Special Doctors

We're running low on candles. Have you ordered more of them?

-Yes, I did it on Friday.

-Which ones?

-The white ones.

-Good.

Please sit down.

-Would you like to prepare the room?

-Yes, Tobias.

"If we walk in the light, as he is in the light,

we have fellowship with one another.

"And the blood of Jesus, his son, purifies us from all sin."

For the wages of sin is death

but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ.

Jesus, our Lord.

Amen.

Amen.

Are you ready?

What are you doing? What are you doing? Stop.

-I'm sorry. I'm so sorry.

-It's OK.

-I don't know what came over me.

It's all right, we've both had a lot to Drink.

Oh, God!

You're looking very chipper this morning.

Is there a new man in your life?

Ah, now, Doctor Haskey, I only have eyes for you. You know that.

But I am feeling better.

I feel like a new woman!

Well, my work here is done then. Come on, I'll see you out.

Sit down, you cheeky boy.

There's a reason for my visit.

Yes, your prescription has run out, hasn't it?

I'll write you up a new one.

Don't bother.

I know you're supposed to dispose of them properly.

I've decided it's time for me to come off my medication. Permanently.

Why?

Because I don't need it any more.

You're in remission because you've been taking the pills.

I know what remission feels like. This is different.

This time it's completely gone.

Grace, you've had rheumatoid arthritis long enough to know

it's an incurable condition.

The best that we can do is manage your pain.

That's your opinion. I just don't happen to share it.

Doctors can be wrong, you know?

Not about this we can't.

All right, fine.

If you have any more problems, come back in

and I'll put you back on the pills.

Thank you, Doctor Haskey.

This morning, when I woke up, I could feel a cold coming on.

Has science ever found a cure for that?

I know I'm standing in a room full of GPs,

so please don't lynch me for saying this.

But I believe medical professionals

are failing their dementia patients

because of a fundamental lack of empathy.

I'm not saying it's out of meanness or callousness,

it's simply an inability to put ourselves in our patient's shoes.

I'd like to illustrate this point

but I'm afraid I'm going to need a volunteer from the audience.

Come on, don't be shy.

Believe me, if I can stand up in front of all of you, anyone can.

Sorry I'm late. My alarm didn't go off.

No need to apologise. Your timing couldn't be better.

I think we've found our volunteer.

Please, come and join me up here.

-Oh, no, I'd really rather just sit down.

-You can sit.

Consider it a forfeit for being late, two days in a row.

-There you go.

-Thank you. I need this. Morning from hell.

-How so?

I've got this patient with HIV, right?

Healthy. He's been managing it for years and then, out of the blue,

he decides oh, no!

-He doesn't need his anti-retroviral drugs any more - he's cured.

-What?

I know, I can't believe it?

I spent most of the morning convincing him

to stick to his drugs programme.

Reckons it's "through the power of prayer".

Honestly, you know, the stuff people believe in this day and age.

-Are you all right? You look a bit clammy.

-I'm fine.

-You didn't touch your breakfast this morning.

-I didn't feel like it.

-Well, maybe you should rest. Eat something.

-I'm not hungry.

Anyway, there's no time, we still have a lot of people to see.

Hi, thanks for coming.

OK, Toni, you can relax, this isn't a test.

I just wanted to ask you what you thought of the talk this morning.

This morning? I wasn't here.

We watched a short film and had a group discussion about it.

You remember the film, surely?

No, I told you, I wasn't here. I overslept.

It's all right, there's no need to get upset. Like I said, this isn't a test.

Perhaps you'll remember what we discussed last night then?

Last night?

Yes, we spoke in the bar.

Don't you remember?

We spoke at length about the patients we'd met with dementia.

You had some great insight into how to deal compassionately with them.

Perhaps you'd like to share it with the room now?

Go ahead, don't be shy.

I'm not, I just...

I don't recall talking to you last night, I'm sorry.

But it was only a few hours ago.

I'm sure it'll come back to you.

Come on, concentrate, this is important.

Everybody here would love to hear it.

Look, I don't remember talking to you at all, let alone what I said!

