24 Hours in A&E

Brief Encounter (3x1)

Air date: Apr 10, 2013

The third series begins with a powerful episode about how our lives can change forever in the blink of an eye. In a shocking random act of violence, a young woman is knocked to the ground after being punched in the face by a stranger on her way home from work. Lying in the street, she's fighting for her life when Andrew, a passer-by, finds her and calls 999. A&E doctor Des has worked at King's for over five years and is rarely shocked by what he sees, but when the unidentified young woman arrives in Resus with life-threatening swelling on her brain, the impact is felt by him and the entire department. Also in Resus is 12-year-old Tom. He was hit by a car on his way home from school and airlifted to King's by HEMS, the helicopter emergency medics. His mum Anna faces an agonising wait as A&E Consultant Emer assesses the extent of the damage to her son's brain. Meanwhile, 90-year-old ex-circus performer Frank is in A&E after collapsing at home. News of his colourful past - including training bears and lifting horses - quickly travels amongst the staff as they try to determine what brought him to King's.