Emergency Helicopter Medics

Storyline

Cameras followed doctors and paramedics from three of England's Air Ambulance regions (five helicopters) through their daily routine of being called out to patients who have suffered major trauma. Every episode features four such incidents, plus a final update on the progress of the four patients and a post-hospital interview with one of the four. Most incidents are divided into three phases: the call-out and flight to the incident, often with difficulties in locating the patient or finding a landing site; treating any life-threatening or limb-threatening conditions the patient has on-site; and transporting the patient rapidly to a suitable hospital plus a hand-over to hospital staff. One-on-one interviews with the medical staff about the nature of the injuries are interspersed, and a narrator provides information too. Other segments focus on the pilots who are often seen cleaning or checking the aircraft; on the camaraderie within the team; or on dealing with the stresses of the job.