Bodies (2004) s02e10 Episode Script
Season 2, Episode 10
NARRATOR: Previously on Bodies.
I'm sorry, I can't.
I'm I've got a family.
I have children, I'm sorry.
-The girl, Roger.
-Harriet, please.
She has to go.
Laura Johnson.
She's a regular user of bisphenafil.
-Give me the phone! -Mr Hurley! Give me the fucking phone! This could be the start of a beautiful friendship.
-I'm going to leave.
-That'll be the end of me and you.
The opposite, if you came with me.
-Congratulations.
-Thank you.
Do I have to salute you from now on? Fuck off.
Oh.
Sorry, Roger.
Chrissy should have sent you a memo.
TONY: Now, I'm thinking of making the M&M meetings bi-monthly taking the time to lead -Mr Whitman.
-Chrissy.
Um, I'll Excuse me.
So, how can I be of assistance? I have persuaded Paul to conditionally approve your appointment.
Yes, I see that Roger changed his title from ''Principal Consultant'' to ''Clinical Director.
'' So I think I'd quite like to change mine to something that's more me.
Um, what do you think would be more you? Oh, I don't know, something like ''The Fonz.
'' Hmm? ''Fab Fingers.
'' ''Obi-Wan Ke-Whitman.
'' Our HRPU referral's arrived, boss.
Tessa Richards.
She's deaf and blind.
The foetus is going to be very difficult to deliver and Well, Caesarean section looks out of the question.
Everybody else has turned her down.
Well, I wouldn't want to turn any case away, however complex.
Of course not, boss.
The risks are exceptional.
A tragedy would have an extremely damaging effect on the unit at a critical time.
I should confer with my colleagues and perhaps refer her to an expert centre.
I thought those passes were management only.
Hmm.
Well, Chrissy let me have one.
Nice and quiet.
Just how I like it when I'm covering Labour Ward.
Actually, Tony, I'm assessing an HRPU referral.
You know my opinion about the HRPU.
-As Clinical Director -Acting Clinical Director.
I shall be closing it down.
This is our recently-opened High Dependency Unit.
The baby's head is enlarged, which will present a problem with delivery.
Ordinarily we'd book Tessa in for an elective Caesarean section, but because of her previous operations, we want to avoid a section, as we'd be obstructed by the adhesions and scarring from the bladder surgery and the transplanted kidney.
This is exactly what they told us at the North Midland.
The obstetrician was pushing for us not to go through with the pregnancy.
-I'm sure that was very upsetting for you both.
-Tessa would never have a termination.
When she makes up her mind about something She's very strong-willed.
Look, they said you were the unit set up to do the complicated cases.
Tessa's reaching her due date.
She could go into labour any day now.
I know, Mr Richards, I know.
Yours is exactly the sort of case that this unit was set up to handle.
I'd like to offer you and Tessa the chance to have your baby here with us.
-Thank you.
-Thank you.
-Thank you.
-TESSA: Thank you.
I could watch him closer than ever.
You can't do his job and yours.
So maybe it's the right time to be looking for a new one.
(PAGER BEEPING) I've got to go.
I'm sorry.
Tender tense abdomen and transverse lie.
Veronica, I'm going to have to do an internal examination.
Sorry.
I can't get the catheter in.
She's desperate to go.
-Who's covering Labour Ward? -Mr Whitman.
Get him.
You're one centimetre dilated, Veronica.
You're actually in the earliest stages of labour.
I've got to be honest with you, I don't know why you're in so much pain.
CTG suggests your baby's coping well but we should get him or her out sooner rather than later.
Unfortunately it's lying in a difficult position, so I'm going to have to perform a Caesarean section, okay? Okay, good.
I'm going to get the cath in now, make you feel a little bit more comfortable.
ROB: Try deep breathing.
Shit.
It's okay, Veronica.
I'm going to get you to theatre straightaway.
The reason why you couldn't get the cath in is because the urethra is twisted.
This is a uterine torsion and I need her in theatre now.
-Where's Tony? -He says he's ''busy.
'' Busy? Get her to theatre.
I'll be there in a minute.
Yes, it's my department so, um, by joining us, you've agreed to me being on top of you, as it were.
Christ, Tony, I've got a torsion in there.
What are you playing at? Well, here I go again.
Going to save the day.
It's a kingdom, Rob.
And I'm the king.
Hold the ovary and bowel clear.
Pull back the uterus.
Clamp.
Clamp.
Scissors.
TONY: Go.
(BABY CRYING) Hold the uterus out.
There's a good lad.
Stitch.
-Have you seen Tony? -The late Tony Whitman.
Polly.
Congratulations on getting the clinical fellowship.
-Thank you.
-Next they'll be making you consultant.
It'll be a while yet, I hope.
-Sorry.
