District nurse 'a star' in TV reality show.

IT TOOK district nurse Barbara Peddie about 20 minutes to get used to being followed by a television camera during the filming for the TV reality show Coromandel Med last summer.

The programme recorded the work of three local GPs, Peddie and volunteer ambulance staff in the Coramandel Peninsular and was screened on TV1 in seven half-hour episodes in December/January 2003/2004.

The idea for the programme came from independent television company Cream TV manager Nigel Snowden who had holidayed in Coromandel for ten years and was moved by the dedication of the area's health professionals. As it was filmed during holiday time, unexpected things happened to a lot of visitors in far flung places. The shows featured a car crash and a burns victim, as well as Peddie calling on elderly people needing support assessment, giving care to a terminally ill local and dressing the wounds of a diabetic living an hour's drive from town.

"Although I was initially in tear and trepidation about being followed around by a cameraman during my working day, I very quickly forgot he was there," said Peddie. "In fact the film crew were just great with the patients and I think the whole programme was a wonderful idea. Those of us working in rural health are mostly forgotten, so it was great to have a programme that set out to promote our work and the people of Coromandel."

The cameraman followed Peddie around two days a week for three months, filming her in many different situations. "In the end they only used about one four-hundreth of what they shot!"

Peddie moved to Coromandel as a rural public health nurse 17 years ago, working with the community across the life span. Two years ago, her job description changed and she became a district nurse. She has received "hugely positive feedback" about her involvement in the series from people in the local community and from around the country. "Being part of this series was really affirming of the work I do," she said.