A Duty of Care Doctors

-Is the pain relief helping?

-Not really.

Did you liaise with Dr Granger?

Yes. I'm afraid he's had some personal issues to deal with over the last few days, so...

Well, you'll be dealing with me for the foreseeable.

And how much longer am I going to be stuck here?

Well, apart from the pain,

the recovery of your spinal injury is going well.

I'll talk to your specialist,

but let's hope you're not bedbound for too much longer.

And then we can get our lives back.

Well, as long as it doesn't involve trampolining or bungee-jumping, then, yes.

-Hallelujah!

-THEY CHUCKLE

Mike, can you nip downstairs and get Dr Reid a cuppa?

-Sure. Milk, no sugar?

-Yes, please.

Actually, I'm glad it's you and not Dr Granger.

-Oh?

-Not that there's anything wrong with him,

but, um...I wanted to speak to a woman.

Right. So, back to school today.

And Mummy and Daddy are back to work.

But don't worry, everyone is going to keep a close watch over you.

But you still mustn't speak to any strangers. OK?

You hear that, Joe? Speak to no-one but your teachers.

I won't talk to anybody.

Oh, you can speak to your friends, darling.

Mummy and Daddy are going to pick you up today, so that's going to be brilliant.

Why don't you go and get your bag?

I have got an extra-special treat for your snack box.

It's too much for him to take in.

He's going to have to.

Ah, good. I was just talking to Dr Reid about contraception.

-O-OK.

-Donna mentioned that once her recovery is complete, that you'll...

I was saying that we had a really healthy sex life before the accident.

And once I'm fully recovered...

Well, things may not return automatically to the way they were.

-DONNA SIGHS

-It's been months. Feels longer.

Yes.

OK, let's assume that it goes go back to like it was before.

The thing is, children aren't for us.

And we hadn't really found a method of contraception

-that we were both happy with long-term.

-OK.

I had a bad experience with the pill.

Don't like chemical methods.

Condoms, we had an accident, I had to have a termination.

I think we want something more permanent, right?

And the simplest option would be for Michael to get the snip.

What are the risks?

Fewer than snipping my tubes. It's less invasive.

Well, that's true. To be honest, the risks are very low.

Both for side effects and the procedure itself.

Most people are in and out pretty quickly.

-MESSAGE ALERT

-Excuse me, I think I can hear my phone.

He doesn't seem too comfortable with the idea.

He's always like that. Decisive, he's not.

You should see him trying to buy a car.

But it really would help if you'd make him see that this is the most sensible option.

-Morning, Karen.

-Morning.

-Is Valerie at the Campus?

-No, she's over there.

So if Zara and Daniel are coming back, why book a locum?

Well, I had assumed Dr Granger and Dr Carmichael would need more time,

so I just wanted to be ahead of the curve.

Ah. You've paid your money, so you want to get your money's worth.

Indeed.

-Morning.

-Morning.

Detective Inspector Stanton for Dr Carmichael.

No question, I underestimated the lengths the gang would go to.

But now I know what we're dealing with,

I can make sure there's more patrols past your house.

I can make sure the police presence is more visible.

CCTV cameras around your home.

We can protect you.

Just like you've been doing this past week?

-That won't happen again, I can assure you.

-Nothing's changed.

We don't feel it's safe enough to give evidence.

And I completely understand that.

But you have to trust me, they were just sabre-rattling.

They're not dumb enough to actually harm your son

because they know that would bring a world of pain

crashing down on their heads.

You want me to gamble with his safety?

No, of course not.

But if someone like you is too...

-Not scared, but...

-No, call it what it is. We're scared!

Only an idiot wouldn't be!

If someone like you doesn't stand up to them, then they've won.

And then they still own the streets.

But that's not your problem, in your nice suburban home.

Now, that's emotional blackmail and I will stand up to that.

I apologise. I didn't...

Yeah, you did.

Work. They need some paperwork e-mailed through.

I want you to stay and listen to Dr Reid.

Look...it's the idea of the procedure, the pain,

staying conscious through...

