Emergency 24/7 takes viewers inside a major NHS trauma centre in new OU/BBC series

Posted on 18 August 2026 • Health, TV and radio

A new OU / BBC series, Emergency 24/7 begins Tuesday 18 August at 9pm on BBC Two and BBC iPlayer.

From the makers of Murder 24/7, Emergency 24/7 takes viewers inside one of the UK’s busiest Major Trauma Centres, the Emergency Department at Southmead Hospital in Bristol.

Filmed across reception, resuscitation, operating theatres, intensive care and recovery wards, the series captures the realities of emergency medicine as specialist teams respond to critically ill patients. From major trauma incidents and serious burns to sudden medical emergencies, each episode reveals the fast-paced decision-making, teamwork and expertise required when lives are on the line.

Alongside the patient stories, the series also explores the wider pressures facing emergency departments, offering an immersive insight into modern NHS emergency care.

The series was supported by Dr Liz King, Lecturer in Children and Young People’s Nursing and Dr Jane Cook, Lecturer in Nursing, who provided the academic expertise for the programme.

Discussing how emergency teams make critical decisions when multiple patients require urgent care, Dr Liz King said:

“The patients/service users would be appropriately triaged and essentially the ‘sickest’ patient would be treated first. Healthcare professionals use a range of assessment tools to aid this decision making including, the ABCDE approach, but this is also based on the teams’ experience and emergency medicine knowledge. Good decision making is logical, evidence based and ultimately ensures optimal patient safety.”

Supporting Online content:

Visit our Broadcast & Partnerships site, OU Connect, to find out what it takes to keep a busy Emergency Department working with a brand new interactive

This series was commissioned by Broadcast & Partnerships and is supported by the Faculty of Wellbeing, Education and Language Studies (WELS), with particular relevance to R39 Nursing, R26 Health and Social Care and R64 Public Health and Wellbeing.

Commissioned by Dr Caroline Ogilvie, Director, Broadcast & Partnerships

• Academic Consultants: Dr Jane Cook and Dr Liz King

• Media Fellow: Prof Erica Borgstrom

• Broadcast Project Manager: Poppy Ross

• Supporting Online Content: Steff Easom

Image Credit: Expectation TV