Power Cuts Doctors

The main teaching budget is down to the bone as it is.

That's exactly why I've come up with more dramatic proposals.

Drama, Music and Art -

they're sucking up large chunks of resources...

We've lost dedicated hours and two visiting teachers.

I'm ring-fencing what's left.

What else?

Early closure.

Now, it's proved very successful in a lot of other schools.

We close Friday lunchtime.

Absolutely not.

But the cost savings are substantial,

particularly in winter heating costs.

We're a statutory service provider!

Our kids are not getting a part-time education!

The governors understand when you have difficult choices to make.

Let's just talk to them.

No, not yet.

Let's talk to Beth. She's been here longest.

All that experience - she might see other possibilities.

SHE GROANS

-Are you OK?

-Yeah, I'm fine.

I just feel a bit dizzy.

I can come back later if you need me to.

No, I'm all right. I just...

-SHE GROANS

-Maybe I should fetch someone.

Jen, are you OK? What happened?

I don't know, she just...

I was asking Jen.

Just give her some space, please.

JEN BREATHES HEAVILY

Jenna, are you OK?

Good morning, little plants. Are you thirsty?

-What?!

-Oh, God!

Sorry. I didn't see you there.

You're an early bird.

Preparing the handover.

You know Mrs Tembe isn't due back till Friday?

I know, but when she walks through that door,

I want everything to run like clockwork,

and I can't seem to get this to print!

Oh, well...

Ah...

PRINTER WHIRS There we go.

I'll put the kettle on.

Thanks.

Why didn't you tell me this had happened before?

The doctor said there was nothing to worry about.

Jen, you should have said.

I could have...helped.

You've got enough on your plate.

So, what do they think it is?

KNOCK AT DOOR

Sorry.

I just thought I'd say that I can hold the fort here.

You take as much time as you need.

Thanks, Tim.

Do you know? You've done a great job since you've been here.

Mrs Tembe is going to be super impressed.

I don't want any loose ends before I start at St Phil's.

Oh, so you're only going round the corner.

Yeah, programme co-ordinator role,

developing new technology to improve patient liaison.

Part of the NHS's Forward View Plan.

That sounds very impressive.

I mean, the remit covers the whole of Letherbridge,

so it's a pretty big challenge.

You know, lots to take on board.

Well, I'm sure you will do it brilliantly.

It's exciting - a lot of responsibility.

And better pay, I expect. That's always a bonus!

-PHONE CHIMES

-I mean, I've always been quite keen

to gain experience in a hospital...

SHE LAUGHS

And with the next, you know, wave of changes in the NHS...

PHONE CHIMES, SHE GIGGLES

Sorry, I've just had a text message from...from a friend.

-OK.

-It's very funny.

I had better get this finished.

Honestly, I'll manage fine.

I'm coming in with you.

Your class won't finish the Great Fire of London project

without you being there.

Professional blackmail. Clever.

-OK... Are you sure you can cope?

-Of course.

You didn't answer my question, by the way,

when I asked you what was wrong.

Like I said, nothing to worry about.

Jen, how long have we worked together?

You really think I don't know when you're holding something back?

Can we just talk about this later?

All right, but promise me you'll ring me as soon as you get out.

PHONE CHIMES, VALERIE GIGGLES

-What?

-Oh, it's nothing.

I really shouldn't say.

OK.

All right, then, but you must promise not to breathe a word.

If it's about Ashley, I really don't want to know.

He's been texting me about yesterday.

-Oh, it was so...

-Oh, spare me the details.

..amazing.

-Honestly, it's been really...

-Stop, seriously.

It's so romantic and exciting, meeting in secret in a hotel,

but you mustn't say a word, especially not to Karen.

-Why?

-Well, I think she'd be so shocked.

Karen?

And maybe a little bit jealous.

I mean, me having a passionate affair with a married man.

No, I think that's too much for her to handle.

You mean too much for you to handle when it all blows up in your face?

It won't.

Mistresses get dumped.

Hubby goes back to wifey, every time.

Yes, but me and Ashley, we are totally different.

Trust me, when it hits the fan,

you'll be the one left alone, feeling like a mug.

Plus, a quickie in a tacky hotel?

It's a bit sad, isn't it?

Well, that's exactly why I thought I would call, Mr Francis.