What?

Of course you don't remember it.

We never spoke in the bar last night.

What you've just experienced is what people with dementia feel

every single day.

Confusion, frustration, humiliation,

even shame for doing or saying things

they don't fully remember, or perhaps wouldn't normally do.

-Thank you.

-OK. Well, try and take care, Mrs Hennessey.

PHONE RINGING

OK. Almost there. Here we go.

Ah, Mr Rigby. Your old bad back playing up again, eh?

Yeah, and he's got a bit of a temperature too.

Al. It's Grace Matthews.

Hi.

I gave you a knock this morning to see if you fancied some breakfast.

I assumed you must be in the shower or something.

Was probably dead to the world.

Yeah, I felt sorry for you this morning up there,

being Sarah's guinea-pig.

I thought it was a really clever trick.

-Really got the point across, didn't it?

-Yeah.

Tea's good, eh?

-Daniel, for goodness' sake, stop being so nice to me!

-Why?

Because I made a complete fool of myself.

Look, nothing happened, OK?

So there's nothing to be embarrassed about.

We just had a little bit too much to drink.

A lot too much.

Maybe we got a little bit carried away with the dance,

but so what?

We're passionate people, right?

Which is exactly what we'll need if we're going to win that competition.

-You still want to do the competition?

-Of course I do.

Toni, come on, we're friends.

I'd be really sad if you let a silly, drunken moment

get in the way of that.

Thank you for coming.

I don't think I could've made it back to the surgery.

Not a problem.

Shall I open the curtains?

-No, please don't, the light's hurting my eyes.

-OK.

You said you felt a little under the weather first thing this morning.

Yes but my joints felt fine. They're really hurting now.

It's come back, hasn't it? The arthritis.

You do feel a little warm.

Do you mind if I take your temperature?

I have a very clever piece of equipment for this.

Yeah, it is a little raised.

Maybe you're coming down with something.

-You mean, it's not a flare-up?

-It doesn't look like it.

I knew it!

I knew the boy had cured me.

What boy?

Grace? What boy?

Please, Lord, fill Rebecca with your healing light,

cleanse her of the cancer that blights her body.

Lord, I humbly ask you...

HE COUGHS

-Are you all right, Tobias?

-I'm fine.

I'm sorry, I just need to stop for a moment.

Toby!

You're burning up. I'm taking you to a doctor.

-No. Just take me home.

-Toby.

-Take me home!

You can't be serious. A faith healer?

I know, I didn't believe in it either,

but I couldn't dispute the facts.

My friend Charles had suffered back pain for years and this boy has

completely cured him, just by laying on his hands several times a week.

Hang on a minute, back pain?

-Are we talking about Charles Rigby by any chance?

-That's right.

He told me he no longer needs pain medication

and he feels ten years younger.

Now tell me that isn't a miracle, Doctor Haskey.

That isn't a miracle.

I saw Charles less than an hour ago. He's in agony with his bad back.

That can't be?!

The mind's an incredible powerful thing, if it tells the body

the body's well, the body might believe it.

I had a patient recently who put all his hope in this miracle pill.

I wish I could tell you it worked out for him.

Look, I don't blame you for trying anything to get rid of this

horrible pain, but you have to know this boy isn't the answer.

You said he laid hands on you?

Yes.

Do you have contact details for him?

His mother's, why?

Charles had a temperature too.

If this boy's got something wrong with him,

he could be spreading it from house to house.

We've spoken about the diagnosis

and day-to-day challenges of dealing with dementia patients.

But, as GPs, our duty extends beyond the patients themselves.

Stresses on carers can be overwhelming

and this can sometimes lead to a whole raft of other problems,

family breakdowns being one of them.

One woman I met went through a particularly messy divorce

after her husband refused to continue living

with his mother-in-law who had dementia.

As a result the woman became increasingly isolated,

having to cope alone with her mother's care.

She completely lost all self-esteem.

She gained weight, she stopped socialising,

she became increasingly housebound.

GPs need to look out for these telltale signs so that we

can offer support before the situation becomes unmanageable.

