Original subtitles

— Cubicle six, Andrew. — Thanks.

It's really sore to touch

and my eye came up like this yesterday

so | went to my own doctor and he said it was only conjunctivitis

and gave me eye drops.

But it's no better this morning.

GP said it's only conjunctivitis.

Naturally she's concerned and comes in here with this barn—door obvious cellulitis.

Well, she could lose that eye. Who's the GP?

— Dr Wilson. — (Pager beeps)

— I'll see her in a minute. — Thanks.

(Raj) Yeah, thanks anyway.

Dr Collin. RMR.

As | was saying, Heather, all this,

the headache, the aching muscles, the fever, sounds like bad flu.

| think it will OK for you just to go home and take regular paracetamol.

ls that it?

If she's no better, call her GP or bring her back.

(Scoffs) Look at this. Look at this lucky, Lucky bastard.

Suspended on full pay for ten years.

No one's even told him what he's supposed to have done.

(Scoffs) You'll probably have to do some bollocks speciality,

like microbiology or haematology, so they can get by without you.

(Phone rings)

Casualty. Enrolled Nurse Reece.

Yes, he is. It's for you.

Raj, you still haven't said if you're coming to the Cas night out tonight.

Hi.

Oh, thanks for calling back. Cas night out tonight. You coming?

(Faint male voice)

What girlfriend?

Yeah, see ya.

That was Smiffy. He's going to the pictures with his new girlfriend.

Biffer's at his girlfriend's parents,

the Logmeister's going for a Chinese with his girlfriend

and Big Gerald's staying in.

With his girlfriend.

All my mates have turned into poofters.

Hey, Raj. There's a right one for you in eight.

I'd just had a shower and | only had a towel wrapped round me.

| noticed the kitchen window was open so | climbed on the sink to close it.

Now, I'd peeled some potatoes which were by the sink,

slipped on a wet patch and landed right on top of one of the potatoes.

Thank you, Doctor.

Er, Claire!

Erm, we're due a bit of a chinwag. Now seems to be as good a time as any.

— OK. — I'll catch you later.

Come in, take a seat.

Well, it is as plain as day you're not a very contented young woman at this moment.

Well, you've got membership, you've got excellent references...

more than a modicum of ability.

Well, you're well on your way to becoming

the highly contented sort of being you see in front of you,

free every weekend, no responsibilities, untroubled by paperwork.

Dr Yates, | don't know if | want to be a doctor any more.

(Sighs)

Er...

"Dear Mr Yates.

"Most likely you will not remember us,

"but | so much wanted to write to you.

"My beloved husband William passed away last month.

"We enjoyed a blissful last year together

"and | believe that much of that happiness was thanks to you

"for taking over my husband's care

"and putting a stop to the endless operations which only made him weaker.

"Your understanding of how important it was for William to keep his dignity

"meant that | shall have a memory of my husband as a strong, wonderful man

"to keep with me forever.”

| just don't know if that's enough.

— Andrew! — Mm?

16-year-old girl discharged by one of the Cas officers.

Her father says he won't leave till he gets a second opinion.

— I've already got two more to see... — Just passing on the message. My job done.

Heather Parsons.

— Light doesn't bother you? — No.

— Any stiffness in your neck? — Only a little.

— No pain when | do that? — No.

— You've not noticed any rash anywhere? — No.

— Nasty bruise there. — Hockey this week.

Hockey? | used to play hockey.

— Yeah? — Yeah.

My legs were always covered in bruises.

Worth showing to that lot who say it's a game for namby—pambies, eh?

Well, it's most likely flu, Heather, so plenty of rest,

no school on Monday, regular paracetamol.

Hardened hockey star like you should have it cleared up in no time. All right?

Won't you admit her for observation?

If anything new develops, bring her back, but this should clear up in a day or two.

All right? Excuse me.

Actually, a few people from Casualty are going out tonight.

So no one will mind you coming as long as you're with me.

You must be Raj, right?

Yeah.

Hi, Mum.

Let's hit the shops.

You even lay one finger on my 15-year-old daughter, Raj...

I'LL snap it clean off.

And your finger.

| know what you're thinking. You're thinking get a few pints down me tonight

and Enrolled Nurse Reece won't look half bad.

No man can last this long without his vitamin F.

No man.

You a vegetarian, then, or do you prefer flesh?

Vegetarian? No, not me. | hate vegetables.

That's why | have no time for geriatrics.

(Both laugh)

| know for a fact that Raj is gonna get off with that enrolled nurse from Cas.