I'm not even sure she should be at work.

Well, I thought you and the other governors would agree

that she needs a chance to take a break.

The budget meeting? Well, we didn't quite get that far.

She point-blank dismissed every proposal I came up with.

However, Neal, I have got another solution that would pretty much

deal with the shortfall...

Erm... Slightly high.

So, tell me again what happened today.

Same thing - dizziness, blurred vision, nausea.

It comes on so rapidly.

Are you still getting the migraines?

Yeah, I told Dr Vere that my mum died in her 40s

of a brain tumour.

Exactly the same symptoms.

I think Dr Vere would have told you that brain tumours

aren't hereditary, but you are under a great deal of pressure.

Oh, yeah, asked to do the impossible -

make more cuts without the pupils suffering.

I mean, my business manager seems to think it's doable, but...

He's not a teacher?

Actually, he is, part-time.

I manage the finance side of the job as part of my role,

but it started to become all I was doing,

left no time for anything else.

If only professionals were properly treated,

fairly paid and left to do their real jobs.

Too much interference, you know,

what with the constant curriculum changes.

Endless tedious paperwork...

Feeling hamstrung by the absurd legal requirements...

Slaves to a machine that doesn't give a damn about

the people it serves.

Anyway, good to know you're not on your own.

PHONE RINGS Excuse me.

Yeah?

Thank you very much, Valerie.

Are those my blood test results?

Let's see...

-COMPUTER CHIMES What the...?!

-What?

Is it bad?

That is terrible!

Could it be a tumour?

-How could they...?

-I knew it.

HE SIGHS

I'm going to get to the bottom of this.

Just stay there.

I won't be too long.

I was just typing and then...

-Is it the whole building?

-Looks like it.

Hopefully we'll have the power back on very soon.

What happened? I'm halfway through typing up a patient report.

Now that's all gone.

Maybe somebody plugged something in, cos that can trip a fuse, can't it?

No, this is more major than that.

This is why I'm always banging on about

-the need for a proper backup system.

-This is ridiculous.

I pressed a button on the keyboard and the whole damn thing...

-We've had a power cut, Heston.

-I thought it was a computer thing.

-Is it just the Mill or the whole area?

-Good point. I'll check.

So we can't access the patient records?

Worse still, we can't boil the kettle.

We can take notes by hand. Old-school!

This is ridiculous! I'm in the middle of a consultation.

If this was at a school, we'd be sent home.

Come on. All hands on deck!

Looks like the whole area is out, I think.

OK, just to let everyone know,

we are doing our very best to continue normal service,

but things might be a bit slower until we have the power back on.

-Paper. Pen.

-Thank you.

-Paper. Pen.

-What next? Leeches?

-We need to get this sorted quickly.

-Absolutely.

HE TAKES A DEEP BREATH

Sorry about that, but we appear to have a power cut,

so I suggest you go home for now, and try not to worry.

I've got too much still to deal with at work.

Well, when everything comes back on,

I'll check the results and I'll give you a ring.

I'm sure it'll be fine.

-COMPUTER WHIRS

-Oh.

Now you're talking to me.

All that hunching over a calculator but it still doesn't add up, right?

It will.

The school budget only stretches so far.

As do you -

you seem to be multi-tasking all over the place.

Well, I'm very good in a variety of roles.

I'm sure you are -

I'm just starting to wonder which one you're really after.

Well, I'm not sure what that means

but, seeing as we're on the subject of the budget,

maybe I could sound you out about some of my proposals.

I'd love to, but I've got a Literacy class.

Basically I think the school needs to make a member of staff redundant.

Obviously, that process would have to be fair and transparent.

However, looking at the overall balance of staff,

we have two newer, younger teachers

who have their whole careers ahead of them...

I'm sorry, are you suggesting me?

Do you know how long I've worked here?

Of course. I checked your file.

That's sort of my point.

By which you mean getting rid of me will save the most money?

Yeah, that and you have a higher than average rate of absence.

Oh, that was low.

You know my husband is unwell.

Well, maybe you need to be at home looking after him.

I know you've been considering early retirement anyway.

Don't you dare twist this!

This isn't personal, Beth.

This is simple maths.

The school has a deficit and a decision has to be made.

Did Jenna ask you to talk to me?

