A Helping Hand Doctors

One significant event form.

How are we supposed to establish a chain of events

that went wrong based on this?

Nothing went wrong.

You're pandering to a disgruntled mischief-maker.

Mrs Henning has lodged a very serious complaint against you.

I'm obliged to investigate, and I suggest you cooperate.

Legally, she does not have a leg to stand on.

If you supported me, you would have told her that.

Mrs Henning is determined to get you struck off,

and we both know she could get you into some serious trouble.

I need a full account of your actions

and decision-making process.

Don't waste this opportunity to tell your side of the story.

That's all I have to say. Take it or leave it.

Right. Have it your way.

I'm sure Daniel and Zara will have a few questions for you.

What, you've got four of us on this?

Have we not got better things to be doing?

Be under no illusion, Alistair,

this has implications for the partnership.

I've booked an off-site room. I'll email you the details.

Be there, 2.15 sharp.

Owen, this is great. It hits just the right note.

Email it to the client.

Could you...?

So sorry. Are you all right?

-No worries.

-My hand slipped!

It's OK.

What's wrong with you? This has got to stop!

Just to warn you that today's meeting will a little more taxing

than I'd hoped - Al isn't cooperating.

No doctor likes having their decisions questioned.

I don't really know what we're going to achieve -

it's all so subjective.

And abortion's a minefield.

Nevertheless, we have a duty to investigate.

Wait - if Al's not on board, we could just be wasting our time.

He'll end up feeling alienated and victimised,

and we've been there before.

-Is that what you want?

-Of course not.

But we have to take Mrs Henning's complaint seriously.

Ah. I see you've started the inquisition without me.

Come and get a coffee, Al.

Why don't you tell me you verdict now?

We can skip all the faffing about.

Alienated and victimised - told you.

Sorry I'm late.

Whoa, whoa, whoa, whoa! What's she doing here? She's not a partner.

"She" does have a name.

I've asked Emma to assist with the review today -

we're using role play.

Take a seat, please.

Owen Prentice - I'm here to pick up my prescription.

What's happened?

It's nothing.

You're bleeding!

It's fine, really. If you'll just let me have my prescription...

I'd quite like to have a look at that injury first. Come through.

Mrs Henning's complaint is that her daughter was not mature enough

to make a decision about having an abortion at the time.

She also maintains that Al was pursuing an agenda.

That's ridiculous!

Fliss came to talk to me

because she couldn't talk to her overprotective mother!

Can I finish?

Mrs Henning claims that Al unduly influenced Felicity at a time

when she was most vulnerable

and, as a consequence, she now deeply regrets the abortion.

Now, I asked Al to complete a significant event form.

Al's version of events reads - "14-year-old girl

"asked me to arrange an abortion for her, so I did."

That is just childish.

Al, can you talk us through your dealings with Felicity?

When was the first time that you saw her?

-Her mother dragged her in to see me a couple of weeks ago.

-Dragged?

Yeah, no way did Fliss want to be there.

Her mother had put her symptoms into the internet

and came up with leukaemia.

She blathered on about that for a while until I got shot of her.

So then you had a chance to speak to Fliss alone?

She clearly had something on her mind.

No way was she going to spill the beans in front of the mother.

And did she? Spill the beans?

No. I'd just won her confidence over when the mother resurfaced.

Fliss asked me to confirm for the mother

that she didn't have leukaemia and they left.

How would you describe their relationship?

Teenager mortified by embarrassing parent.

We even laughed about her.

So what happened?

I fell over.

'Sometimes I bump into things.

'I'm still a bit wobbly on my feet after the stroke.

'One minute I'm walking along, the next, I'm flat on my face.'

These injuries aren't consistent with a fall.

Were you in a fight?

No.

A friend tried to stop me falling.

What, by punching you in the face?

You're going to have a proper shiner.

Could you put a bit more bandage on? It's quite sore.

It'll restrict the movement in your hand.

That's OK.

The next day Fliss came to my drop-in, without her mother.

She told me very calmly that she was pregnant

and she asked for an abortion.

She confirmed her parents weren't aware of the pregnancy

and, when I advised her that she should tell her mother, she refused.

Did she say why?

She said that her mother would make her have the baby.

She told me that Mrs Henning is anti-abortion.

You're sure of that?

She spoke at great length about her mother's views.

Did you suggest that she confide in someone else?

Maybe another relative, or a teacher?

Yes, I did! But she didn't want to talk - she wanted an abortion.

What about the father? Did you talk about him?

Of course I did! It was some kid from school.

