ADVISER: 'Well, what we don't want to do
'is to have to go back to a national lockdown.'
ADVISER 2: 'And so we really need people to stick with us
'and stick to those social distancing interventions
'for that period.'
Together we are tackling this disease,
and I want to reassure you
that if we remain united and resolute,
then we will overcome it.
MAN: I've adhered to all the rules
that have been set down by the government,
and this chap just appears from London
and drives all the way up here and...
thinks that he's beyond reproach.
Sorry I'm late.
It's time to eat out to help out.
REPORTER: You have always said as a government
you are led by the science,
so can you tell us how the decisions you've come to
are still based on the science, rather than just the economy?
REPORTER: And now what we're seeing is a rate of increase
across the great majority of the country.
We haven't got the right communications messages
in place locally.
As a result, confusion and chaos spreads,
which actually undermines the very messages
that we're trying to get across to the public.
Can I ask why you're filming me, please?
REPORTER: The epidemic is taking off again,
and so I don't think we've hit this sweet spot
where we've been able to control the epidemic.
REPORTER 2: The idea of a second COVID wave
isn't some far-off concept.
It feels very real here.
I need to call security if you don't identify yourself
or explain what you're doing.
It's a ghost town. It's empty.
Liars!
Security, please.
Bilateral creps.
LABOURED BREATHING
Very poor air entry.
Sit back for me, please.
Thanks.
Heart sounds barely audible.
What's the gas like?
CO2's 12 and he's got a lactate of five.
On how much oxygen?
Six litres on the Hudson.
OK...
...let's get the fluids in, but cautiously, please.
Have you got this? Yeah.
COUGHING
BEEPING, GENERAL CHATTER
Thanks, everyone.
So, as some of you may have heard,
we are going back to being a hot ward.
GROANING
When?
As of tomorrow. The signage will go back up.
The whole of this floor is becoming COVID wards again.
It's not just us.
We're seeing it more and more on the take.
ED is just...
Well, it's...
Look...
...we have treatments now.
We're doing things now that we didn't know to do
at the beginning of all this.
We have vaccines round the corner.
We know what we're doing. Abbey?
Can I just ask a question? Of course.
Why is it that they're talking about social bubbles at Christmas
when we're having to open up new hot wards again?
Doesn't that mean that we're gonna be...
Social bubbles for some of us, at least.
Look, even if it doesn't feel like it...
...it's not going to be how it was before.
MICHAEL GOVE: '..First Minister of Northern Ireland,
'to have a relaxation of the rules over Christmas.'
So for five days, from the 23rd to the 27th of December,
people will be allowed to have a Christmas bubble.
I think this has been done to be popular
and possibly because the governments are worried that people are gonna do
their own thing if they don't come up with some restrictions.
But there's no question there is quite a lot of risk with this.
BREATHLESSLY: I just wanna...
try everything.
Hit me with it.
OK... Don't hold... Don't hold back.
OK?
I wanna...
I wanna make sure...
the children are a part of everything.
We completely understand, Ellie.
We're gonna treat your COVID as aggressively as we possibly can.
ON TABLET: Thank you, Ant.
It's just so...
Yeah, it is.
GASPING
I'll see you later on, Simon.
Great. Bye. Yeah.
Ellie Bridges. Should she be for resus, ITU?
Well, it's hard to say. I mean, there's a reasonable chance,
even with her MS where it is,
that she could survive both an ITU admission or a resuscitation.
So let's go with a trial of CPAP on the ward
and keep her at full escalation, ITU and resuscitation. OK?
Yeah, there's something else.
Simon, her husband.
We just talked to him on Zoom.
He's desperate to bring the children in.
I... They're only six and eight,
so I thought...
Current hospital policy is one visitor only,
and only in the last days of life.
Yeah, but in Ellie's case, that could easily apply.
Can't we make an exception?
We can't, Emma, it's...
It's hospital policy. We...
We all have to follow the rules.
Right. OK?
BORIS JOHNSON: '..for those at particular risk
'of loneliness or isolation.'
Across the rest of the country,
the Christmas rules allowing up to three households to meet
will now be limited to Christmas Day only,
rather than the five days as previously set out.
'Three, two, one...'