Yeah. In this morning's meeting.

If the power is back on and our network is up and running,

what's the problem?

Just because the lights are on doesn't mean that anybody's at home.

The server is down and, until that reboots,

we are very much high and dry, my friend.

So can you reboot it?

Watch and learn.

KEYBOARD CLICKS

Et voila...

COMPUTER CHIMES

Poop.

I just spoke to Karen at the Campus. Their system is down too.

-Oh, that's all we need.

-How are they coping?

Well, Sid's doing his best, but she did sound stressed.

By the way, it's totally backing up out there.

OK. Look, we'll split Al's patients between the rest of us,

and please say sorry, but they are to expect more delays.

Look, any idea how long this will be?

-AL EXHALES

-Ballpark, Al?

Crystal ballpark? I don't know.

And I hate to be the one that says "I told you so"...

That's not helpful.

Oh, yeah, but you two breathing down my neck, that is helpful, is it?

-Come on, vamoose.

-Just work your magic, Al.

It's not magic. It's strictly genius.

KEYBOARD CLICKS RHYTHMICALLY

I'm so sorry.

I can't really say how long you will have to wait...

Well, thank you, too.

So sorry, Mrs Bullen, I just need two ticks.

Would you mind taking a seat?

OK, Mrs Bishop. I hope that does the trick.

Who's next?

If we don't get back online soon, there's going to be a riot in here.

OK, I'm going as fast as I can but, without the patient records,

-we'll just have to go through lunch, I guess.

-Yeah.

I'm calling Valerie.

If they're sorted, we could maybe redirect patients.

Great. Mr Aldred next?

She's not answering. No, no, no! Mrs Thomas.

They're running late for a plane.

Her son needs an urgent prescription.

Right. Sorry. I'll be right with you.

Would you like to come through?

PHONE RINGS I'm so sorry.

Hello. Mill Health Centre.

Finally! What's going on over there?

Well, same as over there, I imagine. It's complete chaos.

Al's working on it, apparently.

So what are we supposed to tell the patients?

PHONE CHIMES Oh, sorry. Hang on a sec.

-VALERIE LAUGHS

-Valerie, what's going on?

Sorry. I just got a text from someone.

It's very funny.

Oh! Well, I'm so pleased everything is

-going really well on your end.

-PHONE CHIMES

Sorry... What was that, Karen?

-BABY CRIES

-I'm sorry. If we could all just be

patient just a little longer...

PHONE RINGS I'm so sorry.

I'm going to have to take this. I'll just be a moment.

Ashley, I really can't speak right now.

Yes, I got it.

BABY CRIES You are so cheeky.

No, it's just that we're really super busy.

I'm going to have to get back.

No. No, I wasn't offended at all.

Don't be silly.

Lunch?

I don't know if I can.

No, it's just that we're in the middle of a bit of

a crisis at the moment.

Oh, OK.

BABY CRIES I'll try.

I'll do my best, but it will have to be a quick one.

Ashley, you are so naughty.

Listen, I'm really going to have to go. Yeah. Bye!

I'm sorry.

Valerie, it might be an idea not to go blabbing to Mr PPG

about our crisis here.

BABY CRIES My lips are sealed.

I'm sorry, we're doing the best that we can.

-PHONE RINGS

-Mrs Calver?

Hello, Mill Health Centre.

Sorry. Our systems are down at the moment.

-Miss Calver?

-Valerie. Jenna Bourne?

So if you could call back later...

Yeah. OK. Good.

Any luck with the lab? I do need those test results.

I will find you the number, right now.

This really isn't good enough.

I've been here over an hour.

Mrs Wheatley, Dr Reid is aware you're waiting.

Look, I'm really, really sorry.

No joy with Mrs Calver. Who's next?

THEY ALL TALK AT ONCE

-One at a time, please. One at a time.

-I was here first.

I really was, you know.

Come on, come on...

I... Oh, sorry. Excuse me.

What is happening? Why are all these patients waiting?

It's all in hand. Please, come through.

I can explain...

We thought you were due back on Friday.

Well, yes, I am, but I just thought I'd pop in and say hello.

Did you have a nice time?

Yes, yes, thank you.

Mr Galadima, what is happening?

We've had a power cut, and now the server is down.

Dr Haskey is working on it.

