Ambulance Series 12 Episode 2 (BBC One Wednesday 14 February 2024)

In the latest episode of the long-running series “Ambulance,” viewers are thrust into the fast-paced world of the North West Ambulance Service in Greater Manchester. This brand new episode, which is the second installment of Series 12, provides an intimate look at the daily challenges faced by paramedics and emergency responders.

From the very start of their shift, it becomes apparent that this will be a busy day for the North West Ambulance Service as they receive a staggering average of one new 999 call every 16 seconds. Senior paramedic Aiden finds himself responding to a category 2 patient who has fallen 20 feet from a tree, resulting in an open wrist fracture. As he tends to this patient’s needs, another call comes in for a two-year-old child who has fallen from a balcony. With limited resources available, Aiden must take charge on scene as the most senior clinician present.

Elsewhere in Salford, crewmates Aaron and Emily find themselves just minutes away from a patient who has absconded from hospital and is experiencing a mental health crisis. The crew quickly assesses the situation and decides that transporting the patient back to the hospital is necessary for further treatment. Simultaneously, crewmates Jodie and Tom attend to another urgent case involving a male patient who has been vomiting blood and requires immediate medical attention at Salford Royal.

As these crews tirelessly work to assist patients across Greater Manchester, control receives an alert regarding Aaron and Emily’s previous patient—she has once again left the hospital without receiving proper care. Paramedic Aaron takes it upon himself to offer words of encouragement to this individual who continues to refuse treatment. Reflecting on his role as a paramedic after just one year in service, Aaron acknowledges that being there for people when they are at their lowest is both crucial and rewarding.

The unpredictable nature of emergency calls continues as an extraordinary request arrives—a woman who was unaware of her pregnancy is unexpectedly giving birth at a McDonald’s restaurant. Additional support is dispatched to ensure the well-being of both mother and baby, and they are subsequently transported to the nearest hospital for thorough examinations.

In the heart of Manchester city center, senior paramedic Aiden tends to a homeless patient with an open leg wound. Despite Aiden’s best efforts and recommendations, the patient adamantly refuses further treatment at a hospital. In this challenging situation where arranging for a general practitioner (GP) visit is not possible due to homelessness, Aiden exhausts all available options before reluctantly leaving the patient on the streets.

The Monday day shift carries on with its demanding pace as multiple resources rush to attend to a category 1 emergency—an unconscious individual who reportedly stopped breathing on a balcony. However, it turns out that this was simply a case of someone being deeply asleep, resulting in everyone being stood down.

As five hours elapse into their shift, crewmates Aaron and Emily respond to an elderly patient suspected of having suffered from a stroke. They find the patient struggling with mobility issues and recommend transferring them to the hospital for further tests. Upon arrival at their destination, they join seven other ambulances in queueing up to hand over their patient—offering them a cup of tea while they wait.

This emotionally charged episode provides viewers with an authentic portrayal of what it means to be an ambulance service professional facing unpredictable situations daily. Tune in to BBC ONE on Wednesday 14 February 2024 at 9:00pm for another gripping instalment of “Ambulance.”