SOUTHAMPTON General Hospital patients and medics feature in a new TV documentary on medical ethics.

The team at the paediatric intensive care unit will appear in Channel 4 documentary, My Baby’s Life: Who Decides?

The unit treats around 1,000 patients a year from across the south and the Channel Islands, and has one of the best survival rates in the country.

The two-part series will feature the stories of six patients, their families, and the staff who care for them and also explores the work of the clinical ethics committee.

Consultant in paediatric intensive care at Southampton Children’s Hospital, Dr Peter Wilson, said the programme was a landmark moment.

He said: “We often fail to talk openly about the ethics of medical care in society but it is an integral and routine part of life in acute hospitals and this documentary provides real insight into the active role families play in the care that is delivered every day.

“This programme is a landmark moment in engaging the public with the discussions that take place between clinicians, patients and their families on a daily basis and the value of strong relationships and communication for everyone involved in the care process.”

Professor Anneke Lucassen, a physician specialising in clinical genetics, who chairs the clinical ethics committee at University Hospital Southampton NHS Foundation Trust, said difficult decisions are a part of everyday practice.

She said: “The committee aims to support staff by providing a place for reflection, opinion or advice to facilitate a process for arriving at a decision.

“We are really pleased to be part of this project to help promote and engage people in this important aspect of clinical care.”

The first episode of My Baby’s Life: Who Decides? is due to air on Thursday at 9pm on Channel 4.