Description
The number of obese people treated in hospital has risen 360% in the last five years, and as Britain gets fatter, moving the morbidly obese from A to B has become a challenge as traumatic for patients as it is dangerous for health staff. Now there is a new heavy haulage vehicle on Britain's roads: the Bariatric Ambulance. With a reinforced tailgate, on-board winches, supersize wheelchairs and maxi-trolleys, these ambulances can shift up to 70 stone of bed-ridden body mass - 50 stone more than standard ambulances.
In this film, we join ambulance crews from Thames Ambulance Service, following the lives of people that use the special bariatric service, giving a unique and contemporary insight into Britain's 'Big Society' and its impact on individual lives and public services.