Shadow of a Doubt Doctors

-Morning, Dr Haskey.

-Hiya.

Morning. Any messages?

-I haven't switched on the phones yet.

-No, I mean from yesterday.

-Er, no.

-Al, can I have a quick word with you about Karen?

Maybe at lunchtime. I'm really busy, sorry.

I'll give you a lift, then, but hurry up or I'll be late for work.

-Leave me alone!

-Darling, we agreed you'd give it a go today.

-I don't feel well.

-Have you got PE? I'll write a note.

I'm not going to school!

Go in till lunchtime, see how you feel.

Are you deaf?! I'm not going!

That's it! There's nothing wrong with you! Now, get up!

Good morning. How may I help you?

I'd like to see Dr Carmichael, please.

I'll be with you shortly, Mr Pattimore.

I thought you were supposed to be off this morning?

I'm taking a couple of hours.

-Hermione's meeting me here.

-Lucky boy!

Oh, hello, yes. Is Marie available, please?

I'm a great friend of Mrs Tembe.

Is that a personal call?

Please, take a seat.

Er, how may I help you?

You're all right - I'm with Mr Grumpy.

Hello? Oh, yes, hello, Marie!

I'm sorry to bother you

but I am in desperate need of a birthday cake.

Yes, I'd be willing to pay extra - well, my useless partner is.

Tomorrow. ..Yes, I know, I know!

I'd be so grateful.

Oh, you would?

Oh, thank you, thank you so much!

Well, he simply adores cats.

You seem so unhappy - depressed, even.

I don't know what's going on with you.

-I'm not depressed.

-No?

Anyway, I'm better now.

You're not, though, darling. Look at you.

Come on, boring old Mum might be able to help.

Everything's fine.

And your blood sugar is normal, which is excellent.

Do you live near your brother, Mr Pattimore?

Gerry! You sound like a judge.

Joke! No, I'm up here helping him out for a while.

I'm paying him to take care of me.

And that needs to be done properly. That's why we're here.

I see.

I'd like comprehensive information on leg ulcers

and my other conditions, and some diet sheets for my diabetes.

Gerald needs to be fully informed about what the job entails.

I think I can manage a bit of cooking and cleaning, Paul.

I've done it for myself for the last few years.

Only because your third wife divorced you.

He's been married three times with two children from each marriage.

What can I say? I've had a busy life.

You've had more wives than you've had jobs -

so not THAT busy, in fact.

Tough times for painter-decorators, Paul. Everyone's doing their own.

Don't suppose YOU want any painting done, Doc?

-Sorry, no.

-You won't be sloping off on MY time, let me tell you.

So, here is the information you asked for and there will be

leaflets on hypertension and asthma in reception.

Is there anything else that you wanted to know?

Recommended fluid intake, how much I should keep my legs up, etc, etc.

Normal fluid intake and put your feet up as much as possible.

Are you listening, Gerald?

This is for YOUR benefit.

-I

-know all about my complex health issues.

Thanks. Help me sleep.

So, if that's all, gentlemen?

What if he needs clarification, about my diabetes?

Then, contact me and I will clarify. Don't worry, Mr Pattimore,

I'm sure your brother can cope.

Now, I do have other patients.

It's been so horrible.

What, darling? What's been horrible?

You're not worried about being ill, are you?

I shouldn't have made such a fuss, I didn't mean to frighten you.

Dr Haskey was so reassuring yesterday.

Would you like me to ring him again? He'll put your mind at rest.

No, don't. It's not that.

Oh, Mum, I wanted to tell you.

I did. Honestly I did.

I'm so sorry, Mum.

I...

I had an abortion.

Stop! Why are you sweeping?

It says "vacuum", not "sweep". Can't you read?

Funny word, "vacuum". Why's it got two "U"s, do you think?

-I knew this would happen.

-What are you doing? Phoning the dust police?

PHONE RINGS Campus Surgery. How may I help you?

'Mrs Tembe, this is Paul Pattimore.'

I need the doctor to speak to my brother about allergy awareness.

'One moment, please.'

-She'll be seeing patients.

-This is important.

Mr Pattimore. Something about allergies.

He's such a fusspot. Tell him I'm busy.

I AM busy!

I'm sorry, Dr Carmichael is unavailable at the moment.

-Please stress that it's urgent.

-'Mr Pattimore, are you unwell?'

No, but I will if my asthma is triggered.

-(He's fine.)

-I knew it!

Tell him I'll speak to him if he's actually dying.

Mr Pattimore, please call us if you need treatment. Good day.

-DIALLING TONE

-Hello? This is crucial. Hello?

