Holby

Holby is the name of the fictional city in which BBC medical dramas "Casualty" and "Holby City", and where the short lived police drama "HolbyBlue" are set. It is based upon the city of Bristol, and is located in the fictional county of Wyvern in the South-West of England, not far from the Welsh bordercite web|url=http://www.bbc.co.uk/drama/casualty/fast_facts/fast_facts_62.html|title=Casualty - Fast Facts|publisher=BBC.co.uk|accessdate=2007-11-17] . While "Casualty" is filmed on location in Bristol, "Holby City" is filmed in Elstree, Hertfordshire. Both shows are set in the same fictional Holby City Hospital, with storylines focusing on the Emergency, General and Cardiothoracic surgerical departments, an Acute Assessment Unit, and the fictional Holby Ambulance Service.

Holby City Hospital

Holby City Hospital is the fictional hospital in which "Casualty" and "Holby City" are set. It is based on the Bristol Royal Infirmary where the original script writers went to observe to garner ideas for "Casualty" in the 1980s.Hilary Kingsley(1995) "Casualty" The Inside Story, Penguin Books, ISBN 0-14-024902-8] Although both shows are set in the same hospital, "Casualty" is primarily filmed in Bristol, while "Holby City" is filmed in Hertfordshire at the BBC's Elstree Studios.cite news|author=Juliette Garside|url=http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/10/21/nbbc121.xml|title=EastEnders evicted in latest BBC cost cut|publisher=The Daily Telegraph|date=2007-10-21|accessdate=2007-11-17] The indoor shots for the first series of "Casualty" were filmed at BBC Television Centre in London.Rachel Silver(1998) "Casualty", Behind The Scenes, BBC Books, ISBN 0-563-38467-0] The exterior shots of the hospital used in "Casualty" were formerly filmed at the City of Bristol College, but are now shot on an industrial estate at coord|51.459094|-2.567030|type:landmark_region:GB_source:enwiki| display=inline, close to the interior set of the hospital." [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0096555/locations "Casualty" Filming Locations, "IMDB"] ". URL last accessed 2008-04-22]

Wards and departments

As of 2002, four main wards have formed the focus of storylines within the hospital. In "Casualty", the primary location is the hospital's Emergency Department (formerly referred to as Accident and Emergency). "Holby City" is set between the hospital's Acute Assessment Unit, and Keller and Darwin wards, providing General and Cardiothoracic surgical care respectively. Recently Holby expanded by adding "Holby Care", a private healthcare ward led by Michael Spence. Former storylines have also focused around the hospital's Otter ward, providing paediatric care, as well as its maternity ward. Otter ward has not featured in the show since series 4, whilst the maternity ward ceased usage as a primary location in series 8.

Hospital Senior Staff

CEO: Jayne Grayson
Director Of Surgery: Ric Griffin
Clincal Lead Consultants: Connie Beauchamp, Nick Jordon

Holby Ambulance Service

Holby Ambulance Service is the fictional ambulance service which serves Holby City Hospital - also appearing in the two hospital dramas "Casualty" and "Holby City". The vehicles and uniforms used on the shows derive from Great Western Ambulance Service, which serves Bristol where "Casualty" is filmed. Paramedic advisors working on the show are often from Great Western Ambulance Service." [http://imdb.com/name/nm0352754/ "Clive Haddrell" Paramedic Adivsor, Great Western Ambulance Service, "IMDB"] ". URL last accessed 2008-04-22] Although the ambulance service is only seen in "Holby City" very rarely, "Casualty" has featured paramedic characters since the show's 1986 conception." [http://www.holby.tv/db/index.php?casualty_holbycity_past_characters "Casualty" Characters] ". URL last accessed 2008-04-21]

References