24 Hours in A & E sounds like a nightmare! No, the title does not refer to how long you will have to wait in the casualty department before you get treatment but if you have ever needed to attend hospital yourself following an accident, you will know how chaotic, frightening and lengthy it can be.

This Channel 4 documentary series goes behind the scenes at one of Britain’s busiest A & E departments and is a fly on the wall account of what life is really like for the staff and for the patients. You can watch 24 Hours in A & E via youriplayer and see for yourself in this hour long programme.

24 Hours in A & E was filmed at Kings College Hospital in London over a 28 day period and had the cameras running permanently during this time. On average the department treat 350 cases each day and see everything from minor scratches to life threatening accidents following road traffic accidents , assaults and similar.

The result is an unprecedented account that captures the highs and lows of the
A & E department as they battle to save lives as well as cope with drunken behaviour and abuse that is sadly an increasing factor of the job. The real life drama is cut with interviews and accounts from the staff and the victims of the accidents.

This series has been one of the most ambitious projects ever carried out by Channel 4 and required the use of over 70 cameras. The result is compelling real life drama, some heart-warming moments and real life tragedy. It’s life and it is all here in the A & E department!
24 hours in A &E puts the state of British hospitals under the microscope and it can make for uncomfortable viewing as we see people having to come to terms with injuries loss and life changing situations.

The series first aired in 2011 and has run to three seasons so far. It won a Royal Television Society Award for the best documentary series of 1012
 

Watch all episodes of 24 Hours in A&E here. 24 Hours in A&E is a tv-programme of BBC One. You can see all episodes of 24 Hours in A&E here via Youriplayer.co.uk.