CHILDREN: 'Merry Christmas, Mum!'
Happy Christmas, my sweethearts.
What's Father Christmas brought for you?
'He got me a Nintendo Switch!' 'Oh, wow.'
'I told you I'd get one.'
'An Apple iPad.' Oh, lovely.
'Right, let's eat the chocolate.'
Save me some of that chocolate, please...
'Yeah.' ...you little horrors.
'It's so tasty.'
KNOCK ON DOOR Hi, Abbey. Oh, sorry.
It's fine. You got a sec?
Yeah, just give me a minute.
'Can we eat the rest of the chocolate now?'
No. 'Oh, come on.'
'Mum!' You have to have breakfast first.
'Even on Christmas Day?' Even on Christmas Day.
'Oh, please.'
I'm sorry. I've got a patient on the ward
that's going to have to take my last remaining ITU bed, so...
But hold on... Ellie Bridges is young.
Young family, desperate for everything, full intervention.
Currently receiving CPAP on the ward. COVID positive.
We both agree her sacral agenesis is not clinically relevant.
Yeah. Her MS relapsing-remitting
is currently stable with good quality of life.
I recognise sacral agenesis isn't relevant here,
but she has advanced MS, and that is.
She's COVID-positive, and she's struggling with it.
I've just seen her on the wards,
and I think we're pretty rapidly going to get
to maximal intervention in ITU, and then we'll see her slide.
The other patient I've been asked to take is 51.
COVID positive with, in my view, a recoverable illness.
His only comorbidity is type 2 diabetes.
He has decent lungs, doesn't have a life-limiting illness,
and on balance, I think he's most likely to cope with the vent.
And most importantly, he's most likely to come off it.
Yeah.
Ellie's chances of being extubated are very slim.
But we don't deny life-saving treatment
when it's clinically indicated.
Lockdown was lifted. We're overrun. I...
It's just where we are.
Chantelle.
Oh, hi. What's up?
I need to discuss Ellie Bridges.
OK.
According to hospital policy,
she's entitled to a relative or caregiver
visiting at the end of life.
Right.
Her husband wants to bring both kids in...
...and I can't choose between her children.
Both children should come as her relatives.
Her husband is their caregiver.
Right.
Thank you.
Hi, girls, hi.
That's it. Come on in.
That's pretty.
So, Mummy's just up this way.
All right, darling?
Hello. Hi!
Hi, guys. Hi.
This is Tracey. Hi.
Tracey's been helping to look after Mummy.
Hi. And you two...
must be Poppy and Katie?
Poppy. Yeah.
You two look beautiful.
We're wearing our party dresses for Mummy.
Unicorns are her favourite.
Are they? Wow.
Oh, my goodness. They're my favourite, too.
Isn't that lucky?
Mummy is going to be so happy to see you all.
Now, she might look a little bit different to before
because she's wearing a special mask,
and that's just to help her breathing.
OK?
It might make it a little bit more difficult for her to talk.
There's some machines in the room with her,
and they look a bit strange, but they're just there to help her.
Nothing to worry about.
Can you put your hands through there?
And let's find those hands at the end of those arms.
There you go. Brilliant.
Pull that one up there.
Make sure they're all there.
One last bit.
What do you think? I can still see you.
What's that, darling?
Can I go see Mummy?
You can go and see Mummy now. Yeah.
Yeah? Yeah.
You want to see her? Let's go.
Come on. You follow me, my love.
ELLIE: Oh, my babies!
Go on, girls, give your mummy a hug.
This is weird.
I feel so helpless inside.
'We are hoping that the CPAP will work.'
But we do need to consider
the possibility that it may not.
But what happens then?
Does she go to intensive care?
We don't think that...
...intensive care or a ventilator
would really be in Ellie's best interests.
In light of her MS...
it's very unlikely that she'd be strong enough
to ever come off the ventilator again.
I'm so sorry.
So, erm...
So, is that it? Is that what you're saying?
You're giving up on her?
We are absolutely not doing that...
...but while we hope for the best...
...we do need to prepare ourselves for the worst
because I'm afraid Ellie is potentially sick enough to die.
Yes.
HE SOBS
Please, can I ask what is most important to Ellie?
