24 Hours in A&E

On Red Nose Day, patients and staff at King's reflect on the importance of being able to focus on the brighter side of life. Dilson, who's 33, is rushed in by ambulance with severe knife wounds after being repeatedly stabbed in the head and neck as he tried to stop a fight outside a nightclub. Dilson is agitated when he arrives and the staff have to calm him down before they can properly assess his injuries. It's vital he has a CT scan as it's incredibly difficult to judge how serious a stabbing is from a visual inspection. Doreen, who's 79, arrives at King's after falling at home and breaking her wrist. Doreen's daughter Helen arrives to be with her mother. As Doreen's wrist is treated, mother and daughter describe their strong bond and the pain they both experienced when Doreen and her husband had to have their young children taken into care when they couldn't cope. Helen tracked down Doreen when she was in her twenties and they're now inseparable. Meanwhile, two-year-old Cydney is brought into paediatric A&E by her concerned parents, Keeley and Michael. Cydney hasn't had a wee for two days. Consultant Firas thinks the toddler will be fine, but he wants her to have blood tests to make sure. As they wait for the results, Keeley and Michael reflect on the highs and lows of becoming parents at 13, and how they've decided to stop at four kids.

This episode meets patients at King's facing up to some difficult home truths. Consultant Des is running Resus. One of his patients is 50-year-old mechanical engineer Graham, who's rushed to King's by ambulance. He's had a suspected heart attack after complaining of chest pains. Graham is accompanied by his brother and business partner Tony, who talks about their carefree days in the 80s, their funny haircuts and the bars in Bermondsey where they used to hang out. As Des treats Graham it becomes clear that stress and lifestyle could have been contributing to his health problems over time. It's a moment of reckoning for Graham and his wife Gina, who arrives to be at his side. Tests confirm that Graham has suffered a heart attack and he is transferred to the specialist heart attack centre at King's, where cardiologist Phil carries out a procedure to reopen a blocked artery. Pat, who's 71, is taken to King's by paramedics after her husband Bill found her unconscious at home. Bill and the doctors are concerned because she has a history of brain haemorrhages. As Pat's symptoms worsen doctors take her for a CT scan to determine whether she's suffered a brain injury. Bill talks about their long life together and how she loves Elvis Presley and dancing, although he has two left feet. Meanwhile, 65-year-old Mick is brought to King's after a neighbour found him lying in the street with blood coming out of his ear. Doctors are concerned that his confusion might partly be a result of a brain haemorrhage and he has to be sedated to allow doctors to do a scan of his neck and brain to discover if he's had an internal bleed to his brain.

This episode looks at the lottery of life through the eyes of patients and their relatives in A&E. Alyce, who's 89, is brought to King's by ambulance after falling near her home. She's accompanied by her neighbour and close friend Linda. Alyse reveals her resolve to make sure she lives long enough to celebrate her next birthday: her 90th. And as doctors run tests to rule out anything serious, Alyce talks about her childhood and about the love of her life, her husband Steve, who never called her 'Alyce', only 'Babe', and tried to pinch her bum on the stairs. Soon after, 23-year-old Sean is rushed to King's after a seizure that has lasted most of the night. He's brought to King's three to four times a year for seizures that stem from his epilepsy. When the seizure stops, Sean suggests that the latest episode has been brought on by the stress of his imminent wedding. And Sean and his fiancée Zara describe how they met and how they manage life with the ever present threat of Sean's illness. Meanwhile, 57-year-old father of one John comes to King's after suffering bouts of delirium, the result of liver disease. John may have developed Hepatitis C after experimenting with drugs when he lived in a squat 40 years ago. John is learning to live with the consequences and trying to spend as much time as he can with his son, Sean, who has a terminal brain disorder. John touchingly considers how his condition is the result of his own misadventure whereas his son is ill through no fault of his own.

This episode shows how a trip to A&E can act as a long overdue wake-up call. Malcolm, who's 56, has been rushed to King's after suffering a cardiac arrest, and is on life support. His wife Heather found him when his heart stopped and she managed to resuscitate him after two minutes, before the paramedics arrived. Heather and Malcolm's daughters feel that his survival was fate as Heather wouldn't usually have been at home to save him. Phil, who's 36, has come to King's with chronic pain in his back and side. Nightclub host Phil lives on tequila and milk, with virtually no solids. It's clear that Phil's party lifestyle, including over 100 units of alcohol a week, is taking its toll. As he's treated, Phil reflects on living the life of a 21-year-old at 36. Meanwhile, 12-year-old Kamilla is rushed to King's after being knocked down by a car on a pedestrian crossing on her way home from school. Doctors are worried that she has injured her head and neck. While Kamilla is scanned by doctors, her mother Nora talks about coming to England from Lithuania, her first impressions of London and her strong bond with her daughter. Finally, 61-year-old Bob has come in to A&E after developing numbness in his arm. Medics discover that Bob has suffered a stroke. His son Steven talks emotionally about what his father means to him, while he tries to keep a sense of humour.