You'll be good as gold in a day or two!

But I-I...I'm not saying...

I've read horror stories. Guys having no sensation.

Losing a testicle after the operation.

I know it's unusual, but I can't help thinking about it.

Well, have you had any operations or procedures before?

-No.

-He hasn't had anything.

He's been in ridiculously good health all his life.

It's understandable why an operation like this would seem like a big deal.

Look, I can't make the decision for you,

all I can do is give you some facts and advice.

And they show that it's the simplest, least-risk solution, right?

Sterilisation would be more invasive and traumatic, for sure.

Plus, you'd have to factor in the lengthy recovery period.

You're right. A vasectomy carries fewer risks.

Can I ask, have you been reading about this on the internet?

Yes.

Look, the internet is always more scary than real life.

-I know. It's not rational.

-Look...

-But...

I tell you what, why don't I ask the Mill to make an appointment

with you and Dr Granger, if he's available?

You may feel more comfortable talking to a man.

And in the meantime, I can gather some more information for you.

Right.

Ooh, Daniel. I meant to ask, how's little Joe?

Oh, thank you. Yeah, um...

a little bewildered and scared, but he'll be just fine.

Good. And I'm really pleased to see the police are following up.

They take these things very seriously.

What do you mean, following up?

The DI in with Zara now.

Did you get a name?

-Stanley?

-Stanton?

-That's it.

-Bloody no!

Get out!

-Daniel.

-You have absolutely no right in trying to coerce us.

-He's not coercing.

-Why didn't you tell me he was here?

Because I'm a grown-up who's perfectly capable of thinking for herself!

Oh, lovely(!) Well, it affects me, too, and Joe!

I was just pointing out that this is how the gangs thrive.

They rule by fear.

But you can stand up to them.

Don't put all this on us.

We're not compromising our son's safety for you or anybody else.

Now, get out!

Think about what I said, please.

I need ten seconds of your time.

-OK. Ten seconds, no more.

-Yeah, I don't like saying this

and I'm probably never going to have cause to say it ever again,

but, Jimmi...you were right. OK?

My online dating experiment, I was offering myself up

like some kind of consolation prize to lonely women

and it...it failed.

You do know not to let them know that, don't you?

It is brutal out there.

-I mean, like, properly ferocious.

-That bad?

I mean, one or two of them, they were all right-ish,

but from now on, I've decided I'm going to stick to the women I meet in the gaming world.

-But not real women?

-No. Virtual women.

Well, that's really good to know. Er...ten seconds is up.

They're much more predictable. Less hard work.

Er...you know, if you chose them because you actually liked them,

-rather than pity them...

-I wasn't pitying them.

It was more, you know, they needed help and I was there to offer it.

Great. Well, we could talk about this over a beer and I've got a patient due, so...

Let's do it now. I'm more important than your patient.

Er...I don't think you are, actually.

Where exactly did it go wrong?

Where did it go right?

Oh, I'm all for staying on top of the latest research and treatments.

The worst thing that can happen to any surgery

is that they get fossilised, you know?

Patients expect us to be on top of these things.

Oh, yes. Yes, I-I-I agree.

There is a slight problem.

I-I booked you because I thought that two of our senior doctors...

Well, they needed some more time off.

Are you cancelling the booking? Because that's just wasting my time.

No. No. Er...we will be putting you to work.

The problem is that we are struggling for space.

We have run out of consulting rooms.

So we will be putting you to work in the nurse's room.

A nurse's room? Are you serious?

Well, needs must, I'm afraid.

-SHE SIGHS

-Fine.

Right. Let me introduce you to the rest of team.

Oh, right. Er...Dr Haskey, Dr Reid,

I would like to introduce you to our new locum, Dr Evans.

Welcome.

Hi. Emma. Nice to meet you.

Just call me Gwen.

Reading up on some notes?

Oh, hello. Um...excuse my mouthful.

I'm Al. I work here.

-Are you having short-term memory problems?

-Hm?

Al and I already know each other.

-We had a date the other day.

-Really?

Well, more like blood sport. Online dating.