Not THAT crucial, then.

Why don't you put your feet up?

I'll make you a cuppa before I go shopping.

Today's lunch is cottage pie with garden peas.

Don't disappoint me, Gerald.

I have it at 12:30 on the dot.

I knew we shouldn't have,

but it seemed right, you know?

And the condom split.

I don't think Josh had it on right, anyway.

Why didn't you tell me? You must have been worried sick.

I was, but...

-Sorry, Mum, I knew what you'd say... and

-I

-couldn't bring up the baby.

Yes, but I...

And if YOU took care of it, you'd have to give up work. But why?

Mum, I know you hate abortions but...

-I don't hate abortion!

-Yes, you do.

You're always saying how hard you had to fight Dad to keep me.

But I was older, married.

We already had children. It was completely different.

I don't hate abortion, Fliss, it just depends on the circumstances.

Oh. Then, you can understand why I did it.

You did this on your own?

No, Dr Haskey took me,

which was so nice of him,

cos I didn't have enough pocket money for a taxi.

Our Dr Haskey? From the Mill?

Yes, he's been brilliant, Mum. Really brilliant.

OK...which one?

They're both very nice.

But which one is more fun?

-Right, we're leaving.

-OK, which one do you prefer?

-That one.

-That one.

Really?

See you later.

I prefer THIS one.

I'm so sorry.

I can't believe you had to go through this all on your own.

-I knew you'd be cross.

-I'm not cross with you, darling,

I'm sure you did what you thought was best.

I tried to. I meant to.

It seemed so obvious.

But now, I can't help thinking.

I can't stop thinking about...

Oh, sweetheart. It's over now, OK? Everything is fine.

You can relax now. Yes?

Yes.

# Flap, flap! #

-OK?

-Yeah.

Why don't I ask Pam to pop over for an hour or so?

You're not going to work?

I'll grab some files then I can work from home.

-Can you ask Pam to bring over some of her shortbread?

-Course I can.

HE WHISTLES

Ah, I'd get rid of the soft toys - way too obvious.

Aw, it's colourful, it's cute. Look at the little duck!

OMG, you're broody! Ooh-ho! Jimmi Clay is broody!

Sssh!

Get real, though, there's no way

you'd be able to cope with dirty nappies!

I'd be terrified I left it on the bus,

but you...

My work gets pretty messy sometimes. I manage.

But come on! Being a parent is full on.

-You can't walk away at 6 o'clock.

-I know that.

Course you do, sorry.

I just know any child of mine would be certifiable!

Not necessarily.

If nature didn't mess the poor kid up,

my brand of nurture certainly would!

Hey, let's be daring!

Cheesecake with...custard?

-I'm buying.

-Oh!

Your feast awaits.

Cold.

Do you know how much sugar and salt there are in these products?

Yeah... It's very tasty.

It says "home-made".

Sorry, Paul, but I was on the coach at 6am

and we went straight to the doctor's this morning so I needed a rest.

Go on, try a mouthful.

That muck will not pass my lips.

I'll have a cheddar cheese sandwich now

and you can make cottage pie for tea.

I'll go shopping later, but let's not waste this.

Cheese sandwich.

And I'm not giving you a penny for that -

perhaps that'll teach you a lesson. Nothing else will, it seems.

Very nice!

If I don't eat at 12:30 on the dot, my blood sugar drops

and I risk having a hypoglycaemic attack.

Gerald, sandwich!

Right. I'm in need of a pint. You fancy a pint?

I can't drink beer!

I can. See you later.

I'm already feeling light-headed.

Pig-headed, you mean.

Come back this instant!

And that was 2007.

You can't just... Sorry! You can't...

Valerie, it's all right, it's fine.

It's not fine.

I'm in the middle of a consultation. But I will see you after.

-OK?

-You'd better.

I'll see you next week, Mr Saunders.

Take a seat.

I don't want a seat, I want an explanation.

I'm afraid I'm bound by patient confidentiality.

You helped my underage daughter have an abortion. She told me.

So it's out in the open now.

When a patient comes to see me, I advise on all their options.

And did you explain her first option was to talk to ME?

Of course I did. This was her choice, Mrs Henning, not mine.

You stood in my house, you said she was fine.

She is not fine!

You were concerned about her health. She's not unwell.

-I'm her mother...

-I'm sure you're a very good one.

Then, why didn't you make her tell me?

This was HER decision.

It's my duty as her doctor to support that decision.

Oh, Dr Carmichael. Just the person.

-Mr Pattimore.

-Gerry.

Actually I was just on my way out.

I had a quick question for you.

You did say if I had any questions...

