A Channel 4 Dispatches documentary airing tonight has exposed the pressures facing the UK’s ambulance services, with undercover filming inside the South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) control room in Medway.
The programme, titled ‘999 Undercover: NHS in Crisis’, features footage secretly recorded by an undercover journalist who worked as a 999 call handler at SECAmb between May and July 2025. The Trust says the documentary was made without its knowledge or consent, and that it had no opportunity to view the footage before broadcast.
In a statement, SECAmb said it takes any breach of patient confidentiality or trust between colleagues extremely seriously, adding that it understands patients and staff filmed during the investigation may have concerns.
The Trust confirmed it has been informed by Channel 4 that all patients and staff featured have been anonymised, and that the documentary complies with the Ofcom Broadcasting Code.
Anyone with concerns has been urged to contact SECAmb’s Patient Advice and Liaison Service (PALS) by emailing pet@secamb.nhs.uk
or calling 0300 1239 242. General complaints about the filming can be made directly to Ofcom.
A SECAmb spokesperson said:
“We’re incredibly proud of our control centre teams, who work tirelessly, often in challenging circumstances, to provide the highest standards of care, responding to almost a million 999 calls every year.
“We know there are challenges in consistently meeting national performance standards for all ambulance trusts, particularly for Category 2 emergencies and mental health cases.
“Since our CQC inspection in 2022, we’ve made significant strides forward and continue to push for further improvement. We remain committed to achieving the Cat 2 target for those who need urgent care the most.
“At the same time, we’re transforming how we deliver services to ensure care is sustainable in the face of rising demand. Innovations such as urgent care hubs and virtual care are already making a difference.”
The Trust added that it remains “extremely proud” of staff working in its Emergency Operations Centres, who handle thousands of calls each day, providing lifesaving care under intense pressure.
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