It was consensual sex, it was their first time and the condom broke.

And you're positive about that?

No. I wasn't there.

That would've been really weird and inappropriate, Daniel.

That's weird, W-E-I-R-D!

Can you tell us what happened at the clinic?

Before we went in, I asked her again

if she wanted to speak to her mother and she declined.

The doctor saw her and agreed to the termination

and they booked her an appointment.

Which is when you intervened

and brought forward the date of the procedure?

They couldn't do it for two weeks. Fliss didn't want to wait.

And I didn't want my patient having the extra stress so, yeah,

I persuaded them to move it forward.

Let's talk about the day of the procedure.

Now, you went with her, didn't you?

You accompanied her to the actual procedure?!

Well, no wonder her mother's questioning your motives!

Stop it. No. Stop it.

Leave it, please! Just...

Stop it!

You forgot your prescription.

Thanks.

Er, do you want to come back inside?

So what did you talk about

while you waited for her to have the procedure?

I offered her the chance to pull out.

I told her if she wasn't sure she could always postpone.

And, just for a change,

I asked her if she wanted to speak to her mum but, AGAIN, she declined.

Mrs Henning said you told Felicity to get an abortion.

-You didn't? Are you crazy?!

-No, not like that.

She asked me what I would advise my 14-year-old daughter,

and I answered her truthfully.

When did honesty become a crime?!

All right. Thank you, Al.

-So - suggestions?

-Yeah.

Al got over-involved. For me, that's the main issue.

I was doing my duty!

You let your feelings

and your beliefs interfere with your clinical judgement.

Zara's right.

Oh, the irony. I've got the sisterhood on my back

because I supported a woman's right to choose!

Who's doing the choosing, Al - you or Fliss?

Fliss!

I suppose you think I'm completely nuts.

I'm not here to judge, mate.

I'd like to help if I can.

You can't help.

I noticed a reference to anarchic hand syndrome in your notes.

It's not something I'm familiar with,

but it's a pretty good description of what I just witnessed outside.

Meet Mr Hyde. All right, that's enough.

Did this all start after you had your stroke?

Just after - as I recovered feeling and movement,

my left hand started doing... unexpected things.

Oh, that's Mr Hyde?

Most of the time, he behaves like a petulant child,

but...he can be quite mean.

Any idea why he'd want to hit you?

Because I was smashing him against a wall.

Things have got quite bad between us recently.

After I returned to work.

Mr Hyde doesn't like your job?

It's...

It's not the job that's the problem - it's one of my colleagues.

Zac, the new guy.

'He's a brilliant designer.

'Miranda, our boss, really rates him.

'But, for some reason, Mr Hyde hates his guts.

'Any chance he gets to have a go at him, he'll take it.'

Oh, so sorry!

'Things have got so bad, I'm afraid to go into work.'

Does your consultant know how bad things are?

Not much he can do.

There's no cure or treatment.

Things might get better on their own eventually,

or...I might be stuck like this.

Does your boss know about the condition?

No.

So why don't you tell her? You said she's good about time off.

She's been fantastic.

I was on full pay the whole time I was off sick.

She visited me in hospital. She's lovely, but...

-Well...

-I just can't.

She'll think I'm a freak.

No, I doubt it.

My left hand has a mind of its own.

I go to bed wearing an oven glove.

-I

-think I'm a freak!

Your test is positive. I can confirm you're pregnant.

Have you told anyone?

No. I want an abortion.

If you tell your mother, she can help make the arrangements.

I can't tell my mother because she doesn't believe in abortion.

If I tell her, then she'll make me have the baby.

Is there anyone else you trust, apart from me?

An aunt, or a teacher?

Do you think abortion is wrong?

No. No!

I don't think there's any other option for a 14-year-old girl.

Do you think that my mother is wrong?

This is stupid! Fliss didn't ask these questions.

She'd done her research - she was always very sure of herself during our consultation.

Yes, but if she HAD asked you the question,

if she HAD said, "Do you think my mother is wrong?"

what would you have said?

I'd have told her it's wrong for parents to force their views on their kids.

But you were very free with YOUR views.

You told her that the best option for her was an abortion!

Only after she'd asked for my opinion.

Did you give her any other options at all?

Continuing with the pregnancy is valid,

whatever her mother's views on abortion.

She could have gone for adoption.

There is no other option for a 14-year-old girl other than abortion.

Fliss isn't mature enough to have a baby!

She wants to live her life.

If she hadn't have had the abortion it would have been a disaster

and potentially ruined at least two lives.

