We Try To Save Every Patient.if We Can't We Ensure They're Not In Pain & Not Alone

C4 documentary shows dedication and agony of staff at virus sharp end

- Julie McCaffrey

As death rates start to fall it is beginning to feel that we may be reaching the end of the coronavirus pandemic’s darkest days.

But the life-and-death struggle on our intensive care wards across the country is far from over.

Doctors and nurses still face a daily battle for the lives of patients with Covid-19 – a fight that will go on for days and weeks to come.

One of those on the front line is charge nurse Luke Sumner, 39, who has worked in intensive for almost 20 years.

He has always believed his job is not just to save lives but to make patients know they are immaculately cared for and important. He says: “We don’t have patients: we have VIPs.

“We treat everyone exactly as we’d like our own family treated. We do our utmost to save everyone.

But when we can’t, we do our utmost to make sure they are not in pain, not alone and are at peace.”

Luke also takes responsibility for morale of his 20-strong team at Blackpool hospital’s ICU. At the height of the crisis, the atmosphere at the start of each shift was heavy.

Stoic and positive Luke says: “We will beat Covid because we won’t stop. We won’t give up.”

But despite this admirable attitude, Luke, like most experienced professionals, has at times felt overwhelmed.

During a really busy shift, when two patients were coming to the end of their lives at the same time. Luke had to decide which one to comfort.

He says: “I knew one of the patients had some video calls from their family, so I contacted his family and gently told them he’d be passing away imminently.