The Gordian Knot Doctors

What?

No, we're not getting the bus today, love.

Come on, let's walk.

Good morning, Dr Carter. How are you?

I've been feeling blocked up and sniffly

since I got out of bed this morning.

There's a lurgy going round. Not feeling 100%.

Poor you. You should be at home, tucked up in bed.

No, it's just a head cold.

I've got too much to do here.

I am supposed to be at The Campus Surgery with Dr Carmichael

and Dr Granger, but I suppose they won't mind

if I make you a nice cup of tea.

That would be a godsend.

If you could bring it to my consulting room, please.

-Good morning.

-Yeah.

We walked here.

-Couldn't get a bus?

-Didn't see one.

It's Kelly. She's not been very well.

OK. Can you be a bit more specific?

She's never got any energy. She's only six.

She should be bouncing around like a little dynamo.

And her skin's not been very good,

and she keeps coming down with everything that's going round.

-OK. Pop her up over here and we'll have a look.

-OK.

Even if they do invent time travel,

no-one's going to come back and tell us, are they?!

Straight down there on the right.

-Niamh?

-Sorry.

Mrs Weston and baby Thomas?

Of course.

Listen, this is your business not mine,

but you've not seemed yourself for a couple of days.

Is everything all right?

As all right as it ever is.

That doesn't sound good.

Look, if you need to talk or anything, you know?

Thanks.

So, you've been getting lots of bugs?

That's the thing about school, it's the perfect incubator for germs.

All right. Can you turn to me?

That's it. Can I look in your mouth?

Just open up. Lovely. I'm just going to look at your gums.

OK. You can close your mouth.

Have a look at your neck quickly. And this side.

OK, I'm going to get the nurse to take some bloods.

You and I need to have a chat.

What? What's wrong with her?

In a second. Come with me, Kelly.

As I say, the symptoms are perfectly normal

and they should clear up...

..with the medication.

Sorry. If they don't get any better, just come back in a day or two.

You need to go home and rest.

-It's just a cold.

-You deal with the ill and vulnerable.

They don't need to catch whatever you've got

on top of what they came in for in the first place!

Never mind infecting the rest of the staff.

Your compassion for me shines like a beacon.

You're not sending me home at the first sign of a sniffle.

I don't need your mollycoddling!

Do your walking while you're talking.

Spend the rest of the day looking up cricket stats,

or teapots, or whatever you do.

So, Susan, how are you feeling, emotionally?

Me?

OK.

You don't have any contact with your family?

-No. I don't see them. I don't speak to them.

-Good.

This has got nothing to do with them.

I know. It's just that you're here, I wanted to check in.

Me and Kelly, we're all right on our own.

We take care of each other.

What's wrong with her?

I wasn't sure about bringing her in. I didn't know what you'd think.

Well, what I think is that Kelly might have scurvy.

Scurvy?

Did she get it at school?

No. It's not infectious.

It's rare. The truth is, I've never seen it before,

but I'm aware that there is more of it around now

than there has been for the last ten years or so.

What we'll do is, we'll do some tests,

but I did see some petechiae on her neck, those spots.

That, together with the gum condition and the lethargy

all indicate scurvy.

It's due to a lack of vitamin C in your diet.

You're saying it's my fault?

I'm saying that Kelly needs to eat more fresh fruit and fresh veg.

It's unusual, but it is treatable.

I'm going to refer her to paediatrics

and prescribe a course of vitamin C supplements.

I do look after her, you know.

I don't want anyone saying...

No, yeah, of course.

No problem.

-Fresh fruit?

-Yeah. OK?

Yeah.

Once we've got the blood results, we'll call. OK?

She asked if she could have one.

-Kelly!

-It's all right, I have more.

-I'm really sorry.

-No, really, it's fine.

The child saw me take the biscuits out of my bag,

she could not take her eyes off them.

She wolfed them down.

You shouldn't be giving patients food.

Well, I...

I am sorry.

Are you happy with that?

Yeah.

Just keep an eye on the baby's weight.

