BBC One’s “Ambulance” returns this Thursday. “Stabbed on the Streets,” isn’t just a catchy title; it’s a grim reality for the paramedics featured in this episode. The episode follows a stabbing incident that requires paramedics to perform emergency surgery at the roadside.
Beyond the immediate crisis, the episode also shows the strain on the entire system. Dispatchers LJ and Sharlan struggle to coordinate 65 ambulance crews spread thin across the city, juggling a constant influx of emergency calls. Meanwhile, solo paramedic Elise confronts a life-or-death situation when she responds to a heart attack with no immediate backup available. The episode also looks at the difficulty of finding available hospital beds, a problem that adds extra pressue for paramedics trying to get their patients the care they need.
Amid the chaos and pressure, we see paramedics Ryan and Emma providing comfort to an 83-year-old woman grieving the recent loss of her children and husband, a quiet moment of humanity in the midst of an often overwhelming job. Another crew faces a different kind of roadblock when they arrive at a hospital unable to take new patients, leaving them stuck waiting in their vehicle with a patient in need. Advanced paramedic Nick fights to save a patient who goes into cardiac arrest multiple times. “Ambulance” airs Thursday, 29 May at 9:00 PM GMT on BBC One.