Staying alive for as long as possible for the kids.
That's all she cares about.
I will do everything I possibly can for her, Simon,
I promise you that.
I don't know how you're all coping in here.
Thank you.
Mummy, Mummy.
Mum, Merry Christmas! Merry Christmas.
Happy Christmas. Oh, happy Christmas.
Oh, I've missed you.
We made something for you, we made something for you!
You OK? Yeah? Yeah.
Open them, open them, open them! Are these for me?
Yeah! Yeah?
OK, shall I come inside, yeah? Yeah, come in.
OK, let's go in and open them. Hello.
Happy Christmas. It's good to see you, babe.
MEDICAL ADVISER: 'So, you can see, unfortunately,
'it is a pretty grim
'and depressing picture at the moment.
'The situation in the UK is precarious in many parts already,
'particularly the South East and London.'
And it is almost certainly true
that the NHS has not yet seen the impact of the infections
that will have occurred during mixing on Christmas Day.
Hey, Emma. Hiya.
Are you OK?
Joan.
She's deteriorating.
Her husband's on one of the COVID wards,
her daughter-in-law's in ITU.
They all got it at Christmas.
How about you?
Have you had any time off?
Did you manage to see your family?
I was isolating.
Abbey?
Coming.
Look, I'm here if you want to chat, OK?
SIRENS BLARE
PHONE RINGS
MOTHER:
MOTHER SOBS
MOTHER:
Hi, Joan. Hi, it's Emma.
I'm gonna do a quick little look at you, if that's OK.
WHEEZING
Just gonna lay you back down. There we go.
There we go, darling.
She's tiring fast now. I think it's time.
Yeah. All good to go.
Joan, we're just gonna move you to a side room.
OK?
All right, let's go. Here we go.
We're just going to move you this way.
Nigel?
I'm afraid your mother has also now deteriorated.
'OK.'
We have her on the maximum amount of oxygen we can give,
but it's not enough.
Her lungs are failing.
'This is my fault.
'I invited them down here for Christmas.
'Now my wife's in the ITU, and they're both in there.
'It's my fault.'
It is not your fault.
You were told that it was OK.
Nigel, what would matter most of all to your parents now?
'Being together. That's the only thing.
'They've been married for 50 years.
'It was always about being together for Christmas.'
BEEPING
She's with her husband because of you.
It means something. Well done.
PAGER BEEPS
Sorry.
SHE SOBS
I know Heather was asking about that patient in bed three,
Abbey wanted to take a look at her. Hey.
Hey. Um, did you get those two sets of TTAs ready?
They went to the pharmacy this morning.
Right, OK. Shall I ring them to chase?
No, it's fine, but can you check on...
No, I'm not gonna keep my voice down.
It's really important. No. He can't hear, can he?
He needs to be able to see my mouth. I understand that.
You know, what is the point of visiting
if he can't hear me? It's a joke.
They're fucking face nappies anyway, for fucking sheep.
Mrs Smith, I understand this is... Do you want me to call security?
Er, just hold off for a moment.
Is that something you understand I would need to do?
If you want to stay, please put your mask on.
We're doing everything we can here.
I understand it's an extreme time for you.
It's all made up. It's all made up.
Well, I can absolutely assure you... it isn't.
People are dying in here to protect you and your family.
Please put your mask back on.
Thank you very much.
How dare you talk to me like that!
I pay your salary.
Good. Can I get a raise?
Christ.
'It's a ghost town, a complete and utter ghost town!
'Look at this place. Look at this place!
'It's all completely empty.' Everyone OK?
This is getting scary now. 'It's a ghost town.
'You're being lied to. We're all being lied to!
'COVID is a hoax. It's a scamdemic.' I've had enough of this shit.
Can we please stop watching these things?
'These people are aiding and abetting genocide.'
I just want to be at work and do my job.
Alison's right.
We should keep this material off the ward, please.
Yeah, sure.
SHE SOBS Hey, hey.
You'll see them, you'll see them on the call, yeah?
I'm gonna set it up, you'll see.
It's all right.
It's OK, darling. Am I gonna die?
I know, hey.
You're gonna be fine.
You needed me?
The PRNs aren't helping.