OK, it can be a disaster for some.

But I have known teenagers who've made great parents.

I want to know how hard you pushed at this stage

to get her to talk to her mum,

because it doesn't sound to me like you pursued that option.

I'm not in the business of browbeating 14-year-olds!

Did it even occur to you that she may have wanted to tell her mum,

but was just too frightened?

I keep telling you this, but you just don't listen.

She didn't want her mum to know. Let me put it in a different way for you.

SHE DIDN'T WANT HER MUM TO KNOW!

Owen - your face...

What happened?

It's nothing. I...slipped.

Miranda, I've decided it would be best for everyone if I resigned.

What?

It's...not fair to keep you hanging on indefinitely.

And I'm not sure when I'll be properly fit enough to continue.

Owen, you helped build this company.

You take off as much time as you need.

PHONE RINGS

Thanks, Sarah.

I need to deal with this. I'll be right back.

I'm not going to change my mind.

Please.

PHONE RINGS

Hello?

'Hello, Owen, it's Chris, from the campus surgery.

'I've just been chatting to a colleague

'and I've had some ideas about why your hand has issues with Zac.

-It's no use.

-'D'you want to pop down later?

'Scuse me.

'Hello? Owen?'

Ah! Sorry, sorry.

Stop it, I'm warning you!

'Owen? Owen?'

OK. Up to this point, Emma, what would you have done differently?

Well...after confirming the pregnancy,

I would have taken more time exploring her feelings.

What, in a ten-minute consultation?

Half of which was taken up with a pregnancy test?

If you had probed a little deeper, perhaps you wouldn't have

ended up holding her hand at the clinic - on two separate occasions.

What about safeguarding?

What about it?!

Felicity told you she had consensual sex with a peer

and you accepted that without question.

Did it ever occur to you, for example, that she was being

groomed by an adult and was covering for them?

No! She wasn't being abused.

Look, I was the one she turned to.

I was there for her!

More's the pity.

What?!

I think if it hadn't have been you dealing with Fliss,

we wouldn't be having this review.

Oh, you just love judging me, don't you?

I've never been quite good enough, have I?

I'm going for a fag.

Take the blinkers off while you're out there, Al, why don't you?

I'm so sorry.

Will someone please tell me what's going on?

Looks like it's down to me. Um...

Virtually from the day he's come back to work, he's had it in for me.

At first I thought I was imagining it -

the umbrella stuck in my path, the spilled drinks,

the elbows in my ribs.

But when someone tries to punch you in the face for no good reason,

I guess there's no mistaking their intention, is there?

Owen? Owen, is this true?

It's...

It's complicated.

Zac, I'm truly sorry.

I'm not normally...

I haven't been myself.

Can I have a word? In private?

Can you step outside, please?

Zac, I had no idea.

I never would have thought him capable of this kind of behaviour.

For as long as I've known him, he's been mild-mannered.

Gentle, even.

I'm gay.

Some people find that offensive.

And you think Owen's homophobic?

I don't go out of my way to broadcast it,

but I'm not in the closet, either.

I can't think of any other reason for his conduct.

I can't believe how involved he got with all this.

Al's a law unto himself at the best of times,

but I've got a feeling that things are going to get ugly.

Can you offer me any explanation for your attacks on Zac?

I've decided to accept your resignation.

Given the circumstances, I think it's best you leave immediately.

I'd like now to consider the positives that Al has identified.

"I followed practice procedures

"and ensured the patient got what she wanted."

I'm afraid I don't agree.

Fliss deeply regrets having the abortion.

And where in the practice procedures does it say

that patients should be accompanied to appointments

and have their fares paid?

There was no way of knowing how she would feel after!

All right, fair enough, I was uncomfortable

with the level of my involvement, but I had no choice.

I was motivated by the needs of my patient.

Actually, I don't think you were.

I also believe that Felicity's reaction to the abortion

could have been foreseen.

Howard, I'd like to do another role play.

Fantastic, our resident psychic

wants to channel her inner pregnant teenager -

that's exactly what this situation needs(!)

Felicity was uncertain about the abortion.

It doesn't take special powers to realise that.

OK, prove me wrong.

-Fine.

-Let's pick it up from when you made the first appointment.

They'll see you tomorrow at 12.30.

You can go in your lunch break. There's the address.

-That's miles away. How am I going to get there?

-You can take a taxi.

I don't have that kind of money.

Well, there's the fare.

Thank you.

But will you come with me, Dr Haskey?

Please? I can't go through this alone.

OK.

What?!