This little baby goes under the mattress.

You programme in a given weight, say your own plus 12 stone.

When it senses anything heavier, the alarm goes off.

With this anti—fat bird device, there's no hideous rude awakenings the next morning.

Beautiful.

(Docherty) That sense of community's missing now.

Hardly anyone lives in. When you do, you work like Trojans.

— We'd such a...a... — Noodles or prawn balls?

That's it, ball.

Andrew, Andrew. Number eight.

Young girl seen this morning sent home as a possible flu.

Heather, it's Dr Collin. | saw you this morning.

— (Weakly) Mm. — I'm gonna shine a light in your eyes again.

Now very gently I'm gonna move your neck, all right?

(Heather moans in distress)

Julie, 2.4 grams of Benzylpen straightaway, please.

OK, Heather. You're gonna feel some pushing now OK?

— (Moans) — You're doing very well. It'll all be over soon.

(Nurse) It's all right. Shh!

— There we are. — Mmm.

There's a brave girl.

There we are.

Brave girl. You're doing very well, Heather. It's all right. It's all right.

It's all gonna be over very soon.

OK. Nearly done, nearly done.

Shh! Nearly done.

OK. Shhhh.

(Andrew) OK.

OK.

Ask the duty microbiologist to run off M, C and SN proteins.

See if there's glucose from biochemistry.

I'm afraid Heather's condition is...very serious.

It's almost certain she has meningitis.

| knew it!

| knew it was more than flu!

Heather became much drowsier in the afternoon.

That rash came up on her arms too.

| phoned Dr Wilson but he said it was probably nothing.

When she got like this we just had to...

We...

— Oh! — It's all right, it's OK.

We've started her on antibiotics. We're gonna get her to the ward very shortly.

Andrew! Get some diazemol as soon as possible, please.

OK, Heather, you're gonna be all right.

All right. OK.

— Clear airway, Julie. — Yes.

(Julie) OK, Heather. All right.

It's all right.

You're all right.

(Coughing)

You're all right. It's all right, Heather. It's OK.

— It's OK. — (Coughing)

"Tendency towards thermodynamic disorder."

Entropy.

Seems to have been a sound judgment to have called me in, my boy.

"Painter of The Birth Of Venus.”

Oh, erm...

Bottice LL.

The presence of adhesions in such abundance

necessitate a somewhat unorthodox technique.

"Caused a boom on 14th of October 1947."

Yeager.

Oh, good. And then I'm asleep.

Ah, yes, Scissors. The modified cross—hand Warrender technique.

Not a commonplace procedure by any means.

Need a new bulb there, Doc.

Looks like Fred was right.

I'LL get this in to the supervisor.

So where were you taught the modified Warrender, Mr Docherty?

Borneo, 1961.

No one taught me. | invented it.

Er, who's for a brew?

Oh, not for me, thanks. I've got to be on my, er...er...

Good night, Mr D. Thanks.

1961, eh?

Times have changed.

Perhaps some of us haven't changed with them sufficiently

to be of much use any more.

Night, Mr Docherty.

| used to have a mad crush on Mary Ellen.

Mate, she was the bike of the Waltons.

Oh, no, I've only gone and left my keys inside.

(Laughs)

I'LL use Raj’s room.

— Night, John Boy. — Night, Mary Ellen.

Heather?

Heather, can you hear me?

Her neuro obs have been dropping off steadily since she came up.

(Pager beeps)

Dex, CT to exclude cerebral abscess.

— There's an argument for ceftriaxone. — Yeah.

— Dr Collin. — (Woman) Andrew, it’s me.

Alison?

No, | thought it was gonna be another bloody GP.

What?

Yes, I'm sure they do a very difficult job, but...

You don't know who Andrew's married to, do you?

At the first Christian mass, he said yes.

Alison, | can't speak to you right now.

Well I've got a very sick patient.

Yeah, I'm sorry too, but I've got to go. Dr Turner, thanks for coming in.

Mm, please. Do your tie, put on your white coat.

We should appear professional whatever the hour.

Yes. Absolutely.

Her CSF's crawling with polymorphs and gram-negative cocci.

No realistic doubt about the diagnosis.

We're attempting to control the seizures with IV phenytoin.

Start her on an intravenous dextromethasone.

4mg, GDS.

I'd like to have a CT scan as a matter of urgency.

| should speak with her parents.

Poor girl.

(Laughter)

— (Whoops) — Hey!

(Slurred) For all | know, the last girl you were with could have been a right dirty cow.

She was. It was you. (Laughs)

That was...

