Viewers praise NHS after "powerful and emotional" Hospital finale
The final episode of the BBC documentary series focused on the increasing pressure on Nottingham University Hospitals' critical care units
Viewers took to Twitter to lavish praise on the NHS after Tuesday night's series finale of BBC2 documentary Hospital, which depicted the relentless demand for beds in Nottingham's Queens Hospital's critical care unit (the last option for patients with life-threatening diseases).
Many called upon health secretary Jeremy Hunt to address the bed capacity crisis after the programme exhibited how surgeons and consultants at NQH spend their time juggling beds (there are only 53 available in the CCU) and scrambling to cope with increasing demand.
"Doubt Mr Hunt is watching #Hospital tonight but if he is, I wonder what he's actually going to do to address the evident crisis in bed capacity?" Twitter user Matti Colley wrote.
@Michael20174 added: "15,000 beds cut in the past 6 yrs. That’s 1 in 10. And now doctors run around like bed managers. Ridiculous waste of time & skills. #Hospital"
Eric Morton, chair at Nottingham University Hospitals also praised the series for raising awareness about the current state of the NHS.
"Hospital has raised awareness & stimulated discussion around our NHS & social care," he wrote. "Storylines and characters, patients, their families & our staff have touched our hearts. We have smiled. We have cried. Thank you to all @TeamNUH. #hospital"
Read more responses to the series finale of Hospital below.