It's OK, Tracey. She begged me to take the mask off.
I didn't know what else to do.
Ellie, we need to get this mask back on.
SHE SOBS
We can't give her more, she'll lose consciousness.
Poppy. Katie.
I want my babies. I want them. Hey. Hey, hey, hey.
Hey, my love.
Poppy, Katie! Hey. It's OK.
Shh, shh, shh...
We've got you. We've got you.
We're not going anywhere.
SHE COUGHS
Shh...
Erm, the surgical reg said he's too frail for surgery,
but I just... I don't think that's right.
He walked four miles with his wife on Boxing Day.
Yeah, I can't see any evidence of MetS.
There's none in the report.
So then, surely, couldn't surgery be curative?
Where is he?
Cold Zone EAU.
COUGHING
OK. I'll talk to the surgeons.
Leave it with me.
You're doing really well, Emma. Keep going.
Sam, hi. Listen, it's about...
Oh, I know. Rodgers?
The 70-something in Cold EAU, new colorectal primary.
Well, yes, 70-something, but no past medical history,
physically active and a good quality of life.
I'm not convinced he's up to an emergency laparotomy.
OK. The ITU's swamped,
even cancelling all the elective surgeries,
so, even if he was fit enough, he's too much of a risk, I think.
So which is it? Not fit enough or no ITU bed?
My hands are tied.
I'm sorry.
I need to talk to my wife. Of course.
We can arrange that as soon as possible.
Can I see her?
I'm afraid it's complicated, with the rules...
Oh, with COVID, I know, yeah.
...and the tier system as it is at the moment.
We have a hospital policy that only allows visitors
in the last few days of life, so...
But... But...
if the bowel's blocked by the cancer and you can't treat it...
...it might be...
I'll see what I can arrange.
Is there really nothing you can do? You can't operate?
Has it spread?
It hasn't spread, but...
But what?
Mr Rodgers, we aren't sure that we could provide
the post-operative care that you would need
to help you survive an operation like this.
You would need an ITU bed...
and they are all full with COVID patients.
God.
HE SOBS
Come on, Mike, this is inhuman.
OK. Can we just step this inside, please?
At any other time, that man would've been considered
for a de-functioning colostomy. Rodgers?
A de-functioning colostomy, at least.
It was a new tumour, no MetS,
in a fit, essentially healthy 72-year-old.
We are being forced to deny patients potentially life-saving treatment
because we're overwhelmed with COVID again.
We're doing everything we can. Tell me what are
the procedures for determining... We've tripled our ITU footprint...
...who gets care at this point? ...and it's not nearly enough
for all the COVID pouring through the door.
I cannot magic beds out of thin air.
Actually, I can, and that's what I have been doing,
but there's a limit to what we can do, and at some point, Abbey,
we have to start accepting
a reality that is in play that is no-one's fault.
No, no. This was not inevitable.
This is where we've ended up because...
because people made decisions they could have made differently.
We're not locked down.
The Christmas bubbles have spread the variant far and wide,
and no-one, no-one is showing the public what's really happening.
So people are getting together online
and protesting outside hospitals they say are empty.
Someone needs to be honest about these pressures.
If no-one else will, then we need to be.
People won't understand what they don't see.
The public don't think hospitals are full,
and why would they? Some of the public.
They don't believe that this virus kills people, and why would they?
They don't believe that we could conceivably be rationing
emergency care services, and why would they?
Why isn't anyone telling people what's actually happening?
All COVID comms go through NHS England.
They control that and not us.
Well, if the Department of Health won't tell the truth...
...I will. Abbey, take a breath.
The NHS eats whistleblowers alive.
Don't go there.
We're already there.
The first thing they'll do is discredit you,
spend 100 grand on lawyers to claim you're the problem...
and when they're done, your career's ruined.
Yep.
You know I'm with you, but...
...I just don't know.
How much difference will it really make?
I need an extra pair of hands outside.
OK.
Please help him. OK, OK.
Step back for me.
Hello, sir. Sir?
He's not breathing.
He's cold. No pulse. Get a trolley now.
How long have you been driving him?
My God...
I came as fast as I could, I don't want to be sick. I...
It's OK. It's a 20-minute journey.
