Shortland Street

It is a long‑running hospital drama set in a New Zealand accident and emergency ward. The narrative centres on the staff who work there. It depicts both their professional responsibilities and their private lives.

The programme is a long‑running hospital drama that takes place in the accident and emergency department of a New Zealand hospital. It is presented as a series that centres on the everyday environment of an A&E ward, offering viewers a continuous look at the workings of a busy medical setting in that part of the world. The core of the show follows the staff who work in the department, charting both their professional duties and their private lives. Episodes weave together the pressures of emergency medicine with the personal relationships, challenges and decisions that the team members experience outside of work, giving a dual perspective on their day‑to‑day existence. Set against the backdrop of a New Zealand emergency unit, the series remains focused on the interplay between the clinical responsibilities of the crew and the off‑duty aspects of their lives. By staying within the confines of the ward and the lives of its employees, the drama maintains a consistent emphasis on how the two spheres intersect, without venturing beyond the described setting or characters.