So I did.

How long would it take someone - well, someone diabetic -

to have a hypo if they stopped eating?

Has your brother stopped eating?

He wouldn't eat his lunch.

-Right.

-Only, he said something about feeling dizzy.

Dizzy?

I hope he's OK.

It's going to take me ages to get back there.

-Can't you just ring him?

-I've tried. No answer.

OK, I can drop you on the high street.

Doc, you, er, wouldn't give him the once-over, would you?

I examined him this morning!

I know he's a pain, but none of our sisters will talk to him.

He's been on his own too long, that's the trouble.

I'm supposed to be helping him get better, not making him worse.

OK. But we will have to hurry up.

Cheers. I wish you were my doctor.

SHE GROANS

This whole thing happened right under my nose -

I didn't have a single clue! Do you know how that feels?

Teenagers are good at secrets.

Fliss isn't. Fliss tells me everything, she always has.

-Really? Everything?

-What do you mean by that?!

Look, Mrs Henning, perhaps we should speak when...

Oh, I see. She didn't tell me she'd had sex - that's what you mean.

When children grow up, it can be really hard to let go.

Excuse me?

Bottom line - she didn't want you to know, Mrs Henning.

Because she thought I'd stop her? That's ridiculous!

-Is it? So you're not against abortion?

-No, I'm not!

Um, OK.

Perhaps this would be a good point for me

to explain the Fraser guidelines...

I know all about the Fraser guidelines, thank you.

I've been on the phone to Social Services while you kept me waiting.

Paul?

You all right?

Oh, my word! In here, Doctor! Paul, can you hear me?

I'm so sorry.

Shall I call an ambulance?

No, no. I'm OK.

I'll get him a biscuit.

Please don't move, Mr Pattimore. It's Dr Carmichael.

I'm going to check you over.

And you think Fliss is mature?

She still takes her teddy to bed.

And we both know how naive she is.

-How so?

-Well, she didn't think twice about the condom splitting,

otherwise she'd have taken the morning-after pill.

Have you got children of your own? Teenagers?

Two signatures were required, Mrs Henning - wasn't just mine.

You're her GP. Your word is bound to count for more.

But without experience of teenagers,

how the hell can you judge maturity?!

BP is fine, blood sugar normal, no broken bones.

Thank goodness.

How about a cup of tea, Gerry?

Right-o.

Thank you. It wasn't necessary.

He overreacted.

No, Mr Pattimore, it wasn't necessary.

If he'd done things properly, everything would have been fine.

Everything IS fine.

-Although there is actually a medical term for what happened.

-Yes?

It's called sulking.

Not at all! I needed some home-made cottage pie.

-He wouldn't make it.

-I'm a busy person, Mr Pattimore.

I do not have time to be drawn into your silly games.

It's not silly! I'm paying him to look after me!

And isn't he trying to?

Not up to your high standards, perhaps, but he is trying.

-Isn't that enough?

-No, it isn't!

Your brother obviously has a very different outlook on life to you,

but he's not hurting anybody.

He's hurting ME! I could have had a hypo.

That was nothing like a hypo.

He can never do as he's told. He never could.

He wagged school, failed his exams -

just like my useless sisters!

Mr Pattimore...

He comes grovelling to me for money

and I'm kind enough to give him another chance -

goodness knows why - and he can't even do THIS properly.

No wonder he's penniless. He's an embarrassment!

Drum roll, please.

BABY STARTS SCREAMING AND CRYING

Oh, crikey!

Don't worry, she's OK.

-My eardrums aren't!

-It's a family-friendly place, isn't it?

We need ear defenders.

Still think you want kids?

I have serious medical conditions

and I have to follow Dr Carmichael's advice to the letter, don't I?

Yes, in a perfect world, but there has to be

a bit of give and take, otherwise you'll just make yourself miserable.

Well, I'm not miserable. This is how I live, how I've always been.

-Miserable.

-Follow the rules and everything will be fine.

He's a control freak - he always has been. Where's the joy, Paul?

Joy?! There's every joy in doing things properly, Gerald.

Still, what would you know? You've never followed a rule in your life.

-Same as our sisters.

-I DID follow rules - at school. I did.

I got prizes for my drawings and being good.

So did Mary and Christine, even little Penny.

Our dad burnt the lot.

You've only yourselves to blame.

Our father was a terrible man.

Paul was the oldest. He never lifted one finger to stop him.

-I was barely 13. What could

-I

-do?

Dad battered our mum to within an inch of her life.

But this fine man, this upright citizen kept shtoom.

-Even put him to bed afterwards.

-Someone had to.

