Life and death on the NHS.

NHS surgeons are often faced with the responsibility of performing surgery which will mean life or death for their patients. This documentary follows a number of such cases. Rebecca, aged 14, has a benign brain tumour that urgently requires surgery; Rosemary has been involved in a serious car accident and has internal bleeding; Nicky, aged 23, was diagnosed with dilated cardiomyopathy and needs a heart transplant. In all cases we see detailed footage of the surgical teams at work and receive accounts from medical staff, patients and their families when faced with life and death situations. Rosemary's injuries prove too severe for her to recover and her organs are donated after her death. Nicky receives her heart transplant and Rebecca her brain surgery; both make very successful recoveries although Rebecca will still need some radio or chemotherapy.