A leading neurosurgeon from Salford Royal is set to appear in a new Channel 5 documentary series, The Surgeon, which offers viewers a rare glimpse into the skill, precision and humanity behind NHS surgery.
Mr. Omar Pathmanaban, who has more than 20 years of experience, will feature in an episode airing on Wednesday March 4 at 9pm on Channel 5.
The programme follows Omar both inside and outside the operating theatre, exploring his clinical expertise as well as his family life. Viewers will meet his wife Annabel, who is also a surgeon, and learn how they balance their demanding careers with raising their three children.
The episode shows Omar as he supports his patients from their first consultation through to surgery and recovery. It includes the case of patient Aditya, who has lived since birth with a rare tumour, and Emmanuel whose malignant tumour sits so deep within his brain that Omar and his team operate through his nose to reach it.
The Surgeon takes viewers behind the mask, offering an honest and human look at what life is really like for surgeons – capturing the intensity of the operating theatre, as well as the compassionate, personal moments that shape every patient journey.
Omar said: “The documentary is a rare opportunity to show how we care for patients who are facing the most daunting challenge of their lives, dealing with conditions and treatments that can be life threatening. Viewers will see how teams across the NHS work closely together to provide the highest standard of compassionate care that we can and how this can make a real difference to patients and their families.
“You find that in moments like this, you build a strong connection with patients and it can be highly emotional at times, but as surgeons, we need to work with this, whilst focusing on getting the job done with the best possible outcome. Each operation is unique. It can be demanding and at times unpredictable, sometimes you can be faced with the unexpected and need to make challenging decisions.
"It was an honour to be chosen to be part of this documentary series. I hope that the fantastic teams at the NCA who deliver world class care every day are proud and that people thinking about a career with us will see the impact and job satisfaction possible within the NHS, despite all of the well-known challenges facing the service.”
Watch the trailer below.