Doctor Granger.

Any plans to roll out this kind of training to medical students?

I'm glad you asked that question.

Because you're absolutely right, training is the key to

changing our approach to dementia across the board.

It's all a question of priorities.

I believe we need to rely less on medicating patients

and focus more on engaging with them,

but for that we need training, which we all know costs money.

Mrs Guilmore?

Grace Alexander gave me your address. She's not very well.

I'm a doctor, I'm Doctor Haskey.

You're a doctor? Can you help me?

He just collapsed.

What's his name?

Toby.

Hey, Toby, I'm Doctor Haskey, I'm just going to check you're OK.

All right, mate?

Let's get you inside.

-I'm cold.

-I'll fetch you a blanket, sweetheart.

Can you open your mouth for me?

There we go.

-OK, I'm just going to take your tie off, yeah?

-Don't.

No, it's fine. I just want to make sure you're all right.

Oh, my goodness. What's that?

I take it you never had your son immunised.

The MMR vaccination?

-They said it wasn't safe.

-They said it wasn't safe.

-Excuse me?

-The link to autism was disproved years ago.

Well, I wasn't prepared to take that risk, not on the say-so

of a bunch of doctors who got it wrong in the first place.

Well, congratulations, because now your son has the measles.

And thanks to you he's exposed other people, too.

Oh, hello, ladies.

Have you come to join me for a spot of sunbathing?

It's the perfect place to enjoy a cool beverage.

How much rum have you got in that?

Oh, my dear Mandy, one doesn't need rum to drink in the joys of summer.

Guys, shouldn't we be getting back to work?

Oh, is that you, Kevin? There's a terrible glare in my eyes.

That's better. Where were we?

I'm saying that there are patients waiting.

And that is why they're called patients.

Fine, I'll be the only professional then, shall I?

Ohhhh!

Was it something I said?

The measles are pretty advanced.

He must've been suffering for a few days.

Why didn't you take him to see a doctor?

Because he told me he felt fine.

I make no apology for listening to my son, Doctor Haskey.

Well, I'm going to have to inform

the Public Health Department, I hope you know that.

Do you have numbers for all the people Toby's been in close

contact with over the last few days?

-Well, yes.

-You need to call them.

-All of them?

-Yes, all of them.

This could potentially be an outbreak of a highly

contagious virus. They need to be informed that they've been exposed.

NOW, if you don't mind.

Tell them if they're feeling unwell, they should seek medical attention.

And that they need to get in touch with all the people that they've had close contact with.

Yes, hello, Mrs Burton? This is Angela Guilmore, Tobias's mother...

I just wanted to say thank you, to both of you.

It makes all the difference when people take an interest and participate.

It wasn't exactly my pleasure, but I'm glad I could help.

You've given us all a lot to think about. You did an amazing job.

Well, thanks to you.

Nonsense, you just needed a bit of encouragement.

Goodbye, Doctor Granger.

Right, Toni.

Time to put your massive suitcase into the boot of my car.

It's hardly any bigger than yours. I'll do it myself.

Silence, woman, this is a man's job.

All right, well, sorry to worry you unnecessarily. God bless.

Is that everybody?

Almost. And so far only one of them's feeling unwell.

Well, let's not forget about Grace and Charles.

Both of them are vulnerable to complications because of their age.

I'm beginning to resent your tone, Doctor Haskey.

My son has also cured countless people,

so a little respect wouldn't go amiss.

Respect? All he's done is put lives at risk, including his own.

God has given Toby a gift.

But then I wouldn't expect a doctor to believe in a power higher than his own.

You might be able to fill your son's head with this nonsense, but not mine.

How dare you speak to me like that?! Get out of my house!

I said leave. You rude, arrogant man!

And I'll be filing a complaint. I won't have our beliefs insulted!

TOBY GASPS

Toby? What's happening?

Call an ambulance. Call an ambulance.

He can't breathe.

Toby, I need you to try and take slow, deep breaths.

Good lad.

Ambulance, please.

So, I'll see you tomorrow?

-We can rehearse after work if you like.

