The NHS Front Line

Eighteen-year-old Marium fell ill at the same time as her brothers and sisters – whilst they all recovered she just got worse and a week into the illness she was struggling to breathe and couldn’t get out bed. An ambulance was called and when doctors assessed her they considered putting her straight onto a ventilator because her oxygen levels were so low. In the end the decision was made to attach her to a smaller, less intrusive breathing device and to place her one of the treatments being tested under the national Recovery trial.It was a difficult time for Marium and her whole family: as she arrived at hospital an ambulance was on its way to her grandfather, Mohammed, who was briefly placed in a bed near her. He also had Covid-19, as did Marium’s Mum, Saiqu, who was also admitted to the ward later that same night. Over the next few days, as Marium’s condition started to improve, she was unaware that her grandfather was getting worse. When he died, her family kept the news from her, fearing it would set back her recovery. The news was only broken to her when she was well enough to be discharged and she’s now coming to terms with her grief and the ongoing physical impact of her illness.The way we treat those with Covid-19 looks set to change, with doctors looking ahead to a time, not too far off, when anyone with early symptoms will be able to drive to a testing centre, get swabbed and have an instant result and then receive a prescription for a combination of effective drugs before their symptoms take hold. The trial that Marium is part of will report later in summer and in The NHS Front Line, Winifred Robinson also hears from Mark, a keen cyclist and the first patient in the UK on a trial aimed at seeing if early treatment might work at stopping the worst impact of the virus later on in the infection.With the death toll from this pandemic still rising across the world, clinical trials that would have taken years to approve and carry out are being done in weeks.This series comes from the Bradford Royal Infirmary, with recordings made by Dr John Wright, who works there. He’s an epidemiologist and has helped prepare and cope with a huge influx of patients. The hospital layout has been redesigned to try to keep Covid and non-Covid patients’ apart, but without a testing system that delivers results within hours it’s proving hard to rule out the risks of infection taking place. This is becoming more of an issue as the hospital increasingly opens up for non-urgent care.

Doctors in the UK are developing new ways of helping patients as they leave the hospital covid wards. Many will require medical follow up as they continue to recover at home and a new system provides that via virtual wards; with nurses in the community overseen by staff in the hospital to ensure the best care possible. It is an effective way of helping patients and also family and friends, many of whom are worried that their loved ones might still be infected and capable of transmitting the virus.This series comes from the Bradford Royal Infirmary, with recordings made by Dr John Wright, who works there. He is an epidemiologist and as he helps the hospital prepare for and cope with a huge influx of patients, he is also searching for answers about Covid-19. He is keen to examine how the virtual wards are working in practise and whether they hold the key for a new model of health care, one where many doctors work more remotely but where patient care is not compromised at all. The recordings follow two elderly patients coming home from the covid wards: one has the support from a granddaughter who has moved in to give round the clock care, but who is fearful about being exposed because she has a compromised immune system. The other patient is managing alone and struggling with the most basic tasks, from opening cans to turning on taps and even being able to unlock her front door. Her wrist is weak from a previous injury and neighbours who before would call in and help are too worried about the risks of infection. Winifred Robinson presents these recordings in a series which charts the response of NHS staff and patients on the Covid-19 wards. The number of cases is falling but there are still concerns and doctors have seen a small rise that could be associated with celebrations marking the 75th anniversary of VE day. It was an occasion for street gatherings and although people at first kept their distance, once the alcohol started to flow some lost their inhibitions and launched into risky contact with each other, including a number of fights.

