2020: The Story of Us will premiere on ITV1 on Tuesday 16 March at 9pm
The Intensive Care Society has partnered with Oscar-winning director Kevin Macdonald and top UK production company, Docsville, to tell the story of the incredible care the intensive care community provides for the sickest of patients in hospital.
Our feature length documentary premiering on ITV1 at 9pm on Tuesday 16 March, provides a vivid picture of intensive care, those working in it and their patients.
You will follow two of the Society’s senior representatives, intensive care consultants Professor Hugh Montgomery, and Dr Shondipon Laha, as well as dedicated nurses as they provide first-hand accounts of working at the sharp end of the front line during the first wave.
With support from our representative hospitals, the Whittington Hospital in North London and Royal Preston Hospital in Lancashire, camera crews were given access to their intensive care units (ICU) to follow these healthcare professionals.
Filming began before COVID-19 reached the UK and as the pandemic intensified, filming on the ICUs was halted in favour of recording via mobile phones to document what was happening on the frontline.
In this never seen before footage, we can experience first-hand the physical demand on ICU staff and the immense emotional burden placed on them as they play the role of not only healthcare professional but also loved one to their patients as they stand by their bedside when their families cannot.
Dr Shondipon Laha said “Over the past year we have seen a remarkable response from the multi professional staff that make up intensive care. These stories of patients and staff show what it really takes to deliver this care. However, whilst this is filmed during Covid, it reflects the care that existed before and will exist after this pandemic.
We also follow several patients though their journey on an ICU. Among them is children’s author and poet, Michael Rosen, who spent 47 days in intensive care suffering from COVID-19 at the Whittington Hospital in London. Under the lifesaving care of Professor Montgomery, you follow Michael complex road to recovery.
These heartfelt and honest stories will make you soon release that intensive care is more than just beds and ventilators, and would be nothing without the staff who fight tirelessly every day to care for the sickest of us.
Intensive Care Society Chief Executive, Dr Sandy Mather, said: “As the voice for intensive care, the Society started planning this documentary two years ago and we are delighted to partner with the award-winning documentary production team at Docsville and award winning director – Kevin MacDonald. We trusted them to deliver a film that shows the heart and soul of the people who work in intensive care and their patients. This film has delivered our highest hope. It demonstrates how much our members care day in day out. This is a unique opportunity to see the incredible intensive care community at work and also highlight the essential care they have always provided, not just during the pandemic.”
This documentary is released in parallel with the Intensive Care Society’s ‘I Care for U’ campaign to raise money to continuing providing support to all those that work in intensive care. Find out more about our support at www.ics.ac.uk.
Intensive Care Society President, Dr Stephen Webb, said: “The COVID pandemic has brought the very best out of staff working on the frontline in Intensive Care Units - but this lifesaving work has been going on before COVID struck and will continue after the pandemic subsides. This expertly crafted documentary produced in collaboration with Docsville accurately captures the tireless efforts shown by the Intensive Care Society members to save the lives of people caught up in the greatest threat to global health in the last century. But after such suffering, our members need your help, please donate to our fundraising campaign."
To donate to this campaign please click here.
