TVScope : The Brain HospitalBBC1, 9pm, Wed, November 22nd
The National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, London, is the setting for this new documentary series and offers an opportunity to experience life on the scalpel edge without any unpleasant side effects.
The first episode followed several patients though their treatment at the world-renowned facility which employs more than 100 consultants and sees in excess of 1,000 patients per week.
But the programme's real appeal is undoubtedly the humanity it reveals not only in their patients but also in their doctors.
The traditional image of consultants often paints them as bombastic and uncaring. But this stereotypical portrayal was challenged and we saw how the majority of doctors try to do their jobs with as much kindness as possible.
Dr Stefan Brew, for example, undertakes very specialised and unforgiving procedures on people with brain injuries.
Although he tries not to dwell on the negative aspects of his job, when things go wrong for a patient he reveals it plays on his mind for months and even years afterwards.
Ernest Henderson is a 46-year- old who was diagnosed with an aneurysm.
Although the procedure to correct the bleeding artery deep within his brain carried a high risk of fatal side effects, without the intervention, it was unlikely that he would survive.
The startling statistic that 50 per cent of people who have brain injuries die before they even reach a hospital, was enough to convince Henderson that he was one of the lucky ones.
Two weeks later, he was able to leave hospital, recovered but with a changed attitude.
As one of the doctors explained: serious health problems highlight our vulnerability and very often change our view of life.
But although most patients treated had positive outcomes, we were also shown the other side of the coin.
When Stewart Carter, a 68-year- old gentleman, had electrodes inserted into his brain under local anaesthetic for the treatment of Parkinson's disease, he was unfortunate to experience a serious complication.
As a result, it was not possible to proceed with the second part of his surgery leaving him no better off despite all the ensuing physical and psychological trauma.
The Brain Hospitalleaves little doubt that neurosurgery is not always as glamorous as the medical soap programmes like to make it seem. Not recommended if you're squeamish but certainly one to watch if you are interested in genuine "reality" TV.
Review by Marion Kerr, an occupational therapist