While some have obvious symptoms, others initially baffle the medical team. Consultants Graham and Firas are running A&E and tensions run high as police suspect a patient has come to King's with a concealed weapon. 'I guess it's part of King's - you expect the unexpected,' says Firas. Mother-of-four Hillary, who's 58, arrives in Resus by air ambulance with a severe head injury after falling from her horse. Hillary stopped breathing at the scene of the accident, blew a pupil and was put into an induced coma. Firas suspects a life-threatening brain injury and Hillary is put in the specialist neurological unit while two of her children rush to King's to be by her side. Meanwhile, Icylyn comes to King's with a bloated abdomen. Consultant Graham initially thinks she might be pregnant, but tests rule that out and her symptoms throw the medics. Icylyn will have to wait overnight for diagnosis, but Graham is concerned that her symptoms could be the result of something serious. Icylyn is accompanied by her best friend Tony, who talks about their relationship and ponders what's really important in life. And 14-year-old Chloe is in Resus after getting involved in a fight after school. Doctors are worried that she may have injured her neck. As she's treated, Chloe talks about her love of high street fashion, the importance of having her nails painted regularly and what the people in her life mean to her.

This episode focuses on the huge variety of cases that come in to King's A&E every day and the even more varied life stories that the patients and their relatives have to tell. Sister Jen is on duty in Resus. She's looking after 48-year-old Bobby, who's been brought to King's by his partner, Jackie, after having seizures at home. Bobby has spent most of his adult life in prison, with a number of convictions for violent crimes. While doctors control Bobby's seizures he talks about his life, from being sent out by his parents as a six-year-old child to steal dinner, to being put into care, an approved school, borstal and eventually prison. And he reflects on how Jackie has helped him to turn a corner and change his life. Seventy-year-old Ronald is brought to King's by paramedics. He was celebrating his 46th wedding anniversary with his wife Carole when he had problems breathing and she had to call an ambulance. As doctors examine Ronald to find out what has happened the couple talk about their life together and the difference between nagging and asking. Meanwhile, seven-year-old Rienelle is rushed to A&E after falling two metres from the top of a climbing frame at school, landing on her back. She's come to King's with her teacher, while her parents are on their way to the hospital. It's a paediatric trauma call and for consultant Chris this makes it particularly challenging.

This episode explores the importance of friendships for both staff and patients in A&E. David, who's 23, is brought to King's after having seizures uncontrollably for 30 minutes. He was found on the floor at home by his housemate Mike, who has accompanied him to hospital. This is David's second trip to A&E in a fortnight due to his epilepsy. 'If someone doesn't stop to fit after half an hour, we will become very concerned,' says Dr Ling. 'Brain damage is a concern, so there's a pressure to get on top of the situation quickly.' David isn't responding to drugs so Ling weighs up the benefits of putting him into an induced coma to stop the seizures. Meanwhile, 49-year-old Suzette and her grandson Azario have come to King's after Suzette was knocked over by a cyclist. While Suzette waits to be seen, four-year-old Azario races around A&E on his scooter, reminding visitors and patients to wash their hands. And best friends Selin and Maria have come to King's after Selin cut her hand while taking the stone out of an avocado. While Selin has her finger stitched up by Dr Ling, she and Maria discuss what friendship means to them.

This episode explores how life can change in the blink of an eye and how life or death depends on the actions of those around you when things go wrong. Leanne is the sister in charge of Resus today. Kevin, who's 78, is rushed to A&E by ambulance after suffering a cardiac arrest while exercising at the gym. Luckily for Kevin, gym instructor Jeff was nearby and was trained to use the gym's portable defibrillator to save his life. Kevin's wife Maureen was next door in the gym's swimming pool while all this was going on and came out of the changing rooms to find out that her husband's heart had stopped for a minute. Kevin begins to stabilise and he's sent to the specialist cardiac catheter lab for an emergency procedure. Meanwhile, 23-year-old paramedic Declan has been brought into A&E by his colleague Amy. He's feeling dizzy and junior doctor Sammy is concerned that there are signs he may have a problem with his brain so she sends him for an emergency CT scan to find out what's happening. And 83-year-old Monica has been rushed to King's after falling at home. Monica suffers from osteoporosis and is complaining of numbness in her leg after the fall. Her initial x-ray appears to indicate that she's suffered a broken neck. As she's treated, Monica talks about scrumping apples as a child, missing out on being a mother and losing her husband in a tragic accident.