Everything went back to normal quite quickly last time.

BABY CRIES This has happened before?

PHONE RINGS

Jenna?

Oh, sorry.

I got a taxi back.

I knew you wouldn't call me!

So is everything OK?

No, not really.

Look, I'm sorry. You were right earlier.

-I have kept something from you.

-Yes, I know.

What do you mean?

I mean it's too late now -

the cat's well and truly out of the bag.

-I don't understand.

-Why didn't you talk to me first?

I thought I could trust you.

What? This isn't about trust...

No. No, it's about money.

I mean, you must know what a snake Tim is!

He's not experienced or qualified enough to make

big financial decisions.

-I mean, he's not even a very good teacher.

-What? Tim?

It made it a million times worse me hearing it from him.

I don't understand.

It's obvious, he just wants your job,

and you and me both know that I deserve better than

a quick, quiet redundancy.

Redundancy?

Beth, I've never even considered...

-PHONE RINGS

-Oh... Sorry, I've got to get this.

Mr Francis... Yes.

-WHISPERING:

-Please stay.

Well, whilst I appreciate the concern of the governors,

I can assure you that I'm absolutely fine.

I'm waiting to see the head.

Are you in trouble too?

-Archie, is your mum still not here?

-No.

Well, go and ask the office to ring her again, please.

-Can I help at all?

-Yes, I'm here to see Mrs Bourne.

Oh. I'm Beth Topley, one of the teachers here.

Dr Carter, Mill Health Centre.

Oh, OK.

Is she free yet?

Yeah, her office is just this way.

You have no idea how much I've missed you.

I can't think about anything else.

Me too.

Yesterday was very special.

Today could be too.

-Oh, Ashley...

-Oh...

I can't stay. I'm sorry.

Why?

I can't say.

You can trust me.

No, it's not that simple.

Is it work? You mentioned a crisis.

Yeah, forget I said that.

It's...complicated.

I want you.

That's not complicated.

I want you too.

Well, then, why don't we just...?

No, I have to get back.

I have responsibilities.

What about your responsibility to me?

I mean, to yourself?

What about your responsibility to us?

What did you say to Beth?

-About?

-Redundancy.

We never discussed any such thing.

You did task me with finding alternative ways of saving...

Not with losing the best asset this school has!

I think you're allowing personal feelings

and friendship to blind you...

Plus you had the temerity to tell the governors that I was...

-SHE HYPERVENTILATES

-OK, OK...

Sit down.

Take it easy.

Jenna, with all due respect,

I only told them the truth.

You're clearly unwell.

I'm concerned about you.

I mean, everyone connected to this school knows what an amazing job

you've done, but maybe it's time to step back -

to think about passing the responsibility on.

If it all feels like it's too much, then it is too much.

You don't have to rush back in to anything.

I can take you home.

SHE BREATHES HEAVILY

Jenna.

Look, Dr Carter is here. Jenna? Jenna...

Jenna. Can we give her some space, please?

OK, Jenna, nice deep breaths.

SHE BREATHES DEEPLY

This last patch of coding will fix it - I'm sure it will.

Why did not tell me when this first occurred?

We dealt with it.

Well, clearly not. PHONE BUZZES

Sorry. Excuse me.

I do not understand how this could have happened.

I do. I was told I sounded like a stuck record

every time I banged on about the need for

a proper backup protocol.

Would that have prevented this?

No, it wouldn't, but it would have made it a lot easier to fix.

Look, that was the IT guy from St Phil's. It's chaos.

Their entire system is in freefall.

-No...

-Yeah.

Their working hypothesis is that our shared server is under attack.

Have they done the coding tests?

It's ongoing, but he's going to keep me posted.

-AL EXHALES

-Right. Wow.

This is the big leagues, Haskey.

Time to step up.

We need to locate and ID that virus, mais comment?

So this mess is not of our making, but we're under attack?

That's what he said.

So crisis calls for crisis management...

OK, look, what's crucial is that everyone pulls together to keep the

service going with absolute minimal risk to patient confidentiality.

-Agreed?

-Absolutely.

OK, well, let's inform the rest of the staff and draw up a plan.

Oh, you can run but you can't hide...

THEY MOAN Oh, don't. I really have to go.

No, you don't.

No, I do. I'm needed.