I'll pronounce him here
and then let's get him to the mortuary, please.
PHONE RINGS
Here.
Driver's gonna need to isolate.
Thanks, guys, I need to get back to ED.
WOMAN: 'Why are you not answering your phone?
'What's going on? Are you OK?'
Hello? This is Dr Henderson. 'Hello?'
Who am I speaking to?
'Yeah, this is Khalid's wife, Nina. Is he at the hospital?
'They were... We waited hours for an ambulance.
'Is he OK? He just left,
'and the driver said he was gonna take him straight to the hospital.'
Nina.
'Yeah?'
I'm afraid I have some very difficult news for you.
'What is going on? I...
'Why are you answering his phone?' Nina...
...I'm so sorry to have to tell you this over the phone.
I'm afraid your husband has died.
I'm so sorry.
'No!'
SOBBING
'No!
'No!'
'Hi, is that the ITU reg?'
I have a 68-year-old, Martin Paji, desaturating on CPAP
on 70%, sats now at 82.
Please could you...
'We'll try, but every bed we've got's in use.
'We're kind of, you know, we're in that place.'
He's only 68. Please, will you at least review...
'Look, we'll come if we can.'
When... can you? 'No idea.
'I'm sorry.'
Hiya, Martin. Hiya, it's Emma.
I just need to check your pulse quickly, if that's all right.
If you could just relax a little bit.
Can you relax a little bit for me? LABOURED BREATHING
Thank you, that's perfect.
Hi, yeah, I called earlier about Martin Paji, the 68-year-old...
'Is this Emma?' ...on C... Yeah.
Just wondering when I'm gonna get some... anyone to review?
'I'll see if ITU outreach can come by.'
Erm... OK, right, we need to switch that over.
Martin, Martin, it's all right, it's all right.
We'll come back to this in a minute, OK?
I'm gonna go find someone to help me hold your hand whilst I do that, OK?
Yeah.
I mean, I'm worried about him,
so if someone could come up as soon as possible,
that would really help me.
Got it, yeah?
Yep. 'We're drowning in here, sorry.'
OK, thanks.
SHAKY BREATHING
So, yeah, he's doing well. He's transferring independently now.
OT and physio have been to see him,
and I think they've written in his notes.
So, yeah, I reckon he's good to go.
Good. Thanks, Tracey.
Could you give the discharge co-ordinator a call?
I've got to nip down for my vaccine.
Oh, yeah, you don't want to miss that.
Where's Emma? Wasn't she on overnight?
Er, yeah, she was.
I haven't seen her, though.
So, Mr Connors...
SHE DIALS
BEEPING
Emma?
Oh, Emma.
Emma, hey.
EMMA SOBS
It's OK.
It's OK, sweetheart.
We're gonna work this out. OK?
CLAMOURING
You deserve Nuremberg, you scum!
You hear me?
National death service! Murderous bitch.
SPITTING, SHE GASPS
Fuck!
LOW CHATTER
LINE RINGING
'Chat Room Radio, how can I help you?'
Hello, hi, erm...
I'd like to speak to a health journalist, please.
'Who's calling, please?'
Erm... No, sorry, I can't...
I can't give you my name, but I'm a doctor.
A COVID doctor.
'And where do you work?'
No, no, this needs to be anonymous.
You can just put your things on this chair.
You'll just be sat right here.
Would you like some water?
Oh, no, thank you.
You can take your mask off, yeah?
Welcome back. It's eight minutes past six,
and right now I'm joined by a doctor
who's currently working on COVID wards in an NHS hospital.
You've asked to remain anonymous,
but you want to talk about your experiences as an NHS consultant.
Talk to me about the situation in your hospital right now.
We are overwhelmed with COVID.
Old people, young people.
We have 30-year-olds in our ITU.
There are pregnant women with COVID on ventilators.
There aren't enough staff or machines, and...
we can't give everyone the care they need.
Are you saying that care is being rationed,
that you're choosing between who lives and who dies?
Yeah. So, if... if you have, say, cancer...
and you need an ITU bed...
you might not necessarily get it
because they're filled with people dying from COVID.
We are seeing three generations of the same family
all dying, one after the other,
because they mixed at Christmas.
It is... horrific.