As the death toll continues to rise across the world, doctors are keen to learn from the spread of the virus so far and particularly how it took hold in large gatherings, with huge ripple effects across wider communities. With England on the brink of easing restrictions, the patterns of infection hold important lessons that might help keep people safe. In Britain, sporting events, concerts and even funerals held weeks ago have caused local spikes and the ripple effects continue, with patients still recovering in British hospitals. Another main difficulty facing doctors is breaking down the suspicion behind a series of fake social media reports spreading in BAME communities. In some parts of the country there are claims that non-white patients will be left to die in hospital and one doctor reveals the toll that hurtful messages is having. Dr Fozia Hayat has told police about the impact of hateful messages that falsely state she has blood on her hands. In truth she and her colleagues are working with some of the patients most seriously affected by Covid-19. This series comes from the Bradford Royal Infirmary, with recordings made by Dr John Wright, who works there. He is an epidemiologist and as he helps the hospital prepare for and cope with a huge influx of patients, he is also searching for answers about Covid-19. He is receiving important clues about when the first cases might have reached the UK and about what makes some patients far more susceptible to the impact of the virus. Winifred Robinson presents Dr Wright's recordings in which we hear from frontline NHS staff and from many patients on the Covid-19 wards. Dr Fozia Hayat is particularly upset that abusive messages continued into Ramadan, a time when it is even more important to be kind and generous towards each other. Instead she and others have been told that they will be held responsible in the court of Allah - some of the malicious messages go on to state that covid does not even exist.

Dr John Wright has been recording on the wards for BBC Radio 4 – starting on March 16th, the day the Prime Minister gave his first televised address about the danger of Covid-19. This is week seven of his diaries, recorded as the number of cases continues to increase and the pressures on the frontline team intensify. These recordings with frontline NHS staff at all levels, take you behind the scenes on the wards as they plan for what is to come and then cope as the patients arrive. They let us share in the pressures, personal and professional, and in the decisions being made in the face of this unprecedented threat. Professor John Wright is helping Bradford Royal Infirmary to get ready for Covid-19. He’s looked after patients all over the world – cholera and HIV in Southern Africa, Ebola in Sierra Leone. He thinks it’s important we should all know what we are facing.Presented by Winifred Robinson Produced by Sue Mitchell Sound Production by Richard Hannaford

Dr John Wright has been recording on the wards for BBC Radio 4 – starting on March 16th, the day the Prime Minister gave his first televised address about the danger of Covid-19. This is week six of his diaries, recorded as the number of cases continues to increase and the pressures on the frontline team intensify. These recordings with frontline NHS staff at all levels, take you behind the scenes on the wards as they plan for what is to come and then cope as the patients arrive. They let us share in the pressures, personal and professional, and in the decisions being made in the face of this unprecedented threat. Professor John Wright is helping Bradford Royal Infirmary to get ready for Covid-19. He’s looked after patients all over the world – cholera and HIV in Southern Africa, Ebola in Sierra Leone. He thinks it’s important we should all know what we are facing.Presented by Winifred Robinson Produced by Sue Mitchell Sound Production by Richard Hannaford

Dr John Wright has been recording on the wards for BBC Radio 4 – starting on March 16th, the day the Prime Minister gave his first televised address about the danger of Covid-19. This is week five of his diaries, recorded as the number of cases starts to increase and the pressures on the frontline team intensify. These recordings with frontline NHS staff at all levels, take you behind the scenes on the wards as they plan for what is to come and then cope as the patients arrive. They let us share in the pressures, personal and professional, and in the decisions being made in the face of this unprecedented threat. Professor John Wright is helping Bradford Royal Infirmary to get ready for Covid-19. He’s looked after patients all over the world – cholera and HIV in Southern Africa, Ebola in Sierra Leone. He thinks it’s important we should all know what we are facing.Presented by Winifred Robinson Produced by Sue Mitchell Sound Production by Richard Hannaford

In this programme Dr John Wright and doctors at the Bradford Royal Infirmary are recruiting Covid-19 patients into the largest study of its kind: it's a race against time in the search for possible treatments for those made gravely ill by the virus and people are all too willing to help.John Wright has been recording on the wards for BBC Radio 4 – starting on March 16th, the day the Prime Minister gave his first televised address about the danger of Covid-19. This is week four of his diaries, recorded as the number of cases starts to increase and the pressures on the frontline team intensify. These recordings with frontline NHS staff at all levels, take you behind the scenes on the wards as they plan for what is to come and then cope as the patients arrive. They let us share in the pressures, personal and professional, and in the decisions being made in the face of this unprecedented threat. Professor John Wright is helping Bradford Royal Infirmary to get ready for Covid-19. He’s looked after patients all over the world – cholera and HIV in Southern Africa, Ebola in Sierra Leone. He thinks it’s important we should all know what we are facing.Presented by Winifred Robinson Produced by Sue Mitchell Sound Production by Richard Hannaford