Oh.

And here I am in your practice. Didn't see that one coming.

Mm.

Well, er...perhaps we should, er...

-Al?

-It's not what you think.

EMMA LAUGHS

He is a crass, insensitive bully.

-As opposed to, what, a nice, sensitive bully?

-What?

He has no grasp of what could have happened to Joe.

Oh, I think he has a better grasp than we do.

OK, all right, look, um...

it doesn't bear thinking about

what those animals might've done to Joe.

But this guy has to understand

that we are not prepared to risk Joe again. OK? That's it.

But he does have a point, though.

If people like us won't stand up to them...

People like us? People like what?

Like, er...superheroes?

People who have children?

Since when did this become our responsibility?

OK, what I meant was

intelligent, courageous people who don't live on the estate!

Wow, what a snob. And stop taking his side!

I am not being a snob and I am not taking...

-KNOCK AT DOOR

-Yes?

What?!

I, er...I just wanted to introduce you to our new locum.

Hi!

Hello.

KNOCK AT DOOR

Your first patient.

That fits with my consultation timetable.

Oh, don't ask. Take a seat.

Oh. Sorry.

-Name?

-Cheryl Hayes.

And what can I do for you, Cheryl?

It's my nose. I want some plastic surgery done on it.

A nose job? What's wrong with it?

It's horrible. It's ruining my life.

I think your nose looks great. You look stunning.

It's ugly. Look, I can see people staring at me constantly.

I'm a flight attendant and people are looking at me,

at my face, all the time!

And I can just feel the confidence drain right out of me!

I need to stop you there.

Cosmetic surgery isn't available on the NHS.

There's no point in carrying on this conversation unless you can prove

there's an actual medical benefit to a rhinoplasty.

So...what have you got?

That's the latest information on vasectomies.

And I can tell you, it's a lot more reliable

than anything you'll find on the internet.

Is Dr Granger coming in, too?

No, he's not available.

But he's happy for me to advise you, if you are?

It's reversible, yeah?

Yes-ish.

A reversal wouldn't be available on the NHS

and the chances of it being successful

are significantly decreased

the longer you wait after the original procedure.

But I thought you had both decided you didn't want children?

We don't.

Well, Donna feels more strongly about it than I do.

-Ah.

-Look, if we do go for something permanent,

then, of course, it'd be the vasectomy.

But you're not sure about permanent?

I feel a little cornered into this.

Right. Have you told her that?

It's not easy.

We had that termination two years ago.

It was a difficult decision.

The baby was going to have Down's syndrome

and I know that at our age, we're high risk.

It'd be horrible to put Donna through...

Well, both of us, through that wringer again.

For a week, I thought I was going to be a father and...

-I liked it, which I didn't expect.

-Hm.

A week.

How pregnant was Donna?

Almost two months.

Can you just, um...give me a second?

If you just pop back into the waiting room?

-What, is something wrong?

-No, no.

I just need to check something. I'll come and get you.

PHONE RINGS

Hello?

Yes. Yes, this is Mrs Tembe speaking.

I am the practice manager, yes.

I understand you wish to make a complaint.

Ri...

Against which member of staff?

Right.

Hm. Yeah, if I had a line of jewellery,

it would definitely be cat-themed.

And silver, probably, because I'm not that keen on gold.

Because gold can be quite tacky if you get it wrong, don't you think?

I hadn't really thought about it.

Al, would you like a drink?

Er...no.

Hi.

Hello.

Don't worry, I'm only here a few days.

I don't feel awkward about working with someone I had one bad date with.

-Bad date?

-It was, wasn't it?

Look on the plus side,

at least it left you with all that extra time for your video games.

Save engaging with real women.

-OK, that's mean.

-True, though.

Tell you what, why don't we go for a drink later?

Socially, not as a date.

I'll buy you a pint as a peace offering.

Oh, come on, it's what people who work together do.

Unless you want to keep squirming every time?

Whoa-whoa-whoa-whoa. Stop the bus. I'm not squirming anywhere.

Fine, let's go to the same place as before. The Icon, yeah?