It's a little less than I'd like.

Not by much at all, but you know, best keep an eye on it.

You coming down with that bug Heston has?

You just seem a bit flat.

I never get those things.

Even at home, when everyone else was flattened, I was immune.

-Lucky.

-Really?!

They were all laid out while I was running about doing everything.

Oh, yeah. Been there, done that, bought the snotty T-shirt.

Yeah, you're right, though.

I suppose I have been a bit, I don't know, out of sorts.

Yeah. Why is that?

Man trouble.

I thought we had something going, and...

He didn't?

Well, some people don't know when they've got a good thing.

It's no-one you know.

It's not that Irish guy, is it?

Because I thought you didn't get home that much.

I get home enough.

I better get on.

KNOCKING UPSTAIRS

Damned birds.

KNOCK ON DOOR

-Hello?

-Your housecalls.

One of these days they're going to have a mobile phone app,

you just throw it all over.

Bywater Drive?

-Isn't that close to where Susan Towell lives?

-I think so.

I should have time to swing past.

If she's not spending her benefit money on a good diet,

-what is she spending it on?

-I looked at Miss Towell's records.

-She is a drug addict?

-Recovering.

If she chooses to spend her money on drugs, that is her choice.

But if her child is going hungry...

Did the little girl say anything to you?

No.

-Are you going to call social services?

-No.

Dr Granger, a child is involved.

I know. And I also know Susan a lot better than you. OK?

I want to look into it a bit more. Don't worry,

as soon as I make my decision, I'll be sure to run it past you.

Excuse me.

There you are.

Listen, that stuff we were talking about...

I just came in for a drink of water.

I've got a patient waiting. I can't talk now. Sorry.

MICROWAVE BEEPS

-Hi, Susan.

-Doctor?

There's nothing to be worried about.

-I was in the area, and I thought I'd like another look at Kelly.

-Why?

Just to put our minds at rest about a couple of things.

You see, where there's scurvy...

You got the test results back?

Not so soon, I'm afraid. But if she has scurvy,

there's a chance there might be other problems.

I just want to check for a couple of things.

Can't I just bring her round?

I'm here now. And it really is for Kelly's own good.

The kitchen will be fine. Ideal, in fact.

Kel!

You should probably go and fetch her.

Kelly!

Kelly!

Come on, the doctor's here to see you. Come in the kitchen.

I thought it might be a simple case of a lack of fresh fruit and veg.

But are you eating anything?

I...

I can't afford any food.

Then what are you spending your benefits on?

-Nothing. They cut them off.

-What?

They said I was fit to work.

I told ATOS not yet.

They still cut them off. A month ago.

You can't have gone completely without food for the last month.

-What have you been...

-Begging. Stealing whenever I could.

You should've said something. Why didn't you come to us?

What can you do? They'd made their decision.

They even said to me that if I was homeless I'd get some benefits.

I can't be homeless, I've got Kelly. They'd take her off me.

-They're not in the habit of taking kids away from their parents.

-With my history? Drink and drugs.

-You honestly think if I was homeless they wouldn't?

-I'd tell them...

And they listened to you last time?

They want people off benefits, not getting on them.

This has to stop. It's affecting your daughter's health.

If her diet's as poor as you've made it sound,

the chances are she could be suffering from malnutrition.

You both could.

I can't lose her.

I don't need it spelled out.

-I think you both might be ill. I have to do something.

-What?

What are you going to do?

Honestly, I'd rather do nothing than lose her.

-Are you avoiding me?

-No.

It's not that. I just keep things close to myself.

Look, don't worry about it.

I know I shouldn't.

Whatever works for you. It's fine.

It's not Jimmi, is it?

-He's a nice guy, but...

-No!

No, no, no, no!

No.

-You must never say that.

-I won't.

It is definitely not Jimmi.

Message received.

Oh, God. I'm protesting too much.

You're going to be funny with him and he's going to...

Why did I open my mouth?!

Look, I'll tell you who.

-But you have to swear not to say anything.

