[5] St Vincent's Hospital's emergency department, located in Darlinghurst is one of the busiest in New South Wales with 42,000 patients presenting each year.

[6] It is a level one trauma centre with a catchment area that includes many of Sydney's nightlife precincts including Kings Cross, Sydney's CBD, Rose Bay, Surry Hills, Paddington, Woollahra, Bondi Junction and Double Bay.

The program observes the fast-paced work of the emergency department's dedicated doctors and nurses and their interactions with patients and each other.

Graeme Blundell of The Australian applauded the program, writing "It is thoughtful, thorough, emotional and professional and, rare for reality TV, leaves us with more questions than answers and more hope than despair.

"[22] In its first two seasons on the CI Network, Kings Cross ER became the highest rating documentary series in Australian subscription television history.