You might combust. There'll be pieces of me coming off in the bath for months.

(Laughter)

Wahey! Whoo!

(Alarm blares)

What kind of pervert do you think | am?

The weight of the three of us must have set it off.

(Groans)

My lips are sealed. (Laughs)

I'm certain that her epileptic seizures are a result of the meningitis.

Heather is receiving all the right treatment

but I've ordered a brain scan to make sure that there's...

(Door creaks)

I'm afraid I've got some very bad news.

Heather died on the way to the scanner.

Because of you!

| knew it was serious but you didn't listen!

— You've killed her! — Mr Parsons, please.

You've killed her! (Sobs)

(Mrs Parsons) Jack!

Jack!

It was the GP. It was the GP. Wilson.

When | saw that girl in Casualty, she only had flu-like symptoms.

They rang up Wilson, said that she'd got worse, much worse.

Said that she'd got a rash. He said, "Forget it.”

Andrew, | advise you to be more circumspect with your invective.

Damn.

— Not speaking? — Not speaking.

Boys, please.

Your mum.

Yes?

Yes, | am off—duty tonight.

(Flatly) I'm sure she is, but I'm just not in the mood.

Face it, Raj. You just can't pull birds.

May as well let your mum arrange one for you.

| wish | had a mum who was always trying to fix me up with dusky beauties.

| suppose it won't do any harm to meet her.

Yeah, Mum. Bye.

Raj, you'd be a real help if you cleared the small cubicles.

(Laughs)

Action stations, Raj.

That's what Casualty's all about.

It's probably only a sprain which will respond to rest, cold compress and painkillers.

| can't say for certain that it's not a fracture without an X-ray.

Wasp...or bee?

So how long have you had this...?

Of course it still hurts. The inevitable consequence of injury.

It's probably only a sprain, which will respond to rest, cold compress and painkillers.

| can't say for certain that it's not a fracture without an X-ray.

(Phone ringing)

| thought you might want to study Heather Parsons’ notes, in case they need some buffing.

| don't think so.

| can guarantee you that's what Wilson's doing right now,

making it appear that the parents said the deterioration was negligible,

that there was no meningococcal rash.

| told Dr Turner about Wilson last night, all right?

Andrew, they play golf together, for God's sake.

All consultants want to keep GPs sweet so they'll refer them private patients.

Turner would sit up and beg to Wilson

if he thought it'd help him maintain one of the most lucrative private practices in the district.

Well, it's down to me, then, isn't it?

I've seen Wilson at work myself. He does clinical assistant in Casualty on Mondays.

He's notorious for being a blundering oaf but he gets away with it.

He's been getting away with it for 20 years.

Because he charms his patients.

Any doctor daft enough to complain

would be dragged through the courts until they were a pauper.

The General Medical Council would only do something

if he'd slipped his hand up someone's skirt.

| do weary of these weekends on take

but at least there's a month's respite till the next one.

— Oh, | was going to ask about that, Dr T. — Mm?

Er, next Saturday is the semi-finals of the St Herald's cup.

Oh, | don't think the first 15 ought to be deprived of its star number eight.

I'm sure Andrew wouldn't mind holding the fort that afternoon, eh, Andrew?

Oh, | regret to say, | forgot to reschedule my private patients’ clinic today

so we'll have to resume later this afternoon.

Attend that seminar at lunchtime. You are here to learn after all.

Let's hope we're learning by the mistakes we make when we're dog-tired, eh?

If junior doctors worked shorter hours,

| fear their training would suffer.

As if hard work ever killed anyone, hm?

Except the doctors who kill themselves because they're so stressed.

Are you gonna talk to me? Your hospital manager's living it up in Paris.

His deputies have never even heard of my daughter....

Please calm down. | can assure you we're...

| want to see him made to pay for what happened to my daughter!

| know, but | really mean...

— that you can have... — | want to see him made to pay!

| said I'd meet her. | never said I'd marry her.

Yeah, you do that, Mum. Bye!

This is it. This is your big chance.

The girl croaks with meningitis who you've seen but it's Andrew who carries the can.

No one can touch you for it, but the hospital will be looking into the case.

In ten years’ time, this could be you, mate.

| need to speak to the hospital manager.

I'm absolutely beside myself with worry that I'm gonna be suspended...

on...full...pay, pending an inquiry.

Just thought I'd call you at work for a change.

You don't mind, do you?

No, no reason, just... | wanted to see if you were OK.

You know?

Just wanted to see if you were all right.

Erm...

are you back at the normal time tonight?

