Saving Lives in Leeds: Meet the surgeon starring in new BBC Two documentary on St James’s Hospital and LGI

The new documentary, filmed in St James’s Hospital and Leeds General Infirmary (LGI), airs on BBC Two tonight, with access to in-depth interviews, life-saving operations, and the intimate journey of patients in need of care.

Starring in the series is orthopaedic surgeon Joe Aderinto, who has worked at Leeds Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust for 15 years. Crews followed Dr Aderinto and his team as they carried out operations, observing how they look after patients and navigate the challenges they face day-to-day.

Dr Aderinto, who will appear in next week’s episode of Saving Lives in Leeds, told the Yorkshire Evening Post: “It took some time to get used to being followed by a camera, but the team were very friendly and professional, so you soon got into it and it felt natural. It almost felt like they weren’t there and it didn’t impede on what we were doing.”

Dr Aderinto was set on becoming an orthopaedic surgeon - specialising in the musculoskeletal system - by the third year of his medical degree, and got his first NHS job in 1998. Based at Chapel Allerton Hospital and LGI, one of West Yorkshire’s primary medical centres, he enjoys the variety of the job and is often presented with more complex cases.

“I love the operating itself,” Dr Aderinto said. “We’re changing anatomy to improve function and there can be a stark contrast between before and after the treatment. A lot of what I do is around hip replacements for treating arthritic joints and having the ability to relieve pain and improve function is very satisfying.

"I also like interacting with people - patients and staff. Within the NHS environment, you have that and it’s not in any way a lonely job.”

But coming out of the pandemic, Dr Aderinto and his NHS colleagues have had to battle with unprecedented waiting lists. Saving Lives in Leeds will look at some of the ways the Trust is working to reduce them.

Dr Aderinto added: “When on the other side, and getting back to normal activity, that’s when you realise the sheer mountain of work in front of you - the huge backlogs, the huge waiting lists. We had to refocus on rebuilding the services.

“Out of that have come more novel ways of following patients up and seeing them in clinics. We’ve done a number of things to allow us to be more efficient and help us get through the backlog.”

“I’m sure [the documentary] will reflect what we do in this job,” he added. “And I hope that the viewers will enjoy it - and get to see how the NHS functions at this level, and how we manage to get through some of the difficult situations we face day to day. There’s lots of excitement and anticipation around the first episode airing tonight.”

Saving Lives in Leeds will air on BBC Two tonight at 9pm. Episodes will appear on BBC iPlayer shortly after broadcast.