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| Real-life sagas in hospital show | Real-life sagas in hospital show |
| (about 5 hours later) | |
| The University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff is the biggest hospital in Wales | The University Hospital of Wales, Cardiff is the biggest hospital in Wales |
| A new BBC series has gone behind the scenes at one of the biggest hospitals in the UK to tell the real-life sagas of the people who work there. | A new BBC series has gone behind the scenes at one of the biggest hospitals in the UK to tell the real-life sagas of the people who work there. |
| From porters to surgeons, cooks to nurses and waste disposal workers to doctors, Hospital 24/7, which begins on Monday, followed the professional dramas at the University Hospital of Wales (UHW), Cardiff, for a week in the autumn of 2008. | From porters to surgeons, cooks to nurses and waste disposal workers to doctors, Hospital 24/7, which begins on Monday, followed the professional dramas at the University Hospital of Wales (UHW), Cardiff, for a week in the autumn of 2008. |
| As well as the everyday dramas staff face, the series documents some of the biggest challenges facing the NHS. | |
| Series producer Samantha Rosie said they wanted to show the working life of staff at the hospital both on wards and behind the scenes. | Series producer Samantha Rosie said they wanted to show the working life of staff at the hospital both on wards and behind the scenes. |
| "Many of the non-clinical staff go unseen, so it was important for us to film with both the cleaners and porters as well as the doctors and nurses to give a full picture of life at the hospital," she said. | "Many of the non-clinical staff go unseen, so it was important for us to film with both the cleaners and porters as well as the doctors and nurses to give a full picture of life at the hospital," she said. |
| Meet the real-life characters in the hospital: | Meet the real-life characters in the hospital: |
| THE A&E DOCTOR | THE A&E DOCTOR |
| Dr Matt Morgan compares working in the accident and emergency unit at the UHW to firefighting and says that his main aim is to "keep everyone alive". | Dr Matt Morgan compares working in the accident and emergency unit at the UHW to firefighting and says that his main aim is to "keep everyone alive". |
| "You've got to look after the ones who may or may not die during your admission, really," he says. | "You've got to look after the ones who may or may not die during your admission, really," he says. |
| "People who have got a twisted ankle or have got punched in the face - they need to be seen, however they're not going to die in the next 20 minutes or hour. | "People who have got a twisted ankle or have got punched in the face - they need to be seen, however they're not going to die in the next 20 minutes or hour. |
| HOSPITAL FACT-FILE The University Hospital of Wales has 997 beds which are occupied full timeThe accident and emergency unit is the third largest in the UKOn average 750 patients are treated over the weekend at A&EIt costs £10m a year to keep the casualty unit runningThe hospital has the same population as CaernarfonNearly £80,000 per week is spent on keeping the hospital clean, £4,000 of this is spent on cleaning stockNon clinical staff make up a third of the workforceCatering staff must feed more than 1,000 patients a daySource: Hospital 24/7 | HOSPITAL FACT-FILE The University Hospital of Wales has 997 beds which are occupied full timeThe accident and emergency unit is the third largest in the UKOn average 750 patients are treated over the weekend at A&EIt costs £10m a year to keep the casualty unit runningThe hospital has the same population as CaernarfonNearly £80,000 per week is spent on keeping the hospital clean, £4,000 of this is spent on cleaning stockNon clinical staff make up a third of the workforceCatering staff must feed more than 1,000 patients a daySource: Hospital 24/7 |
| "It's not an ideal situation, we would like to see everyone in an hour, it would be great, but until things radically change in the number of people that present to you with their drunk injuries or the number of staff we have, it's just going to be like that on a Friday night. | "It's not an ideal situation, we would like to see everyone in an hour, it would be great, but until things radically change in the number of people that present to you with their drunk injuries or the number of staff we have, it's just going to be like that on a Friday night. |
| "A lot of our work load is created by alcohol. Either they are too drunk, they've been assaulted by someone who's drunk, they've tripped over while they were drunk. That's a huge work load we've got to pick up." | "A lot of our work load is created by alcohol. Either they are too drunk, they've been assaulted by someone who's drunk, they've tripped over while they were drunk. That's a huge work load we've got to pick up." |