-OK.

-Great, I'll see you there.

Michael said that they had the termination

because the baby had Down's syndrome.

But the termination took place at about eight weeks,

which is at least a month before any screening or diagnostics

could've been carried out.

I thought you were dealing with this?

The termination, er...had nothing to do with Down's.

Right. Well, did she give a reason?

No. No.

But you think she lied to Michael about it?

Well, yes. So, what do we do about it?

Nothing. It's none of our business.

If he's not telling her that he wants kids,

then isn't he lying to her?

Well, it's hardly the same thing.

And if she is lying to him,

well, haven't we been sucked into the lie, as well?

She hasn't lied to us, so no.

Look, here's the thing,

I have a patient who is considering a procedure

based on false information.

If I correct that and give him the right information,

would I be breaking patient confidentiality?

Don't go there, Emma. No-one will thank you for it.

What, so we just say nothing?

Michael. Sorry to keep you waiting.

I just wanted to run a couple of things past Dr Granger

in case he had anything to add, since you've seen mostly him.

So, are we done?

Yes. Yes, I think so.

Good. Well, I'll have a look at this lot

-and I won't believe everything I read on the internet!

-Good.

-Bye, Dr Reid.

-Bye.

-KNOCK AT DOOR

-Come in.

-Miss Hayes.

-Oh, right. Thank you, Miss Pitman.

Please, take a seat.

Now, before speaking to Dr Evans,

I wanted to hear your version in person.

-And then perhaps we could discuss this with her.

-OK.

Now, my understanding is Dr Evans has declined

to refer you for cosmetic surgery on your nose?

Flat-out refused.

Very well. I should point out that Dr Evans is a locum doctor,

so she has very little wiggle room when it comes to referrals.

However, she is, in fact, correct.

We cannot refer you to an NHS cosmetic surgeon

for purely cosmetic reasons.

There needs to be a medical reason.

Look, she wanted me to see a shrink, like I'm a nutter!

Well, we do not use such words.

I will have to clarify this with Dr Evans,

but I assume there are no physical reasons for such a referral?

You mean, like, she asked if I had any problems breathing,

if I was in any pain?

No, but I get depressed over this.

She would, also, I assume, need to see

if there are any psychological justifications for the surgery.

I told her about my nose and she didn't believe me.

She said it looked great.

Look, it sounds to me like she was just trying to be helpful.

And she has referred you to the appropriate place to receive help.

And the compliment?

Although unconventional and a little inappropriate,

is it really the basis for a complaint?

-Has Al gone?

-He left a minute ago. Off to the Icon.

Oh, I hope it's not internet dating again. I don't think it's worked out too well so far.

He's meeting Gwen. But, listen, you don't know the half of it.

He only chooses women that he feels sorry for

-and then he tries to build up their self-esteem.

-A-hem!

-There was this woman he met last week...

-A-hem!

..he said she was total...

Oh, I've just realised, er...

Er...Dr Evans, may I have a word with you before you go, please?

WHISPERS: Ouch!

OK, I will.

-What did they want?

-Nothing.

Just, er...checking up on us.

They've been asked to do that every once in a while.

That's what this has come to.

We've got the police baby-sitting us.

That's good, isn't it?

HE SIGHS

SHE SIGHS

MUSIC PLAYS

HE SIGHS

PHONE RINGS

HE SIGHS

-Dr Reid! Is something wrong?

-Er...no, no.

-How's Donna?

-Yeah, good.

Thinking about what we were talking about earlier,

I take it, with her spinal injuries,

that she wouldn't be able to cope with a pregnancy, anyway?

Well, it's like any traumatic injury.

As well as it may heal, things are never as strong as they were before.

So, yes, you're right, a pregnancy could compromise her recovery.

What with that and the risk of Down's, I feel like

someone's trying to tell me something.

-I'm not telling you anything.

-No, I mean, the cosmic.

Someone's telling me something. Get the snip.

I'd, er...better look in on Donna.

Before you do, I've got another couple of questions about, you know.

Saves me looking them up.