Good. Er...

probably a bit late, you know... We could go out.

Yeah, that'd be nice.

Well, listen, I'LL.. I'LL see you later, then,

OK, bye.

Hi, it's me again.

| do love you, you know?

Just in case | haven't mentioned it Lately.

Our laboratory has cultured from Heather's spinal fluid

the particular germ which we know can cause

a rapid progression to life-threatening meningitis

within hours of the first symptoms appearing.

These early symptoms are often indistinguishable from simple flu.

Heather had none of the problems which would have alerted us to the possibility of meningitis.

Tragically, the infection took hold so rapidly

that the antibiotics couldn't save her.

We really are most terribly sorry for your loss.

But that first time in Casualty, Doctor.

Why didn't they realise?

Nobody could possibly have realised.

The first signs of meningitis are rather like flu.

| see dozens of patients every day with those symptoms,

but meningitis maybe once or twice a year, thank heavens.

Everything humanly possible was done

and if for one moment | thought otherwise, I'd be raising the roof.

| know doctors are not supposed to get involved, but...

| really do share your sense of loss.

| saw Heather grow up too, you know.

Do you remember that time she fell off her bicycle?

(Sighs)

| can't help feeling we'd see fewer complaints if the juniors didn't look so scruffy on call.

Graham, you and Susan ought to come out for dinner with us one night this week.

Well, why don't we just buy the wives a shandy at the 19th, hm?

Bye.

— He should be struck off. — There's already a shortage of doctors.

Getting rid of all the crap ones just means more work for us.

What you mean is you'd rather bury your head in the sand.

Tossers like Wilson make my stomach turn.

Those same fat old men in their pinstripe suits

who sit behind desks all day peddling out repeat prescriptions are bulletproof

because they run medicine in this country.

They work us like dogs, they pontificate about training and continuity of care,

then make sure it's us they blame when things go wrong.

I'm sorry, I'm not starting something that | can't win, Andrew.

The girl's father virtually called me a murderer.

It seems you call a doctor anything these days and get away with it.

That's Wilson there.

— Give me your jacket. — Eh?

Your jacket.

There seems to be a mix—up with the cards.

I'm sure it's nothing serious anyway, Doctor, it's just that...

| haven't felt right for weeks. I'm thirsty all the time.

Passing buckets of water, | feel really tired and run—down.

I'm losing weight, my vision's blurry, I've come out in these terrible boils.

Boils? Ah. Some antibiotics will soon clear those up.

Don't you want to do some tests, Doctor?

Some urine tests, perhaps?

What's the betting that there'd be glycosuria or ketonuria

to go with these symptoms of diabetes I've just given you?

You know, like rapid worsening of flu-like symptoms,

neck stiffness, photophobia and a rash mean meningococcal meningitis?

Young man, I'd advise you to take care.

There's a law of slander in this country, you know.

| know you've got the beating of me.

| just wanted to meet you for myself.

Your consultant will hear of this.

You're a doctor here, aren't you?

Yeah, I'm a doctor. (Laughs)

You'll forgive me if | don't say, "Like you."

Evening.

— How are you? — Much better, thank you.

Good.

| think we can change the antibiotics from injections to tablets.

Home tomorrow if all's well.

| think we can lose the venflon as well.

| can't quite remember.

Did you come straight to us with your eye infection?

No. | saw Dr Wilson the day before.

He thought it was only conjunctivitis.

— Could you pass some cotton wool? — Oh, yes.

There.

You're being very understanding about Dr Wilson's mistake.

You could have lost your eye if you didn't come to us.

Oh. Oh, | shouldn't have said that.

| could get into a lot of trouble for criticising another doctor.

There ought to be some sort of complaint.

Don't worry. | promise | won't let on that a word came from you.

Thank you.

This your car, sir?

Yes, Officer.

Then I'm charging you with purchasing a motor vehicle without due taste.

— Nasreen. — | thought it was you.

Raj a doctor. Who'd've thought it?

— It's been... What, since school? — Yeah.

Can't believe it. Weedy, little, hair—pulling Raj.

(Laughs)

Another 59 hours without a break.

No, it wasn't. The health authority pay us for 32 to think it is.

Besides, the new deal has stopped us working these hours, hasn't it?

— Er, yeah, right. — Oh, no.

Oh, no, no, no.

Look, sorry, mate. I'll see you tomorrow.

I'LL be back as soon as | can. All right. Bye.

Ah, Andrew. | wanted you to share in the good news.

What? Heather Parsons got better and went home?

(Distant siren wailing)