The prospect of keeping families apart at the time of death is so new to medical staff in the UK that it is hard to process alongside everything else that this pandemic has thrown into turmoil. Telephones and monitors are being brought onto the Covid-19 wards in a bid to link families using new technology in the hope that this brings comfort even though loved ones are prevented entering the hospital during the pandemic.Dr John Wright has been recording on the wards for BBC Radio 4 – starting on March 16th, the day the Prime Minister gave his first televised address about the danger of Covid-19. This is week three of his diaries, recorded as the number of cases starts to increase and the pressures on the frontline team intensify. These recordings with frontline NHS staff at all levels, take you behind the scenes on the wards as they plan for what is to come and then cope as the patients arrive. They let us share in the pressures, personal and professional, and in the decisions being made in the face of this unprecedented threat. Professor John Wright is helping Bradford Royal Infirmary to get ready for Covid-19. He’s looked after patients all over the world – cholera and HIV in Southern Africa, Ebola in Sierra Leone. He thinks it’s important we should all know what we are facing.Presented by Winifred Robinson Produced by Sue Mitchell Sound Production by Richard Hannaford

As increasing numbers of Covid-19 patients are needing medical care the efforts of doctors and nurses are being hampered by sickness in their own ranks. The spread of the virus appears to be hitting the very teams dealing with those made so ill by it and the lack of testing and worries about protective equipment are hindering their efforts.Dr John Wright has been recording on the wards at the Bradford Royal Infirmary for BBC Radio 4 – starting on March 16th, the day the Prime Minister gave his first televised address about the danger of Covid-19. This is week two of his diaries, recorded as the number of cases starts to increase and the pressures on the frontline teams intensifies.These recordings with frontline NHS staff at all levels, take you behind the scenes on the wards as they plan for what is to come and then cope as the patients arrive. They let us share in the pressures, personal and professional, and in the decisions being made in the face of this unprecedented threat.Professor John Wright is helping Bradford Royal Infirmary to get ready for Covid-19. He’s looked after patients all over the world – cholera and HIV in Southern Africa, Ebola in Sierra Leone. He thinks it’s important we should all know what we are facing.Presented by Winifred Robinson Produced by Sue Mitchell Sound Production by Richard Hannaford

This series takes you inside the Covid wards in one of the UK's busiest teaching hospitals. The recordings are all made by Dr John Wright, who is helping prepare for the pandemic and speaks to those alongside him, from doctors and nurses, through to admin managers and cleaners. This is a race to help those most at risk from this virus and people are united in doing their best to help those in the local community who need them more than ever before.Dr Wright starts these recordings on March 16th, the day the Prime Minister gave his first televised address about the danger of Covid-19. The series unfolds in real time, giving you a week by week account of what is happening on the hospital wards. You can follow the inside thoughts of the teams planning for the surge in patient numbers and hear form relatives prevented from entering the hospital and having to find new ways to speak to loved ones, even when they're dying.This is the only access of its kind to the real inside account of how the hospital is gearing up to meet this huge challenge and listeners are alongside from the start. In this programme intensive care doctors are rapidly expanding bed numbers to cope as people become very ill and need to be on ventilators. An old disused ward is being brought back into life and nurses are allocated to the new Covid wards as they start to fill.Professor John Wright is an expert in fighting epidemics and has worked in outbreaks of Ebola, Cholera and HIV around the world. He thinks it’s important to share what clinical staff and support workers are facing at this critical time. At the end of each podcast version he discusses some of the issues raised with Presenter Winifred Robinson and provides answers to some of the questions that people might have.Presented by Winifred Robinson Produced by Sue Mitchell Sound Design by Richard Hannaford