Life Support

Title

First
Broadcast

Repeated

Comments

Anaesthetists

20230214

20230823 (R4)

Two people at different stages of their careers, meet for the first time to share and contrast their experiences of working in the health service. Revealing and surprising insights emerge as the participants compare the pressures of the past with those we hear so much about today. In this episode we hear from two anaesthetists. The profession is largest group of doctors working in hospitals. As well as putting patients to sleep during operations, you'll find them working in intensive care units, in accident and emergency and administering epidural pain relief for mothers in labour wards. Mike, a semi-retired consultant anaesthetist, talks about what he describes as the dangerously long hours he used to do as a junior doctor working non-stop from Friday evening to Monday morning. Registrar anaesthetist Giovanna is pleased those extended on call weekend shifts are a thing of the past. However, she shares her frustrations as she feels hospitals are struggling to make progress dealing with the huge surgical waiting lists, built up during the pandemic.

Produced by Matt Toulson and Nick Holland

Editor: Clare Fordham

Sound: Graham Puddifoot

Production Coordinators Sabine Schereck and Maria Ogundele

Two anaesthetists swap notes on the realities of working in healthcare then and now.

Two health workers swap notes on the realities of working in health and social care today.

Gp Practice Managers

20230215

20230830 (R4)

Five episodes where two people at different stages of their careers, meet for the first time to share and contrast their experiences of working in the health service. Revealing and surprising insights emerge as the participants compare the pressures of the past with those we hear so much about today. In this episode we hear from GP practice managers. Retired manager Esther says she remembers when they used to be able to answer phone calls from patients within three rings and a time when everyone's medical notes were written on card. It's all a far cry from recently appointed practice manager Tracey's experiences. The phone lines where she works regularly stack up with forty people calling for an appointment the moment the surgery opens. Despite having seven incoming lines and a team of thirteen administrative staff, Tracey fears it's still not enough to cope with patient demand. Despite the obvious contrasts it soon becomes clear that things weren't always plain sailing in the past.

Produced by Gill Kearsley and Nick Holland

Editor: Clare Fordham

Sound: Graham Puddifoot

Production Coordinators Sabine Schereck and Maria Ogundele

Managers discuss what life working in a GP surgery was like in the past, compared to now.

Two health workers swap notes on the realities of working in health and social care today.

Midwives

20230213

20230816 (R4)

Two health workers at different stages of their careers, meet for the first time to share and contrast their experiences of working in the health service. Revealing and surprising insights emerge as they compare the pressures of the past with the current challenges we hear so much about today. In this episode we hear from two midwives. Ann, who's been a midwife for thirteen years, talks about how she takes her tea. It must be lukewarm. The reason? She knows there's simply no time to wait on a busy labour ward for a hot brew to cool down between seeing patients. Ann is in conversation with Joy, who started as a midwife in the NHS in the 1980s. Back then Joy remembers having time to read a book and even doing some knitting between patients. Both weigh up the satisfaction they get from doing the job against the increasing pressures of the role.

Produced by Octavia Woodward and Nick Holland

Editor: Clare Fordham

Sound: Graham Puddifoot

Production Coordinators Sabine Schereck and Maria Ogundele

Midwives discuss what working on hospital labour wards used to be like compared to now.

Two health workers swap notes on the realities of working in health and social care today.

Paramedics

20230216

20230906 (R4)

Five episodes where two people at different stages of their careers, meet for the first time to share and contrast their experiences of working in the health service. Revealing and surprising insights emerge as the participants compare the pressures of the past with those we hear so much about today. In this episode we hear from two ambulance paramedics. Chris, who recently retired, started in the service in the 1980s, when defibrillators weren't even standard issue on board an ambulance. In the past he remembers getting to take a break between emergencies and crew members being able to take a quick nap on a night shift. There's little chance of that for Harrison who qualified much more recently. He says when he's working now, he's always on the go. He worries about the number of times he's despatched to a 999 call that turns out not to be an emergency and about being stuck in long queues of ambulances outside hospitals waiting for beds to free up. Both agree the role has significantly changed over the years and explain where the service has improved but also got worse.

Produced by Clive Hammond and Nick Holland

Editor: Clare Fordham

Sound: Graham Puddifoot

Production Coordinators Sabine Schereck and Maria Ogundele

Two ambulance paramedics compare what the service was like in the past to how it is now.

Two health workers swap notes on the realities of working in health and social care today.

Pharmacists

20230217

20230913 (R4)

Five episodes where two different people at different stages of their careers, meet for the first time to share and contrast their experiences of working in the health service. One is about to retire, while the other still has years of employment ahead of them. Revealing and surprising insights emerge as the participants compare the pressures of the past with those we hear so much about today. In this episode we hear from two pharmacists. Shaheen, has been a community pharmacist for the last 37 years. She runs her own pharmacy now, but she started working in a chemist's store at the age of fifteen when her father fell sick and she had to help her mum support the family. Back then she remembers chemists making and selling their own homemade remedies, rather than selling branded goods. She's in conversation with Linsey who qualified as a pharmacist in 2021. She's never known the job not to be busy, particularly since the pandemic. One day she'd love to own her own pharmacy, but currently has no idea how she'll be able to afford it.

Produced by Gill Kearsly and Nick Holland

Editor: Clare Fordham

Sound: Graham Puddifoot

Production Coordinators Sabine Schereck and Maria Ogundele

Two pharmacists discuss what their job was like in the past, compared to how it is now.