-Of course.

It's Al.

Al? What, our Al?

I mean... Does he know?

He's not interested.

He's fun, he makes me laugh,

he's kind, he's gorgeous,

and he's got a brain the size of a planet,

and I mean a real planet, not one like Pluto

-that was never really a planet to begin with...

-You've got it bad!

You do know about the...

The Jas thing. He told me.

He got blamed for a lot of things he didn't do.

He was honest with me and it made me like him more.

You know what?

He liked someone but made a mess of letting her know,

and got the signals all wrong.

What a heinous crime. Nobody's ever done that!

You have to promise not to say anything.

It's bad enough without...

I won't say a word.

I swear.

It'll get easier.

Yeah.

If the child's not being looked after properly, it's a no-brainer.

Contact ATOS.

This woman was the victim of horrible abuse,

both emotionally and physically, by her family.

Her mother did nothing

because she thought the kids brought it on themselves.

So, from childhood, she's been deeply traumatised.

She survived by cutting off all contact with them.

She became an addict, then homeless,

and she's made a huge effort to put all that behind her

because she wants to try and get a normal life.

I sympathise with her.

But the child has got to come first.

-If she can't look after it...

-She can!

If she's given the right support.

And she's exactly the person you want to give that support to

-because she wants to sort herself out.

-The deserving poor...

The only way it seems she can get that support

is if she declares herself homeless! It's madness.

You're ticked off because ATOS ignored your recommendation.

I'm not! We see lots of people like Susan.

But she's made progress.

The responsibility of having a child has motivated her to stay clean.

And we're pulling the rug out from under her.

So write a letter to The Guardian.

Come on. What do you want for supper?

-Have you listened to a word I've said?

-Did I have a choice?

KNOCK ON DOOR

Yes?

ATOS returning your call, Dr Granger.

Put it through to me here, please.

OK, wait. Deep breath.

Blood pressure, Daniel.

Hey! Since it's my last evening before going away,

do you fancy joining in if we can get a bit of a gang together

to go for a few drinks?

Don't you have bags to pack and hair to wash?

Yes, but a few drinks will get me in the mood.

No, I'm wiped.

Come on, I'll invite Jimmi and Karen. It'll be fun.

Yeah, but I won't be. Thanks though. Next time.

Yes, I do know there's a lot of pressure to get people off benefits.

But I was clear in my report

that Ms Towell wasn't to be taken off hers yet.

I'd like to know who made that decision and why.

No. I don't have any new information.

Isn't the point that you do actually have new information?

Her child's health?

I don't think that would be in Susan's best interests to

offer that information up.

It simply amazes me how people can justify any decision,

good or bad, as being for the patient's good.

She's scared that if they think she can't look after her child,

they'll take Kelly off her.

-I've seen enough systemic abuse to know that's not what I'm dealing with.

-Oh, come off it,

they would only take the child away as an absolute last resort.

Like they did with us?

We were different.

Yes. We're middle class, have good jobs, we're educated.

And there's two of us. And we only just kept Joe.

Taking her benefits off her is creating the crack which leads

to that absolute last resort.

TURNS TV ON

FLICKS THROUGH CHANNELS

FILM DIALOGUE ON TV

I don't need a proper appointment or anything.

She does not want a consultation, just...

-Just a quick word.

-Sure.

I spoke to my mum. She's going to give us money.

I can buy some food now.

Your mother? Are you sure about that?

You've spent all this time moving away from your family.

My mum was never the problem.

She wants to see Kelly sometimes, but as long as I keep her

away from the rest of them, it'll be fine.

Thanks for everything, I suppose. We're going to be all right now.

So you don't have to worry about us, OK?

CREAKING

Who's there?!

I have a weapon!

Show yourself or get out of my house!

Have an amazing holiday.

Listen, I know you said you wanted to stay in, but please come out.

-Thanks, but...

-We're going to that new Vietnamese place, the Lau Cup.

You said you love Vietnamese food!

What's going on?

Nothing!

