Bedlam (2013)

Crisis (1x2)

Air date: Nov 07, 2013

Lambeth Hospital has pioneered the use of short-stay emergency wards for patients in crisis. It's run like A&E but for people with mental illness. Cameras are granted access for the first time to a world where psychiatrists and nurses take critical decisions about risk every day. Over the course of a few days clinicians assess whether patients are stable enough to return home or if they need to go on to a longer stay psychiatric ward. Most patients are considered a danger to themselves or others. Father-of-four Dominic is a creative director of an IT company. He's been admitted to the ward following a suicide attempt. His psychiatrist must evaluate whether to send him home, or if he might try again to kill himself. Katrina is studying at one of the country's leading drama schools but in her second year at university her life was interrupted by mental illness. She was first diagnosed with schizoaffective disorder at the age of 20 and is now experiencing her third admission to hospital. This time she came on to the ward after threatening her mum following an argument over an iPhone. Rupert, who's 51, has bipolar affective disorder and his behaviour on the ward can be challenging for staff. When he goes missing for eight hours after being given an hour's leave, staff have to weigh up whether or not to send him onto a longer stay ward, but worry how he might react.