The Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, Edinburgh

An innovative mix of comedy performance and documentary with Dr Phil Hammond.

As a doctor and a comedian, Phil knows that humour and laughter are vital coping mechanisms in the NHS, as he travels the UK on a mission to listen to the beating heart of a national institution.

Expect an adventurous, hilarious, thought provoking mix of humour and happiness, tragedy and reflection as the personal thoughts, opinions, experiences and hopes of people who work for and use the NHS are revealed.

In each programme, Phil visits one NHS hospital somewhere in the UK and speaks to porters and patients, cleaners and cardiologists, visitors and volunteers, the managers and the medics.

Beginning at the Royal Hospital for Children and Young People, Edinburgh, Dr Phil hears the stories of staff and patients.

Dr Phil performs a free stand-up comedy show for the staff based on his listening experiences at the hospital.

How does humour help us cope?

Producer: David Morley

A Ride production for BBC Radio 4, first broadcast in August 2021.