-I'm sorry too.
Tony went that way.
He's the twat walking around like this department's his own personal train set.
Hurley's downfall, Tony's back running the show.
I thought that was what you were after all along, isn't it, Rob? You're right.
What is there to stay here for? I'll come with you.
I'm just putting on the acetic acid so, um Don't be alarmed if it starts to smell like fish and chips.
Excuse me.
Excuse me a second.
I want them to delay the marketing of bisphenafil till we know more about the side-effects.
It was this research that swung you your clinical fellowship.
So? What they give, they can take away.
And you think the possibility of that is enough to make me shut up? I Yes.
Welcome to the real world, Polly.
A soup of the day and a filter coffee, ladies, please.
And, um, whatever he's having.
Bring them over, would you? You know, I think Roger rather cocked up not swinging you the clinical fellowship.
-How's that, Tony? -It's not what you know about O&G, it's what you know about the O&G Department.
But I'm not a whistle-blower, Tony.
I've got Chrissy eating out of my hand, though, obviously, I fear for my hand.
It's a formality that my clinical directorship will be made permanent.
So, I will get rid of Roger for good, I will reverse his decisions and then yours will be a smooth path to consultancy.
You're offering me the clinical fellowship.
Well, I'm presuming that retrospective decisions are Are within my gift.
A dictator should control the past as well as the future.
And what about Polly? Hasn't it been given to her? Well, she's got herself a nice research project that will ensure her international recognition.
Unless bisphenafil gets withdrawn for causing heart disease.
You see, that's the kind of knowledge that I was talking about.
-Thank you.
-Thank you.
-Mmm.
-In return for what? The best time to kick a man is when he's down.
You could testify to the Maya-Hurley liaison.
Tony, Roger's got two kids.
I'm not going to tell a pack of lies that's going to turn him into some dickhead dangling off Buckingham Palace in a Superman suit.
-If you want to challenge Roger -If! It'll have to be for something that he's guilty of.
Medical negligence.
Nothing else.
Sorry.
Is this a bad moment? No, I was just leaving.
(CHRISSY SIGHING) Good news.
I've just had a very productive meeting with Paul about you staying on permanently as Clinical Director.
Your firm's research into Female Sexual Dysfunction.
Now it's being talked about as the new Viagra, Paul sees you as a prime mover in raising the hospital's profile.
Yes, I'm rather fabulous, aren't I? I've got a list of some departmental issues we need to go over.
Well, if you contact my secretary, I'm sure we can arrange something for next week.
I'm looking at a couple of prospectuses at the moment.
There's three or four courses I'm interested in.
Hmm.
What subject? -English Lit.
-That's all the economy needs.
Another literature student.
Next time try and take a proper history.
-We're not fucking vets.
-I'm sorry, Mr Whitman.
-I have done her LFT and amylase -Yes, yes.
LFTs, amylase, O&G, B&Q, BBC, RAC I've done a search on the effects of cephalocentesis on the baby.
Some studies report that draining the CSF leads to temporary foetal bradycardia.
Others report no effects.
That's very interesting, Roger.
Rog.
Sharing your wisdom.
Poor girl.
You must be working her flat out.
Let's step into the office for a second, shall we, Maya? I can't wait to get out of this shit.
Sit down.
This is an extremely awkward and difficult professional situation.
I see it the same way, Roger.
And we have to deal with it professionally.
Maya You're right.
MAN: Inject now, please.
Does Tony know she's having angioplasty? He's in this as much as I am.
No, he's not, Polly.
It's your name on the trial data.
He's just supervising it.
You've got to stop this drug being marketed.
Tony is Tony, and you know as well as I do, he will sell out to save his neck.
It wasn't that long ago that you shat on him to get in with Hurley.
So the only person I know in this department who's sold out to get on is you.
BEN: Well, thank you, Tony, very much for submitting the trial data.
Company's delighted.
Well, I'm very happy too, Ben.
All systems go for the market launch.
I need to report that bisphenafil may have a very serious side-effect.
Well, we've all seen the trial data.
Any side-effects were mild and acceptable.
The case in question wasn't in the trial.
Polly, we can only go on the data you've returned to us.
The trial's over.
And it's a success.
Congratulations.
Tony, we really should be going.
I want to talk to somebody in authority at Bing, Stornoway & Carroll.
I will not let this drug be marketed.
You do realise that this will knacker your research career.
I don't want the clinical fellowship if it's just to keep me quiet.
I'm going to resign it.
(SIGHING) Okay.
Oh, and just one more thing.
We've come too far, Tony.
Well, uh Polly won't be quiet.
If there is some new information which conflicts with the official data, I assume you've been smart enough to keep your name off it.
It's her neck, not ours.
My name is Mr Whitman.
I'm the senior gynaecologist.
