BBC viewers have praised the new six-part docuseries Emergency 24/7, which follows NHS staff working in the emergency department at Southmead Hospital in Bristol. The series, from the makers of the true crime show Murder 24/7, adopts a similar format but focuses on medical emergencies rather than criminal investigations.
Real-time emergency cases
The show documents teams handling a range of cases, from stabbings and third-degree burns to car crashes, following each patient from arrival through diagnosis and treatment. The debut episode featured the case of two friends, Luke and Kieran, who were involved in a motorbike crash, leaving both with severe injuries. As the teams treated the pair, they feared irreversible damage to Luke's nerves that could leave him unable to walk.
Luke later appeared on BBC Radio Bristol to discuss his story, saying: "I don't remember the actual accident itself. I remember picking my friend up and just going out for a ride on the bike. He was on the back, I was driving, and then the next thing I knew, I blinked, and about five or six days had gone by, and I was in Bristol ICU."
Viewer reactions
Reactions to the series have been positive. One viewer wrote: "I enjoyed it. Really rammed home how busy they are. Also highlighted the rubbish they have to deal with." Another shared: "It's really well done, set over the time period of one shift and follows a couple of patients closely and then you get an update at the end with how they're doing. They also give a good explanation of why hospitals do things like corridor care, what's being shown on the scan, how the team works when there's a major trauma, the impact abusive patients can have on the department as a whole by removing staff from other areas to deal with them etc."
Other viewers reported being left in "awe" at the work of the teams featured. A third viewer wrote: "Watching #emergency 24/7 #emergency24 on BBC2. I'm in awe of the surgeon putting that spine back together, and all the staff in A and E."
Broadcast details
Episode one is now streaming on BBC iPlayer. Subsequent episodes of Emergency 24/7 air every Tuesday at 9pm on BBC Two. Episodes are available to stream via BBC iPlayer after broadcast.
