BBC Ambulance is back featuring North East Ambulance Service - where and when it’s filmed and how to watch

Hit medical documentary ‘Ambulance’ is back on BBC One as it takes a closer look at the frontline staff at the North East Ambulance Service (NEAS) on duty.

The BAFTA award-winning series follows the crews and their patients across Tyne and Wear, Durham, Darlington and Teesside.

It’s the show’s ninth series and the first time it  has been filmed in  the region as the NEAS struggles to bounce back after facing one of the toughest times in its history.

Production company Dragonfly were embedded with NEAS to film footage for the BBC series between January and April 2022 at a time when the ambulance service has never been more under pressure.

Over the course of the filming, the service’s Emergency Operations Centre in Newcastle and Hebburn handled 162,257 999 calls and 219,844 111 calls, and dispatched ambulance crews to 125,382 incidents – an average of 1,045 incidents per day.

NEAS Chief Executive Helen Ray said: “The programme really shows how amazing our teams are in their care and treatment of patients.

“It highlights the dedication and commitment from every member of team NEAS as they strive to give the best quality care to every patient they meet. I’m incredibly proud of them all and would like to thank them for representing our service so well.

“Each episode shines a light on the wide range of patient needs faced by our service – whether that be emergency response for life threatening illness, support for mental health or social care needs, or alcohol and drug use.

“It shows clearly the pressure faced by our service and the wider health network around us, and the dedication of our brilliant staff to do their best.”

Here is everything you need to know about the series as it returns.

When does Ambulance start and how do I watch it on TV?

The new season of Ambulance premieres on BBC One on August 11 at 9pm.

It then continues every Thursday until October 27.

This is the ninth series to air on BBC One and you may also watch it online via BBC iPlayer.

The two most recent series are also available to watch online via the BBC iPlayer.

What is the latest Ambulance series about?

Each of the 12 60-minute episodes for the series will feature the work of ambulance staff and the patients they treat during one particular shift.

The show will also reveal the true human tales behind the sirens by following both paramedics on the road and those answering 999 calls.

In the first episode, paramedics are dispatched to a patient experiencing chest trouble.

Ambulance crew Sophie and Jack attended the patient where they learned that his family are Iraqi immigrants who arrived on UK soil 17 days ago.

The shift takes a dramatic turn when crewmates Gemma and Katie are called to a road traffic collision, shortly before other calls for a second traffic accident outside of a school are rolling in.

The show also highlights the concerns of a social worker who calls the emergency services about the wellbeing of a patient who is ill and hasn’t eaten in three days.