Two health workers swap notes on the realities of working in health and social care today.

Episodes

Title	First Broadcast	Repeated	Comments
Anaesthetists	20230214	20230823 (R4)	Two people at different stages of their careers, meet for the first time to share and contrast their experiences of working in the health service. Revealing and surprising insights emerge as the participants compare the pressures of the past with those we hear so much about today. In this episode we hear from two anaesthetists. The profession is largest group of doctors working in hospitals. As well as putting patients to sleep during operations, you'll find them working in intensive care units, in accident and emergency and administering epidural pain relief for mothers in labour wards. Mike, a semi-retired consultant anaesthetist, talks about what he describes as the dangerously long hours he used to do as a junior doctor working non-stop from Friday evening to Monday morning. Registrar anaesthetist Giovanna is pleased those extended on call weekend shifts are a thing of the past. However, she shares her frustrations as she feels hospitals are struggling to make progress dealing with the huge surgical waiting lists, built up during the pandemic. Produced by Matt Toulson and Nick Holland Editor: Clare Fordham Sound: Graham Puddifoot Production Coordinators Sabine Schereck and Maria Ogundele Two anaesthetists swap notes on the realities of working in healthcare then and now. Two health workers swap notes on the realities of working in health and social care today.
Gp Practice Managers	20230215	20230830 (R4)	Five episodes where two people at different stages of their careers, meet for the first time to share and contrast their experiences of working in the health service. Revealing and surprising insights emerge as the participants compare the pressures of the past with those we hear so much about today. In this episode we hear from GP practice managers. Retired manager Esther says she remembers when they used to be able to answer phone calls from patients within three rings and a time when everyone's medical notes were written on card. It's all a far cry from recently appointed practice manager Tracey's experiences. The phone lines where she works regularly stack up with forty people calling for an appointment the moment the surgery opens. Despite having seven incoming lines and a team of thirteen administrative staff, Tracey fears it's still not enough to cope with patient demand. Despite the obvious contrasts it soon becomes clear that things weren't always plain sailing in the past. Produced by Gill Kearsley and Nick Holland Editor: Clare Fordham Sound: Graham Puddifoot Production Coordinators Sabine Schereck and Maria Ogundele Managers discuss what life working in a GP surgery was like in the past, compared to now. Two health workers swap notes on the realities of working in health and social care today.
Midwives	20230213	20230816 (R4)	Two health workers at different stages of their careers, meet for the first time to share and contrast their experiences of working in the health service. Revealing and surprising insights emerge as they compare the pressures of the past with the current challenges we hear so much about today. In this episode we hear from two midwives. Ann, who's been a midwife for thirteen years, talks about how she takes her tea. It must be lukewarm. The reason? She knows there's simply no time to wait on a busy labour ward for a hot brew to cool down between seeing patients. Ann is in conversation with Joy, who started as a midwife in the NHS in the 1980s. Back then Joy remembers having time to read a book and even doing some knitting between patients. Both weigh up the satisfaction they get from doing the job against the increasing pressures of the role. Produced by Octavia Woodward and Nick Holland Editor: Clare Fordham Sound: Graham Puddifoot Production Coordinators Sabine Schereck and Maria Ogundele Midwives discuss what working on hospital labour wards used to be like compared to now. Two health workers swap notes on the realities of working in health and social care today.
Paramedics	20230216	20230906 (R4)	Five episodes where two people at different stages of their careers, meet for the first time to share and contrast their experiences of working in the health service. Revealing and surprising insights emerge as the participants compare the pressures of the past with those we hear so much about today. In this episode we hear from two ambulance paramedics. Chris, who recently retired, started in the service in the 1980s, when defibrillators weren't even standard issue on board an ambulance. In the past he remembers getting to take a break between emergencies and crew members being able to take a quick nap on a night shift. There's little chance of that for Harrison who qualified much more recently. He says when he's working now, he's always on the go. He worries about the number of times he's despatched to a 999 call that turns out not to be an emergency and about being stuck in long queues of ambulances outside hospitals waiting for beds to free up. Both agree the role has significantly changed over the years and explain where the service has improved but also got worse. Produced by Clive Hammond and Nick Holland Editor: Clare Fordham Sound: Graham Puddifoot Production Coordinators Sabine Schereck and Maria Ogundele Two ambulance paramedics compare what the service was like in the past to how it is now. Two health workers swap notes on the realities of working in health and social care today.
Pharmacists	20230217	20230913 (R4)	Five episodes where two different people at different stages of their careers, meet for the first time to share and contrast their experiences of working in the health service. One is about to retire, while the other still has years of employment ahead of them. Revealing and surprising insights emerge as the participants compare the pressures of the past with those we hear so much about today. In this episode we hear from two pharmacists. Shaheen, has been a community pharmacist for the last 37 years. She runs her own pharmacy now, but she started working in a chemist's store at the age of fifteen when her father fell sick and she had to help her mum support the family. Back then she remembers chemists making and selling their own homemade remedies, rather than selling branded goods. She's in conversation with Linsey who qualified as a pharmacist in 2021. She's never known the job not to be busy, particularly since the pandemic. One day she'd love to own her own pharmacy, but currently has no idea how she'll be able to afford it. Produced by Gill Kearsly and Nick Holland Editor: Clare Fordham Sound: Graham Puddifoot Production Coordinators Sabine Schereck and Maria Ogundele Two pharmacists discuss what their job was like in the past, compared to how it is now. Two health workers swap notes on the realities of working in health and social care today.