And action! Film crews documenting paramedics across Grimsby

SIRENS, camera, action!

A fly-on-the wall documentary will feature scenes from Grimsby - but the only people in front of the camera will be patients.

Film crews are out and about today with East Midlands Ambulance Service (EMAS) capturing the time between the moment a 999 call is received to the patient arriving into hospital.

Those filming aim to commission the work to Channel 4 which is popular for its health documentaries, including 24 hoursIn A&E and One Born Every Minute, to name a few.

Steve Pratten, paramedic and operations support manager for EMAS, who is working closely with film crews, said: "We will have two ambulances and a fast response car fitted with cameras in Grimsby.

"However, I must stress that any patients we do see have the right to request cameras to be switched off for confidentiality and they will be told on arrival that we have film crews with us.

"Today is only a pilot and any filming done will be left in the hands of Channel 4 if they want to air it or not – if they do, the documentary will be similar to the police, camera, action programmes and could become a series.

"I see this as a great opportunity to demonstrate the positive aspects of EMAS after the changes the service has gone through recently."

So far this year, EMAS has been in the media spotlight for various reasons, including being fined for failing to meet response time targets, poor care revealed through an official report and a reshape of the service which included closing many stations across the region.

As reported, EMAS is to create nine hubs, retaining 19 of 65 stations across the region, supplemented with 108 Community Ambulance Points, complete with toilet facilities.

Despite some negative reports, Steve said: "If this is aired on TV it will also be an educational tool for people to learn what is a true 999 call and what an ambulance should be attending.

"This will be a big thing for us and our staff to show people the positives of EMAS."

Filming will also take place in Scunthorpe and Lincoln today – the service's call centre is based in the city.

Camera crews will film those taking the initial 999 call, the dispatch crew and the paramedics dealing with the casualty.

Steve said: "We want to capture and show people everything that goes on within our service and show crews running concurrently.

"For example an ambulance could be filmed in Grimsby attending to a road traffic accident but at the same time paramedics in Scunthorpe might be waiting in a lay-by ready to receive a call.

"I am glad we are doing this and hopefully it will be successful."