No! Someone had to help Mum!

We tried - me and the girls tried! But it cost us.

None of our sisters have spoken a word to him since we buried our mum.

I did my very best to support Fliss, Mrs Henning.

She deserved to have someone with her, holding her hand,

reassuring her. Don't you think?

That was my little girl you took to the clinic.

She must've been terrified going into that place.

She seemed really calm.

She can't have FELT calm, can she?

But how the hell do you know?!

You've no clue about her!

What if something had happened? What if something had gone wrong?

How would we have found out? Can you imagine?!

You're just upsetting yourself now.

What?! I should have been part of this.

As should my husband.

He's at a conference in Dubai, but he will go ballistic.

He's a lawyer - did I mention that?

You can expect to hear from us.

His wives kicked him out - all of them.

No-one wants him, the useless lump. Same as my sisters.

I bet his kids are just the same.

I can't believe I stuck up for him all these years!

I told the girls he didn't realise how bad things were,

he was too busy to notice, I said,

otherwise he would have offered to help.

Any decent person would.

My kids mean everything to me.

I give 'em every penny I've got - I always have.

Why d'you think I'm here, taking all your crap again?

You're obviously the wrong person for this job.

It needs someone more stable.

OK, this is silly.

I'm phoning the Sundown Care Home.

Sundown?! That's a bit pricey.

It's only till my leg's better.

They'll appreciate my hard-earned money.

Yeah, you pay them, Paul. You pay them to care.

Cos no-one else will. I'll get my bag.

His choice!

Anyway, I'm better off on my own.

Always have been.

Aren't you the teeniest bit lonely?

Most of my older patients just tell me how important family is to them.

You heard what he said - they hate me.

He doesn't. Well, he didn't.

Can't you just learn to compromise a little bit, Mr Pattimore?

I know that you'd far rather stay in your own home.

Perhaps.

I'll sling me hook.

Gerry, your brother has something to say to you.

I'll phone the care home.

Back home, then?

Yeah. It's fine by me, Doc.

Cos my lot down there - we fall out, make up, have a laugh.

We look out for each other, always have.

Good for you.

Him? If he can't control things -

well, everything down to the last detail -

he can't cope. Sad, really.

I suppose so.

Can I give you a lift to the station?

No, no, I've got things to do.

Bye, then. Good luck.

-Mrs Henning...

-All right, darling I'll be ten minutes. Bye.

Look, I just wanted to say that...

I'm glad Fliss told you.

Reassurance is exactly what she needs right now.

It's been a really stressful time.

I know. I have to get back.

Some quality TLC will make her right again, trust me on that.

She can rest up then get back to her studies.

And maybe when the dust has settled,

you might want to have a proper talk to her about...contraception.

I think you're going to find that time is a great healer.

She hasn't cut her knee. She's had an abortion.

Do you think this'll just go away?

She cried - sobbed - in my arms!

She will learn to deal with it.

How the hell would YOU know?!

That's right, I've sketched something. ..Yes, I'll hold.

What do you think you're doing?!

Come back with that! That's £200 worth of whisky!

That's my entire Christmas stock!

You're going to give me a heart attack!

Hi, Marie, sorry...

Actually I've just realised I'm being a complete control freak.

You're the cake expert -

I'll trust you to come up with something wonderful.

Thanks. Bye.

This cannot be right. What you did cannot be right.

I simply advised her.

This was Felicity's decision.

But she wasn't mature enough to make it!

And no way is she mature enough to cope with the doubts,

the perfectly natural doubts that would come after something like this.

I could refer her for counselling. Would you like me to do that?

Suddenly you want my opinion. You didn't care what I thought last week.

-That's not true.

-Abortion may have been the right choice, I don't know.

But the way she decided... The way you guided her, or whatever it was,

-completely behind my back...

-I gave medical advice.

The way you drove her to appointments,

talked to the clinic - none of that can be right!

That's more than medical advice - especially to a 14-year-old!

-It was a judgment call.

-A catastrophic judgment call

that could haunt my daughter for the rest of her life!

Come on, I think we're getting things a little out of proportion.

Out of proportion?! Are you even listening?!

Of course I'm listening.

You won't get away with this. I'm not going to rest

until you're struck off.

I'm going to make damn sure you never, never do this again.

She was adamant that she did not want her mother to know.

She's in pieces.

She wishes she hadn't got rid of the baby.

She's going to regret it for the rest of her life -

and I have to deal with that.

You don't understand the nuances of a doctor-patient relationship.

No? Well, now's the perfect opportunity for you to explain it.

You didn't cross the line but you walked perilously close to it!