-Sure.

-Are you not coming in?

-No, I've got to go and pick up Joe.

We had fun, doll face.

How is he? If anything happens to him...

He's in safe hands.

I hate this place.

I practically lived here a couple of years ago.

My husband. Brain tumour.

It took him a while to die from it.

If it wasn't for our faith, I don't think we would've coped.

You know, it was Mark who first saw Toby had the gift.

Toby was only ten but he could take away his father's pain

just by touching him.

Do you really believe that?

I came to believe it. When I saw it for myself.

Toby refused to leave his father's side.

Right up to the end.

And when it was all over, it was like he couldn't stop.

He still can't.

I don't know what to do any more, Doctor Haskey.

I don't even know what to believe.

Come in.

Welcome back. How was the course?

It was fun, actually. Not the dementia part, obviously.

Just the part where you got to spend two days with Doctor Dish.

He certainly is easy on the eyes, I'll give you that.

No, I get the appeal, but he's not my type.

Come on, he's everybody's type.

Are we a bit of a smitten kitten?

No!

I think we are.

Maybe just a little.

Right, it's good news.

The fever's come down and he's able to breathe by himself again.

Just as a precaution they're going to keep him

in for a couple of days, you know, for safety.

Thank you. Can I go in?

Yeah, of course.

Mrs Guilmore.

Today was a wake-up call.

Toby's been pushing himself too hard, that's why he's ended up here.

I know.

I think what I'm trying to say is that maybe it's time

for you to have a think about what this is really about.

If Toby believes he has the power to heal people,

then what is he thinking about not being able to save his dad?

KNOCK KNOCK

Yes?

Heston, have you got a minute?

For you, I have two.

Come in, take a pew.

Are you OK? I mean, really OK?

Well, of course, I'm right as rain.

Which is an odd expression, don't you think?

It should be "right as sunshine", when it's so glorious outside.

Just stop with the fake cheer, please.

You're not fooling me, Heston, not this time.

Something's wrong, I know it.

What do you mean "this time"?

Well, it feels like it did before.

With Marina.

How dare you bring that up.

What happened between Marina and me was intensely personal and intensely private.

I'm not having you dredging that up, ever, do you understand?

I'm just worried, that's all.

It's not your job to worry about me, nor your business.

Please keep your amateur psychology to yourself.

If you ever want to talk, you know where I am.

I'm not going to unburden myself,

and if I was I certainly wouldn't confide in you!

You gave me quite a scare.

I'm sorry.

Don't be. It's my fault.

I'm your mum, I'm supposed to be in charge.

Things are going to be different, for both of us.

For a start, you're taking the rest of the summer off.

What? I can't, there's too much to do.

Until school starts, you're going to rest

and see friends your own age for once.

And you're going to go to the movies and play computer games

and do whatever ordinary boys do, because that's what you are, Toby.

No.

No, God chose me.

Maybe he did.

But God also loves you, and he wants you to be happy.

And you haven't been, not for a long time.

And neither have I.

I know you miss your dad. I miss him too.

And I know you'd do anything in your power to bring him back,

but you can't.

Just like you couldn't have done anything to stop him dying.

It was wrong of us to make you believe that you could.

And I'm so sorry for that.

I just...

I just thought if I helped take other people's pain away,

maybe God would do the same for me.

Sweetheart. He will. Just give it time.

-Hi.

-Hi.

-How was work?

Not too bad.

Sorry I missed your calls last night.

I fell asleep in front of the TV.

Don't worry. Nothing much to report, really.

The conference was good but not exactly what I'd call eventful.

That's a shame. Didn't you have fun with Toni at least?

I didn't really see her.

She spent most of the night chatting with some guy.

So I went back to my room and crashed, in front of the telly also.

Well, don't we lead interesting lives?

So he should be here buying us ice creams and making us laugh

and instead we're stuck here with you.

And on that note, see you later.

Are you a real police officer?

Yes.

Really?

He says you just need to focus on what you want, and go for it.

Easier said than done.

This is my partner. He's special.

Is he?

He's not my partner. You're not my partner!