If I were confronted by that type of behaviour,

I'd have serious doubts about her ability to cope with the procedure,

let alone its aftermath.

These were exceptional circumstances, and someone had to be with her.

Were you going to be there for her

when she woke in the middle of the night, regretting her decision?

Felicity was relying on you to take on that parental role.

No, she didn't need a parent.

She needed a friend.

-You've resigned?

-I...

You don't have to do this.

-Two months' salary.

-I...

Take it.

You'll need all the money you can get.

Wait.

Can I just have a chat with Owen before you accept his resignation?

Just leave it!

Miranda's accepted my resignation so she doesn't have to fire me.

I punched Zac.

Attacking a colleague because he's gay is a hate crime.

Zac's gay?!

You're lucky he doesn't want to take this further,

-otherwise the police would be involved.

-That's not why...

I had no idea Zac's gay, I swear.

Well, can you tell her why you hit him?

Please, mind your own business.

She is calling you a homophobic thug!

Look, you're clearly in two minds about this.

-Come on.

-OK.

Owen, I think I deserve an explanation.

Sometimes I...lose control of my left hand.

Because of the stroke.

It does things that I don't want it to do,

things I wouldn't choose do in a million years, like hitting Zac.

I wouldn't believe it either,

if I didn't have to live with it every day.

So you're telling me your left hand has a will of its own?

And this is an actual medical condition?

It's called anarchic hand syndrome.

Chris is a nurse at my medical practice. Miranda - my boss.

So you're treating Owen for this... anarchic hand.

Not exactly - there isn't really a treatment.

Yeah.

I treated Owen for injuries he sustained

after having an argument with his hand.

You hit yourself in the face?

Mr Hyde hit me in the face.

We fell out after he poured coffee over Zac's presentation.

You call your hand Mr Hyde?

Yeah, patients with the syndrome often give their hand a name.

It helps to distinguish it from themselves.

So you really aren't responsible for attacking Zac?

I still feel terrible about it.

Any chance you'd consider withdrawing Owen's resignation,

now you know the truth?

I'd love for you to stay on...

..but I can't have Mr Hyde here persecuting another employee.

I don't think that'll be a problem, now he knows that Zac's gay.

I don't understand.

Miranda, you're a wonderful person,

and...

..you've...

..been a great friend.

I'll never forget waking up in hospital after my stroke

to see you at my bedside, or any of the kind

and thoughtful things you did for me while I was recuperating.

My feelings for you have...

I guess Mr Hyde felt the same way.

When I came back to work and met Zac for the first time, it was a blow.

He's funny, talented...fit.

You got on so well, I thought...

Me and Zac..?

You're beautiful and generous...

My God...

And maybe in some parallel universe, you'd look twice at someone like me.

A man can dream.

But with Mr Perfect waiting in the wings,

it was only a matter of time until...

Well, that's what I thought.

Zac isn't even my type.

Even before he was gay.

I guess Mr Hyde will be really pleased to hear that.

Do you think he was jealous?

Well, unlike me, he finds it hard to control his emotions.

OK, given everything we've discussed today,

do you still maintain that there is nothing to be concerned about?

I would not have done a single thing differently,

not one single thing.

How can you be so complacent?!

At the very least, you should have referred it to the partners!

Your relationship with Fliss was inappropriate.

You should have kept your distance, right through the process.

Zara's right.

You need to drop the arrogance and learn a bit of humility.

Daniel Granger and Zara Carmichael are lecturing me on arrogance?!

I laugh at you!

Oh, and what about me?

Because I agree with them.

You think you're right about every single situation,

but you're not, and certainly not this one,

and you need to admit that.

This is just what I thought it would be -

you organised yourself a little witch hunt, didn't you?

That has never our objective.

What gets me is you don't seem to appreciate

the seriousness of the situation.

Your self-belief is one thing,

but your ego is undermining your decision-making

and reflecting badly on this practice.

Your credibility is in free-fall and your attitude stinks.

-Nonsense.

-I haven't finished!

No-one in this organisation is too big or too clever

to learn from their mistakes,

and I will not allow a loose cannon to jeopardise what we have got here.

Do I make myself clear?

Yes, Howard.

-You've been to see the peeper scum?

-You what?

-He's a nonce. He goes after kids.

-I don't know where you get that from.

-It's him next door - he's beginning to get to me.

-What's he done?

It's what he did do.

You're signing a contract with a deity you do not believe in

so that two very wealthy people can save on some school fees?

He's done nothing wrong! You've got the wrong guy!

You always stick up for them lot. I suppose it's their human rights!