Staff at South Central Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SCAS) will feature in a brand new series of Inside the Ambulance which launches tonight (Monday, 28 March) at 8pm on the W Channel – and, for the first time in the programme’s history, it will be available on free-to-view TV.
The new series will be the third that has featured SCAS ambulance crews based in Portsmouth and Oxford. Filmed during October and November last year, Inside the Ambulance takes viewers behind the scenes and onto the frontline of the NHS.
Using body-mounted cameras, the programme follows ambulance crews every step of the way, giving a unique perspective on what it is like to respond to some of the more than 2,000 emergency calls that come in to SCAS every day.
The series covers nearly every 999 emergency imaginable: from devastating gas explosions to high speed road traffic collisions, as well as heart attacks, suspected strokes, urgent medical problems, broken bones, mental health crises, accidents and head injuries.
Throughout it all, the paramedics, emergency care assistants and students treat everyone with skill, care and good-humoured compassion.
Portsmouth-based Paramedic and Clinical Team Educator Jacob Shearing took part in filming for the first time in this latest series and, together with Emergency Care Assistant Blair Ballard, can be seen in a number of episodes as they deal with patients suffering with abdominal pains, seizures and injuries from falling.
Jacob said: “Blair and I had so much fun filming with each other. It was such a good experience and a great way to break up our normal working day. We went to some amazing patients and worked with some amazing people.
“I’m so excited to see the final programmes and thank all those involved for making the experience so pleasurable.”
Justy Sayer, Emergency Care Assistant, enjoyed her filming experience when crewed with paramedic colleagues Emma Church, Mercedes Bateman – both regulars on the previous two series of the programme – and newcomer to the show, James Tapp.
Justy added: “I loved filming every moment with ‘Churchy’, ‘Tappy’ and Mercedes. We had some amazing shifts together experiencing everything from births to major bleeding. Working with incredible colleagues and being able to help some really lovely patients all added to the great experience of being able to show people what really goes on Inside the Ambulance.”
In Oxford, Paramedic Gus McCullough and Emergency Care Assistant Hannah Foggett (pictured left of the group), who both took part in filming for the first time in this latest series, can be seen in a number of episodes.
They are joined by Paramedic Suzy Patience (bottom right) and student Paramedic Ksha Norbert-Nelson (top right with colleague Rohan Gupta) – participating in their third and second series of the programme respectively – among others.
The new series launches on the W Channel tonight (Monday) at 8pm, with the 10 episodes to be shown every weekday evening at 8pm for two weeks.
As well as being available on Sky (Channel 132) and Virgin (Channel 125), the launch date also coincides with the move of the W Channel to free-to-air services. From today, the W Channel is available on Freeview 25 and Freesat 156.
SCAS is currently recruiting into a range of roles. If you are interested in finding out more and want to view current vacancies, please visit scasjobs.co.uk.
Issued: Monday, 28 March