Coronation Street’s long-running storyline involving character Oliver Battersby recently came to an emotional end when Oliver sadly passed away. Medical Hire were privileged to have been involved by providing ICU equipment for little Oliver’s final scenes.
The story began back in the summer of 2020 when 4-year-old Oliver started experiencing multiple seizures. After months of tests, he was diagnosed with the complex condition mitochondrial disease.
Although tragically no cure for this rare disease, Oliver’s parents Leanne and Steve did not give up on their son and explored every avenue possible for treatment that could help to save his life. Sadly, time ran out for them however, when Oliver’s condition worsened, and he became dependant on life-support.
Leanne still struggled to accept Oliver’s condition and didn’t want to give up on her precious son. But it eventually became clear that the kindest thing to do was to let Oliver go, and so Leanne and Steve made the heart-breaking decision to switch off his life-support.
The Medical Hire team were privileged to be asked to support this sensitive storyline and supplied specialist ICU equipment to build the film set. Intensive care equipment supplied included: a vital signs monitor, a ventilator, an infant respiratory care system, and a volumetric pump with associated syringe drivers.
For a scene where Oliver takes a turn for the worse and requires emergency attention, Medical Hire also supplied: a defibrillator and a crash trolley, plus a range of accessories and consumables.
Filming for the storyline originally commenced in February 2020 but was suddenly delayed due to the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic. This meant that meticulous planning and Covid-secure procedures had to be put in place when filming re-commenced several months later.
Due to social distancing requirements, a dummy had to be used for scenes where Leanne and Steve sat close beside Oliver’s hospital bed. This was in contrast to scenes from the original phase of filming where the real child actor was featured.
The Medical Hire team also followed strict safety and hygiene measures during setup for the later phase of filming. Medical equipment and props were delivered in line with the stringent filming schedule and all items were thoroughly cleaned and wiped down prior to the cast and crew using them.
For more information on intensive care unit equipment for hire for TV and film production, please get in touch on 0113 2628000 or email info@medicalhire.co.uk.
(*Images courtesy of ITV)