S03:E03 - Reality Check

39-year-old Neil was driving a friend’s sports car when he was involved in a head-on collision with another vehicle. Trapped in the wreckage for over an hour, he’s been flown by HEMS, the helicopter emergency medics, to King’s A&E. The main concern is potential paralysis from injury to his neck and back. “Psychology can be horrendous after a big smash,” says Registrar Charles, who is treating Neil. “Quite often a big injury, a big car crash, even one where you don’t get injured, ranks as a life-changing event.” Meanwhile in Minors, two patients have come in as the result of daredevil antics. 21-year-old Thomassine is a fledgling skateboarder who was encouraged by her best friend Andre to do a risky stunt in the park after dark and she’s badly hurt her ankle. But at least Andre is there to help her home. Matias, 34, tried to get onto a train after the doors had closed. With his hands trapped, he was dragged along the platform until he managed to pull himself free. “It was the closest I’ve been in my life to death,” he says. “As I was laying there I could just feel a feeling of slipping away, it was quite strange. You just feel like you’re just gonna pass out and not come back.” Both patients are being looked after by junior doctor Oscar, who admits he rarely takes risks. “I try not to judge anybody when they come in,” he says. “I try not to really judge people at all. Everyone has moments of madness in their life. I don’t live every minute of life thinking ‘Oh gosh, I won’t do that ‘cause I might end up in A&E’, other than the fact that I live quite close by and it would be embarrassing to end up in this A&E department.” Filmed at the Emergency Department of King’s College Hospital, 24 Hours in A&E is a powerful, intimate - at times humorous but ultimately heart-warming - portrait of modern Britain in all its diversity.