A paediatrician's hands shake as she tries to insert a tube into a toddler’s hand, just hours after another child died in her care. Meanwhile, another surgeon is told she has to work harder than her male colleagues to win a promotion.
These are just two of the everyday experiences of female doctors that inspired new ITV drama Maternal. It follows three medics returning to the front line after maternity leave.
The series is partly based on the lives of two medics – consultant breast surgeon Zoe Barber and paediatrician Dr Kiran Rahim. Kiran, a mum of three from London, inspired the character of Dr Maryam Afridi, played by Bend It Like Beckham and ER star Parminder Nagra.