It's like a war zone.
We have staff members who work on the front line
who still haven't been able to get a vaccine yet.
I can tell it's emotional for you.
Yes.
So, when people say that COVID isn't real,
when people say that hospitals are empty, it must make you...
Hospitals are definitely not empty. It's the complete opposite.
And I just want to say to people to please, please stay at home.
Please follow the rules. I know it's difficult.
We are genuinely struggling
to give everyone the care they need at the moment.
We just can't cope with the numbers.
Why is this not coming from NHS England?
Well, we're not allowed to talk about this.
So you're a whistle-blower. You shouldn't be here?
Erm... Right now...
...cameras, press, they aren't allowed inside hospitals,
at the exact moment it's so important they should be.
So nobody knows how bad conditions are,
and that's why these other stories fill that gap.
OK, but some might say that gap's being filled now
with people asking why you are hiding behind anonymity.
I mean, in this current climate, some will say,
"Are you even a doctor?
"Why are you scaremongering?"
What's your motive behind whistle-blowing right now?
Talk to those people directly. What have you got to say to them?
I would say to them that I have been a doctor for 15 years,
and I am seeing things at the bedside
that I can never un-see.
And if I don't tell the truth...
...I don't deserve to be a doctor at all.
Right, but people are spreading doubt about what doctors are saying.
They are eroding trust in what doctors are saying.
How can we trust what you are saying?
Well...
Look, I, erm...
My name is Abbey Henderson.
I'm an NHS consultant in acute medicine,
and my GMC number is 3170981.
And I am here representing my own views,
my own experiences, my past year.
I believe that there have been deaths from COVID in care homes,
in hospitals, in the back of ambulances,
that resulted from locking down too late and incompletely,
and those people you speak about
can and absolutely should come forward
and talk about their views and their experiences too.
But they cannot deny the reality of mine.
Because if you get sick and you need a hospital bed...
then my reality is going to become yours.
ABBEY: Was it all OK?
'Are you kidding, it was incredible.
'I love you so much.' PHONE BUZZES
'Whatever happens, OK, I love you.' Someone's trying to call me.
'Graham Norton, is it?' SHE CHUCKLES
I'd better go.
'All right, go, go, go. I'll see you later.'
Bye. Bye-bye, bye. Love you. Bye. 'Love you.'
Hello?
'Hi, Abbey, it's Robert.'
Robert...? 'Hexfield, NHS England.'
Oh, hi.
'Yeah, hi.
'I wonder how your CEO will feel about that interview.
'And I'm also wondering what the GMC will feel about it, Abbey.'
Well, I'm...
...not sure what you're saying to me, Robert.
But as I stated...
...I have an NHS duty of candour.
A professional duty to be truthful about failures of care.
We all do.
So, yeah...
...I guess we'll see what the GMC says.
REPORTER: 'Another, for a second day in a row, grim record.
'1,820 deaths.'
'100,000 dead in the ten months
'since Daryl Blakely became one of the first.'
THE QUEEN: 'We should take comfort
'that while we may have more still to endure,
'better days will return.'
REPORTER: 'And now, here we are, the first vaccinations.
'There is still a long way to go,
'but there is finally a glimmer of hope
'that one day soon this will be over.'
'A long-awaited public inquiry into the COVID pandemic
'is finally set to get underway tomorrow.'
We will be with our friends again.
We will be with our families again.
We will meet again.
LOW CHATTER
Thank you for organising today.
I just wish we could do more. Yeah.
Thanks. Found it really helpful.
I appreciate your help...
and support.
Hi, come in.
You're welcome.
Hiya.
How are you doing?
Trying, I guess.
Trying... not to leave medicine.
Right.
Well...
I think you'd make a wonderful doctor.
But...
you need to do what's best for you.
Thank you.
Can I ask...
have you ever thought of leaving?
Yeah.
Yeah, I've thought about it, of course.
But I keep coming back to the idea that...
...what we do has value.
It matters.
We're just here to talk, that's it.
If it helps. Yeah?
OK. Shall we?
Right.
Thanks for coming. You're all very welcome.
Some old faces, some new.
This is a room... we can talk, we can listen...
Subtitles by accessibility@itv.com