| Dr Morgan said doctors and nurses were always under pressure in the A&E unit because of a lack of staff and a lack of beds, but they just tried to get on with it and have "a bit of a laugh and a joke" to take the stress out of work. | Dr Morgan said doctors and nurses were always under pressure in the A&E unit because of a lack of staff and a lack of beds, but they just tried to get on with it and have "a bit of a laugh and a joke" to take the stress out of work. |
| THE WASTE OFFICER | THE WASTE OFFICER |
| Neil Meredith is one of the 15 bin men who keep the hospital free from rubbish. | Neil Meredith is one of the 15 bin men who keep the hospital free from rubbish. |
| It is his job to ensure the mountains of waste in the hospital get moved underground. Everything from placentas to waste paper rubbish to faecal waste is dealt with by him. | It is his job to ensure the mountains of waste in the hospital get moved underground. Everything from placentas to waste paper rubbish to faecal waste is dealt with by him. |
| However, Mr Meredith believes that some areas of the hospital can be too wasteful as he shows cameras scrapped chairs which have been deemed unsuitable. | However, Mr Meredith believes that some areas of the hospital can be too wasteful as he shows cameras scrapped chairs which have been deemed unsuitable. |
| "Personally it annoys me because that's utter waste," he says. | "Personally it annoys me because that's utter waste," he says. |
| "If I had it at home I'd repair it because I couldn't afford to get rid of anything like that. | "If I had it at home I'd repair it because I couldn't afford to get rid of anything like that. |
| "It's a shame they can't have them reupholstered and put back on the ward. Save some money and give me a pay rise!" | "It's a shame they can't have them reupholstered and put back on the ward. Save some money and give me a pay rise!" |
| THE HOUSEKEEPER | THE HOUSEKEEPER |
| Richard Harwood is one of the hospital's 200 housekeepers and he ensures that the main public areas of the hospital are clean. | Richard Harwood is one of the hospital's 200 housekeepers and he ensures that the main public areas of the hospital are clean. |
| As Hospital 24/7 shows, he is often tasked with cleaning up after patients. | As Hospital 24/7 shows, he is often tasked with cleaning up after patients. |
| The jewellery shop in the hospital concourse is forced to close for health and safety reasons because a patient leaves a trail of blood on the carpet. | The jewellery shop in the hospital concourse is forced to close for health and safety reasons because a patient leaves a trail of blood on the carpet. |
| Mr Harwood and his colleagues come to the rescue so the shop can re-open. | Mr Harwood and his colleagues come to the rescue so the shop can re-open. |
| Hospital housekeeper Richard Harwood shows the cameras how messy the ladies toilets can get. | Hospital housekeeper Richard Harwood shows the cameras how messy the ladies toilets can get. |
| "It's all part of the service," he says. | "It's all part of the service," he says. |
| "This is the sort of thing we have to deal with but there's no point in complaining. | "This is the sort of thing we have to deal with but there's no point in complaining. |
| "I do like this environment. I think that's why I get a lot of satisfaction out of working down here because I do like the people round me. | "I do like this environment. I think that's why I get a lot of satisfaction out of working down here because I do like the people round me. |
| "When I first took it over two years ago it used to get absolutely filthy. Some days it does now but nine times out of 10 it's a lot better than what it used to be years ago, because they know who I am!" | "When I first took it over two years ago it used to get absolutely filthy. Some days it does now but nine times out of 10 it's a lot better than what it used to be years ago, because they know who I am!" |
| He says he is "addicted" to cleaning because he has been doing chores from the age of 10. | He says he is "addicted" to cleaning because he has been doing chores from the age of 10. |
| THE PAEDIATRIC SURGEON | THE PAEDIATRIC SURGEON |
| Working with children is something Simon Huddart was destined to do. | Working with children is something Simon Huddart was destined to do. |
| "I first wanted to become a paediatric surgeon when I opened a door to the clinic and a young boy bunny-hopped in," he says. | "I first wanted to become a paediatric surgeon when I opened a door to the clinic and a young boy bunny-hopped in," he says. |
| "I'd never met him before but he just bounced in like a rabbit and his mum said: "I do apologise but he's being a rabbit today." I thought well that's not a bad set of patients to have. | "I'd never met him before but he just bounced in like a rabbit and his mum said: "I do apologise but he's being a rabbit today." I thought well that's not a bad set of patients to have. |
| Simon Huddart operates on a three year old cancer patient in Hospital 24/7 | Simon Huddart operates on a three year old cancer patient in Hospital 24/7 |
| "They have an inherent energy that makes them not want to be ill." | "They have an inherent energy that makes them not want to be ill." |
