24 Hours in A&E

Father-of-three John, 53, was on his way to work when he came off his motorbike and struck a bollard, injuring his shoulder. Frances, his partner of twenty-four years, is abroad and John doesn’t want to spoil her holiday – she worries about him going out on his motorbike every single day – so he asks their son not to tell her he’s in hospital. “I'm a psychologist,” says John. “Some of the work I do is with pain management and I teach particular skills to my clients - none of those skills were of any use to me at that time.” Consultant Graham, who’s looking after John, decides his patient’s pain is so bad that he will give him Ketamine – a sedative so strong it’s also used as a horse tranquiliser. Gary is in King’s with a bleed on the brain and a suspected stroke. His partner Tracy is at his side to support him. They met at a biker’s rally in Kent ten years ago and are still deeply in love. Despite appearances, Gary is a secret softie. 84-year-old Ronald has been bitten by his dog Benjie while playing with a ball. Ronald’s wife Cathy passed away after fifty years of marriage and Benjie is his constant companion – as well as being very contrite since the accident. 24 Hours in A&E is a powerful, intimate - at times humorous, but ultimately heart-warming - portrait of modern Britain in all its diversity.