

Yeah? On the phone? Yeah. OK.

It is quite possible the
mental health team have started

things, but it's Easter weekend.

I don't like to say it, but things
slow down on bank holidays

where they shouldn't do.

So, hopefully, we can give
it a nudge.

I'll give these a ring and see
what they can do for you.

Hi, there. Can I refer a patient's
details, please?

I'm calling from the
Ambulance Service.

Yeah, we're in Manchester.
Yeah, we're in Salford.

WOMAN ON PHONE: Salford? Yeah.

Yeah, I thought this was
this number, but, yeah, go on.

WOMAN SPEAKS

Right.

All right. Cheers.

Cheers. Bye-bye.

Yeah. Is there no other number
for this area? So, I've given one.

I've left a voicemail.

I've left them a voicemail,
hopefully, they ring me back.

There is an option, Jill, to ring
the team at the hospital.

Do you want me to try that?
Have you got the number?

Hi, I wonder if you could help me?

My name's Jill. I'm a paramedic from
the Ambulance Service.

I'm with a patient who I believe saw

one of your mental health team
professionals at hospital.

And she believes that something
was being put in place

but she's not heard nothing.

All right, no worries.
I'll give them a ring.

Right. So, she's advised us to do a
safeguarding referral

through the emergency duty team.

So, that's the EDT's number.

You need to contact the relevant
city council... So, can't ring them.

Why?

"This is for Salford..." Blah-blah.
"We don't deal with them..."

Ring someone else.
What number did it say?

You have to find it online.

You see, this is the thing.

It's frustrating, in't it?

There's always a barrier,
in't there? And this is why,

so, and this is why people give up.

"Do you know what? Forget it."

Oh, caller ID.

Promising.

Hello, Louis speaking.

Thanks for ringing me back.

We're keen to avoid this lady
having a mental health crisis

as she's vulnerable.

Currently in a homeless hostel.

Yeah, nobody works bank holidays,
do they, unfortunately.

Everything drops down on
bank holidays.

No problem. OK. Take care. Bye-bye.
Bye-bye.

He's advised that you contact
Cromwell House tomorrow.

Yeah, I've got them. To just make
them aware that you haven't yet

been contacted. But, yeah,
do you feel like there's anything

else that we can do for you?

OK.

Brilliant.

All right. Nice to meet you.

Yeah, you take care, Jennifer. Thank
you. See you later. See you later.

How annoying were that?
Oh, it annoys me. It really does.

You ring one place and they go,

oh, no, it's not us, you need to
ring such and such a place.

You ring them. You have to leave a
voicemail and wait

for them ringing you back.

So you've got an emergency service
waiting on scene for someone

to ring you back.

At the end of it - oh, the patient
needs to ring tomorrow.

Well, no, people
can have mental health crises

on weekends and on bank holidays.
Yeah.

She'll just become a statistic.
She will.

It's a failed system. It really is.

RADIO BEEPS

Alpha 169. Alpha 169, thank you.

I've just got your clear come
through off your last job -

I can see you left the patient
at home.

Do you have an update?

With great difficulty,
we left this patient at home.

We managed to refer her to
mental health teams.

Only just. Only just.

Did see that you'd been
on scene for quite a significant

amount of time,
trying to arrange that.

I hope that she does receive
some help.

Fingers crossed for her.
We hope so too.

She was really nice, wasn't she?
She was. She was lovely.

While you're on, can I just say
thank you so much for today?

I really appreciate all
your hard work.

Thank you very much.

Have a good evening.

# Better days are coming

# If no-one told you... #

196, thank you very much to you both

for looking after the people of
Manchester.

We can finally say it is pretty
much home time.

303, I just want to say a thank
you for all your help today.

It's been another eventful day.

I hope you are going to go home
and have a large drink

and a lovely evening.

It's definitely been a manic one.

# Remember what you said

# I know you've been hurting... #

097.

097 from C, I just wanted to
give you a shout

while you're on the way back
to the station for your finish,

just to say a massive thank you
for this weekend.

Have a lovely evening and go home
and eat lots of Easter eggs.

I'll speak to you again soon.

The past 12 months, life
has been difficult.

There's a lot of different
things that's happened in my life.

Definitely ready for home.

Thank you so much for this weekend.
Amazing team.

Coming to work
and being with these people

that are just there for you every
single day.

They get me through the long days
and the hard times as well.

See you tomorrow. See you.

Night.

We are genuinely there for one
another.

It has helped me carry on.

It's been a pleasure.

Thank you very much.

I shall see you... In the morning.

..bright and early.

Every day, I think about my brother.

I wish that I could have sat with
him like I'm sitting

with these people now.

But I definitely think
it makes me better at my job.

It's been amazing.

I think it's a privilege to put
the uniform on every day.

People do appreciate what we do.

Sometimes you feel like,
oh, I've really helped,

I've really made a difference.

And without us being there,

things would have been completely
different.

Goodnight, ambulance.

Let's go... Let's go home. ..home!

Come on.

# And we'll sing your song together

# The rain, it ain't permanent

# And soon we'll be dancing
in the sun

# We'll be dancing in the sun

# And we'll sing your song together

# And we'll sing your song together

# And we'll sing your
song together. #