| Mr Huddart is seen operating on three-year-old Ashleigh Flowers, who has a tumour the size of a small football on her kidney. Without surgery her life would be in the balance. | Mr Huddart is seen operating on three-year-old Ashleigh Flowers, who has a tumour the size of a small football on her kidney. Without surgery her life would be in the balance. |
| The operation is successful but with both her kidneys removed as well as the tumour, she faces a future of dialysis. | The operation is successful but with both her kidneys removed as well as the tumour, she faces a future of dialysis. |
| "It's a lot to get through, it's a lot of drugs, a lot of trips to hospital, a lot of heartache, a lot of pain for the child, it's very stressful, very very upsetting," says Mr Huddart. | "It's a lot to get through, it's a lot of drugs, a lot of trips to hospital, a lot of heartache, a lot of pain for the child, it's very stressful, very very upsetting," says Mr Huddart. |
| Ashleigh must now have chemotherapy and remain cancer-free for three years before going onto the kidney transplant list. | Ashleigh must now have chemotherapy and remain cancer-free for three years before going onto the kidney transplant list. |
| THE CHEF | THE CHEF |
| Assistant head chef Francine Jeremy has 30 years experience and is one of 32 staff who help to cook all of the food served on the wards. | Assistant head chef Francine Jeremy has 30 years experience and is one of 32 staff who help to cook all of the food served on the wards. |
| "We do roughly about 2.5m-3m meals a year because we supply all the hospitals in this area now and also HM Parc prison. It's more a factory than it is a kitchen now, " she says. | "We do roughly about 2.5m-3m meals a year because we supply all the hospitals in this area now and also HM Parc prison. It's more a factory than it is a kitchen now, " she says. |
| "I think we get £3 a day to feed a patient and that's for three meals a day including beverages. | "I think we get £3 a day to feed a patient and that's for three meals a day including beverages. |
| The hospital's assistant head chef Francine Jeremy shows how useful a paddle can be in her kitchen. | The hospital's assistant head chef Francine Jeremy shows how useful a paddle can be in her kitchen. |
| "A prisoner gets more than a patient. A prisoner is allowed £12 a day. It's very unfair. | "A prisoner gets more than a patient. A prisoner is allowed £12 a day. It's very unfair. |
| "It is a lot of food. It gets so you don't want to eat when you get home, or you certainly don't want to do the cooking anyway." | "It is a lot of food. It gets so you don't want to eat when you get home, or you certainly don't want to do the cooking anyway." |
| But Mrs Jeremy realises how important her work is in helping to get patients well again. | But Mrs Jeremy realises how important her work is in helping to get patients well again. |
| "You can give them any medication imaginable but if they're not eating they can't go home." | "You can give them any medication imaginable but if they're not eating they can't go home." |
| THE PATIENT ACCESS NURSE | THE PATIENT ACCESS NURSE |
| Carly Edwards gets medically well patients off beds and sent home so that the hospital's beds are freed up for new admissions. | Carly Edwards gets medically well patients off beds and sent home so that the hospital's beds are freed up for new admissions. |
| But some patients cannot be discharged until a home can be found for them in the community. | But some patients cannot be discharged until a home can be found for them in the community. |
| There is always a shortage of beds and Ms Edwards, who regularly clocks up 5km a day walking round the wards, reckons she is not one of the most popular people in the hospital. | There is always a shortage of beds and Ms Edwards, who regularly clocks up 5km a day walking round the wards, reckons she is not one of the most popular people in the hospital. |
| "I don't think we are the most liked people in the trust really to be completely honest," she says. | "I don't think we are the most liked people in the trust really to be completely honest," she says. |
| "I think the emergency areas and the assessment areas maybe feel we don't do as much as we could. I think the wards feel we bring them work. | "I think the emergency areas and the assessment areas maybe feel we don't do as much as we could. I think the wards feel we bring them work. |
| "When I first started I took it to heart really but as you get on with it, I've got broad shoulders so I can take most things." | "When I first started I took it to heart really but as you get on with it, I've got broad shoulders so I can take most things." |
| The Hospital 24/7 series begins on BBC One Wales on Monday at 2235 GMT and will continue each night until Thursday at the same time except for Wednesday night when it will screen at 2245 GMT. | The Hospital 24/7 series begins on BBC One Wales on Monday at 2235 GMT and will continue each night until Thursday at the same time except for Wednesday night when it will screen at 2245 GMT. |