PHONE RINGS I'll take this out here.

-Tom.

-Zara.

-Before you say anything, this cannot continue.

If Daniel knew you were pushing me on this,

he would be on the phone to your DCI before...

OK, yeah, listen, listen, fair enough.

I've just got back from a crime scene.

A young man's just been knee-capped.

By the very same people you were going to testify against.

No-one saw anything, there were no witnesses, except there were.

But it's not happening on your doorstep, though, is it?

Good night, Tom. Don't do this again.

Was it important?

Not really. It was a sales call.

-Sort of.

-Right.

You are late...again.

Am I?

Is this some kind of "treat 'em mean, keep 'em keen" thing you've got going on?

No. Do you think this is another pity date?

-A what?

-Another one for you to brag about?

How you bestowed your largesse on yet another poor, desperate woman?

I've got no idea what you're talking about.

I overheard one of the staff talking about

how you find women on the internet and date them out of charity.

Ah, I see. I think there's been a misunderstanding.

Really? Because it sounds to me like one of the most fake,

manipulative things I've ever heard.

No, no, no. You misunderstand.

You see, those other women, I...

I liked them. They were nice.

My friends thought I should have given you a second chance.

I need new friends.

You need all the friends you can get.

LAUGHTER

How did someone as bland and sad and creepy as you get to be so arrogant?

-Cheers.

-Cheers.

EMMA KNOCKS ON DOOR

-Hi, Donna.

-Hi.

I just thought I'd pop by with your new prescription.

I was passing anyway, so...

Thanks.

Why did you really come? That could have been dealt with tomorrow.

Donna, the termination that you had two years ago...

..Michael believes it was because of Down's syndrome, doesn't he?

What he doesn't know is that it was too early to test for Down's.

And you've taken advantage of that.

What's that got to do with you?

Well, you asked my opinion as to what was best for you.

Now, based on the information I had then, I recommended a vasectomy.

But based on the information I have now,

I would say sterilisation for you.

Michael and I have a great relationship.

Right.

Look, not every woman is desperate to be a mother.

I've never felt maternal.

That's fair enough. But doesn't Michael deserve to know?

I'm never going to have children. It's my body.

Look, I'm not saying that you should have children.

Well, good!

But what you're doing is deceitful.

Making Michael believe it's because of a risk of Down's syndrome.

Goodbye, Dr Reid.

You might wake up one morning and decide you've had enough of him.

I love him. I'm not going to.

Or you may have another accident.

You're taking away his opportunity to have a child with somebody else.

-And because of that...

-You can't say any of this to him.

Confidentiality.

Confidentiality is not an absolute, Donna.

You asked me to give Michael my medical advice.

And because of that, I have a duty of care towards him, too.

-DONNA WHISPERS:

-Don't do this.

Dinner!

Great!

While you're both here, I've decided.

I'm going to have the vasectomy.

Could you refer me?

I'm afraid not.

Why not?

You'll have to talk to Donna about that.

I'll see myself out.

Bill?

Bill? Bill, you old codger!

Listen, I'm going to beat you with my lucky clubs

and make you cry like a girl!

I'll see you!

DANIEL CHUCKLES

BANG!

What the hell was that?!

What the...?!

No, don't go outside! I'll call the police!

-Daniel!

-Toerags!

Daniel!

Daniel? Hello, Tom? Daniel!

-Here he is!

-Here he is!

-Did you take my son?

-We want war!

Yeah, we did take your son!

ALL SHOUT AT ONCE

Daniel!

-Come on!

-Oh, you're a weak man! You're a weak man!

You're a weak...

Daniel!

Daniel!

Are you OK?! What have they done to you?!

DANIEL GROANS

ZARA BREATHES HARD

It's OK! It's OK! Everything is going to be OK!

ZARA WHISPERS: Daniel!

Daniel! I'm not leaving you!

Daniel, stay with me!

-Sorry, um...which one of you is the father?

-BOTH: He is.

This group is our safe place.

What's said in this room stays in this room.

I am sure that Daniel is going to survive this.

Are you?