Ambulance

The BBC North East & Cumbria region started in 1959 (tbc) as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One North East & Cumbria.

BBC One North East & Cumbria

BBC One London

London

Simulcast of BBC One Wales in high definition. From 29/01/2013

BBC One Wales HD

The BBC South region started on 5th January 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South.

BBC One South HD

The BBC South West region started on 20th April 1961 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One South West.

BBC One South West HD

BBC Northern Ireland region started on 19th April 1955 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One Northern Ireland.

BBC One Northern Ireland

The BBC West region started on 1st September 1957 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One West.

BBC One West HD

BBC One Wales

Wales

BBC One South West

BBC One West Midlands HD

BBC One South

BBC One Channel Islands HD

The BBC East region started on 1st May 1959 as part of the BBC Television Service, before becoming BBC One East.

BBC One East HD

Simulcast of network BBC One in high definition. From 03/11/2010

BBC One HD

BBC One Yorkshire

BBC One North West HD

BBC One East

BBC One Yorkshire HD

BBC One West

BBC One region covering Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire.

BBC One East Midlands

BBC One Scotland

Scotland

BBC One North East & Cumbria HD

BBC One Oxfordshire

Formerly part of a wider BBC One South East region. Separated as BBC One London 2001-09-03 following reorganisation of the South East region.

BBC One London HD

BBC One Yorks & Lincs HD

BBC One East Midlands HD

BBC One Cambridgeshire

Formerly part of a wider BBC One South East region that included London and part of the South region. Separated from BBC One London 2001-09-03 following reorganisation of the South East region.

BBC One South East

BBC One South East HD

BBC One Yorks & Lincs

BBC One Cambridgeshire HD

Simulcast of BBC One Scotland in high definition. From 14/01/2013

BBC One Scotland HD

BBC One West Midlands

BBC One Channel Islands

Simulcast of BBC One Northern Ireland in high definition. From 24/10/2012

BBC One Northern Ireland HD

BBC One Oxfordshire HD

Editorial

BBC One North West

Documentaries

Factual: Health & Wellbeing

Documentary series taking a detailed look at ambulance services.

Life and death decisions on the frontline. From control rooms to the crews on the street, meet the people making sure every second counts.

Series 9

BBC Two

BBC Two England

England

Simulcast of network BBC Two in high definition.

BBC Two HD

Simulcast of BBC Two Northern Ireland in high definition

BBC Two Northern Ireland HD

BBC Two Northern Ireland

Simulcast of BBC Two Wales in high definition

BBC Two Wales HD

Until 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales (analogue) was known simply as BBC Two Wales. BBC Two Wales (digital) was BBC 2W. From 03/01/2009 BBC Two Wales schedules on both analogue and digital became identical

BBC Two Wales

Christopher Eccleston

Simon Ford

Peter Wallis-Tayler

Becky Houlihan

Vicky Munro

James Robinson

Ambulance: Series 9: Episode 5

Episode 5

BBC One - Ambulance, Series 9, Episode 5

A collision on the A1 sparks multiple 999 calls, as does a gas explosion in Sunderland.

The North East Ambulance Service and Great North Air Ambulance Service work as a team after multiple urgent 999 calls alert them to a collision on the A1.

It’s a dramatic start to the shift for the charity-funded Helicopter Emergency Medical Service (HEMS), who are monitoring the calls made to the North East Ambulance Service. An urgent call is received for a car that’s fallen from a bridge onto the A1. Critical care paramedic Jemma and pre-hospital doctor Kate are dispatched to deliver hospital-level emergency care to the patient on the roadside.

Across Northumberland, crews are booking on for the 12-hour day shift. Crewmates Andrew and Danielle respond to a call from a gentleman who is concerned for the welfare of his 81-year-old neighbour, who he believes is struggling to take care of himself. Keen to hold on to his independence, the patient is reluctant to accept any external help from carers, but he is happy to speak of his past achievements as a furniture designer who once met the Queen.

In control, a new call is being answered every 16 seconds. Call handler Tracy takes a distressing call from an elderly woman who can no longer care for her husband alone. The caller is inconsolable as she speaks of the difficulties in accessing care and the impact it’s having on her mental health. 

Almost halfway through the shift, call volumes have doubled. The service is really starting to feel the pressure when a flurry of calls are received about a suspected gas explosion in Sunderland, triggering a major incident response. Thirty-eight emergency service resources, including the HEMS team, are dispatched to the scene. The property is completely destroyed, with the number of causalities unknown at first.  

As the shift draws to a close, a call is received for a man who has fallen backwards while moving a slot machine. Crewmates Simon and Jamie are immediately dispatched. Unable to see for himself the extent of his head injury, the worried patient seeks reassurance from the crew.

Ambulance: Series 9

BBC One

Documentary series following ambulance crews in the north east of England.

The series follows crews from the north east as they struggles to bounce back after one of the toughest times in the service's history.

Accessibility links

Programme Index

Ambulance

Series 9

Episode 5

Contributors

Genres

Formats

Brand

Series

BBC One North West

About BBC One