I'm going home.

Niamh, I'm just worried about you.

I feel guilty because you seem like you need a mate

and I'm just going away.

I'll be fine.

You won't, though. So I told Emma you need a friend.

You told Emma what?!

I didn't give her any details.

Did you say Al's name to her?

Well, she asked what was on your mind, so...

Mandy!

Emma is really good at keeping secrets

and she's a dead good listener. Look, you should go round there.

She'd love to see a friendly face.

It's the last time I tell you anything.

Niamh, don't worry about it. It'll be...fine.

Whoever you are, I know you're here and I will find you.

CREAKING

Since when were you a socialist?

I'm not.

How exactly is this going to help? Sure, they eat tonight.

But what about tomorrow? The next day?

You going to do this every day?

This woman has been under my care for some time.

She's kept up her end of the bargain.

-She's being let down.

-You're being a sap.

Daniel, has it occurred to you that you're being played?

What, for some tuna,

some oranges and carrots?

I've spoken to Howard.

He said that you've had some patients who've started using again.

Is that what this is about?

If you can save this girl, then...

No. I'm not trying to save anyone.

Good, because we're only doctors.

And anyway, you've never been the touchy-feely,

campaigning-for-social-justice type.

Selfish and vain, that's why I fell for you.

That's hilarious.

This isn't about me, OK? This situation makes me angry.

What's so weird about that?

You simply don't know what the real situation is.

I know you want to believe it, but come on. If her family

are as vile as you say, she'd never let them near her daughter.

Susan, you're not...?

It's none of your business.

You didn't go to see your mum at all, did you?

My family nearly destroyed me.

Living on the street nearly destroyed me.

I'm not going to let that happen again.

You can appeal the benefits decision. I will back you up.

How long's that going to take? Weeks? Months?

-What we going to eat till then?

-It's not much, but...

You going to feed us every night?

This appeal thing's probably not even going to work, is it?

I've trusted people before. They let me down.

Go away.

Look, you can't do this, OK?

You can't leave Kelly at home while you go out...

-So, I'm a bad mum as well, am I?!

-I'm not saying that.

You had no right nosing around in my home.

I'll deal with this my own way!

If you show yourself and leave, I won't call the police.

That'll be the end of it.

Why are you doing this to me?!

Which service do you require? Police, fire or ambulance?

I...I'm sorry. I don't need any of those.

It was a mistake. Sorry.

Susan. Susan, get in the car.

Please! Before I get arrested.

I'll scream.

-No, you won't!

-I can't believe I thought you could help us. Stupid, stupid, stupid...

If you don't stop this, I'll report you. Now.

-Tonight.

-You...you can't. You know what'll...

How can you do this?!

Because you have other options.

She's sick because I haven't got the money to feed her!

Is this what you want her to grow up seeing? Is it?

Please. Get in the car. Come on.

We'll get you registered.

It might take a day or two before you can get any food,

but you've got that stuff I brought you.

And make sure they give you fresh fruit.

Come by The Mill tomorrow whenever it suits

and we'll get the benefits appeal kick-started.

I'll come round, but I want to go to a new practice.

Why?

You threatened me.

I was trying to help you. You were putting yourself in danger.

I know you were trying to help, but you still threatened me.

You were going to report me for...

And you would've told them I left her on her own.

I haven't let you down. Unlike everybody else you trusted.

But if that's what you want,

of course we'll look at getting you registered with another practice.

Let's go, babe.

DOOR OPENS

Put the world to rights?

So...

After all that, did you actually achieve anything?

Yes. I think I did.

MAN CHUCKLES

VEHICLE APPROACHES

It's just a bit of pudding.

That's the stuff that's making you ill.

You do not wish to have a male doctor?

-No, I don't want to see a fat one.

-They're playing the Ramadan card.

She's really thin and she's really fat.

I wouldn't say really fat.

Tell me why I shouldn't perform my religious duty.

You're a diagnosed anorexic who's currently losing weight.

What can I do to help you?

The sight of food makes me ill.