You're needed right here, right now.

No, I must go.

Please.

Call me.

-Is she OK?

-I think so.

If you could just give us a few more minutes?

How are you feeling now?

Better thanks. My chest felt a bit tight.

-So why are you here?

-There's no need to panic.

There's a problem with your vitamin B12 levels,

which is why you have anaemia.

But it's eminently treatable.

What about the breathlessness and migraines?

Well, they're fairly common symptoms.

You said you're under pressure, so I think it's partly stress related.

SHE SIGHS

Thank you.

Why don't you just face it? You're a dinosaur!

And you are a nasty, scheming reptile.

Put your head in the sand all you like, education is changing.

For the worse with idiots like you in charge.

It takes tough people to make tough choices...

-Stop talking in stupid coffee-cup slogans.

-Enough!

And for the record,

I'd resign before letting you leave this school.

Tim.

You'll be pleased to hear that I have just been given a pretty

much clean bill of health.

I'm not going anywhere.

So, thank you for your help today, back to business as usual.

Oh, and you're timetabled for Year Three Numeracy next.

Whatever this virus is, it is close to bulletproof.

-There must be...

-No! There isn't anything, Mrs Tembe.

This is what happens when you leave yourself wide open, no encryption,

no disaster-recovery policy.

Are you saying that you cannot fix it?

Right now, I'm saying, I don't know what it is.

I don't even know where it is.

Mr Garcia, would you mind taking a seat again?

I will let you know as soon as I have some idea

of how much longer, OK?

Two seconds, I'll see what I can find out.

PHONE RINGS

Hello, Mill Health Centre.

-Me again. What's happening?

-Not good.

We've had to stay open to deal with the backlog.

It's a madhouse here as well.

Is Al any closer to sorting it?

Well, apparently it's a virus attack on the shared server.

Oh, and does that mean there are other practices that are affected?

Tell her, I've just spoken to my mate at Redgrove.

They've had no problems at all. I think it's just us and The Mill.

-Did you hear that?

-Yeah, I'll pass it on.

Mrs Singh?

PHONE CHIMES

Oh, you're Mrs Popular! What's going on?

Oh, nothing... I've got to go.

Anyway, I'll call if there's news.

Hi, thanks for the wait. How can I help?

Peace offering.

I should be bringing you one.

I should never have doubted you.

So, do I finally find out?

What did the doctor say?

Vitamin B12 deficiency anaemia. I just need some injections.

Right.

And reducing stress will help?

Mmm. A bit less easy.

Especially with all these budget cuts.

-Actually, I think Tim might be right.

-What do you mean?

Budget wise, maybe a redundancy is the answer.

-Really?

-Mmm.

You wanted to see me?

Yes. Beth...? Do you mind?

I'm guessing this is about my redundancy proposal.

-Yes, and no.

-Sorry, I'm not with you.

I've decided to resume my full financial duties,

which means the school can afford to let you go.

We can discuss terms later.

What? You're making me redundant?

-The governors...

-They've already approved it.

Oh, and thank you for your input.

Still no luck?

It's a destructive little so-and-so.

Brilliantly clever.

I can't work out how the firewall is still intact.

So the virus got round it?

The key is finding out the source.

-Any update?

-My fingers are sore and I need the loo.

But if you could locate the kettle and the biscuit tin,

that would be most helpful.

I've just spoken to Sid.

We are the only practice affected by this virus.

I have made several calls and this appears to be true.

So is this a sole attack on The Mill and Campus?

-Why would someone do that, Al?

-And what do they want?

-Al, could it be possible that this is ransomware?

-Again?

Whoa! Enough with the questions, Spanish inquisition!

PHONE BUZZES

It's the IT guy from St Phil's again.

-That's the man with the answers.

-Hello.

How can that be?

Are you sure?

But...

Right.

Yes.

Of course.

So what do we do?

So?

Their systems show our security is a disaster.

It turns out The Mill is actually the source of the problem.

So, they've cut us off, I mean, digitally speaking.

-So, we're...?

-We are on our own.

Surely if he's unavailable, you can check what it was on the computer.

Ah, now we're having a slight technical hitch.

But, I am confident that the practice has an IT specialist

in place who is fully capable of re-establishing

an appropriate infrastructure going forward.

COMPUTER BEEPS