I'd be very grateful if you could tell me all about what's been happening to you.
-With a nice bottle of Chateau Lamarche, 1999.
-Hmm.
-How's it been? -Oh, I am beat.
I'll put some food in the fridge for when you get back.
Um I'm meeting my husband for dinner.
We've got to over selling the house, and that and some other stuff before we can move away.
Oh.
Okay.
It's just to talk, that's all.
-Things are different now.
-I know.
When we're somewhere else where no one knows us, things will be easier.
We can have the life we want.
(PAGER BEEPING) Sorry.
HAZEL: Her contractions have stopped.
We need to get her into position for the epidural.
Membranes have ruptured, eight centimetres dilated, epidural about to go in.
Once the epidural is in, she'll be a lot more relaxed.
-Ready now.
-You can spell out words on Tessa's palm, but I do a form of sign language, so it's faster through me.
Okay, no problem.
Excuse me for a second.
Let's make sure we've got everything ready.
(ROB SIGHING) -Roger on his way in from home yet? -He's been air-called.
HAZEL: We need an episiotomy tray HAZEL: And some pushing now.
-Boss.
Didn't expect you so soon.
-No traffic at this time of night.
How's she doing? -Labour's progressing rapidly.
-Okay, let's go.
When we need Tessa to push, we'll be saying that to you, Brian, so if you can squeeze her hand or something quick like that, -to let her know when? -Okay.
Okay.
-She's contracting.
-Time to push now.
ROGER: Very good.
Keep pushing.
He's coming down.
He's coming down.
Well done, Tessa.
More pushing, please.
(TESSA GROANING) ROGER: Another push.
Another one.
(TESSA GROANING) Okay, he's stopped coming down.
There's no reason to panic.
This is what we anticipated happening.
Can we get Tessa's legs into McRobert's position, please? Okay, push now.
(TESSA GROANING) And again.
Harder.
Very good.
Let's push as hard as that again.
And really get the legs back, please.
Big push.
Bigger push now.
-Is it coming down? -Head's still high.
Get a ventouse.
ROGER: Legs back in lithotomy, please.
Okay.
Up to 80.
All right.
Big push now.
-Push.
-Push! McRobert's again, please.
ROGER: Legs back.
ROGER: Big push, Brian.
HAZEL: Push! ROGER: Push! ROB: Push! DOTTIE: Push! Push! ROB: Push! It's not coming down.
Boss, I'm ready with the cephalocentesis whenever you say.
Okay.
Drain it.
Mr Lake's going to do the procedure that we discussed to drain the fluid from the head.
This may cause the baby distress but the fluids are causing the head enlargement.
So we're very hopeful this will help us to carry out the delivery.
-You got the fontanelle? -Head's high.
Got it.
-CTG? -Foetal distress.
Good work, Rob.
Go.
ROGER: Get back into McRobert's, please.
ROGER: Harder.
Another contraction.
Here we go.
Boss, we've got big dips here.
Push, Tessa, push! Come on, Tessa, push! Baby's heart rate's dropping.
A big push.
We can't use forceps or ventouse.
The skull's too weak now.
Big push! Big push! It's not coming down.
Boss.
Boss, let's do a section, for Christ's sake! Let's just do a section.
Please, please do something! The urologist can repair any damage that we do here.
Boss! Boss.
Please! What happened? Please, someone.
What's happened to my baby? (BRIAN SOBBING) No! No! TESSA: No! How high's the head? It's too high to be safe for forceps.
(TESSA SOBBING) TESSA: (SOBBING) No! Brian.
Brian, I'm sorry.
Listen to me.
Brian, you've got to listen to me.
We still need to We still need to deliver the baby.
Tessa's going to feel some pushing and pulling.
We have to tell her what we have to do.
We have to break the baby's skull.
Hi, it's me.
I want to come home.
Well, just let me come home tonight.
Harriet, I want to come home.
I wanna come home! Brian, is there something I can do? Would it be all right for Tessa to have a sedative? -She's She's still very -I'll do it myself.
She'll have the injection in no more than a couple of minutes.
She'll get through this? I don't blame you.
I don't blame anyone.
You tried your best.
Thank you.
-DONNA: Hi.
-You're here.
-I thought you had gone.
-I'm not gone.
You're not going back to him? Never.
Lovely day for it.
-I'm getting impatient.
-For what? Regime change.
He's been, um Oh shit.
Come on.
TIM: Hello there.
How are you feeling? -Fine, thank you.
-TIM: Good.
Dr Dutta.
Um, maybe you didn't think there was anyone you could turn to about this.
About what? Mr Hurley.
He's acted inappropriately with you.
It damages working relationships, Maya, and you've got a duty to report it to your line manager.
My door is always open.
Okay? Roger.
I've been on your firm a fair while now and it's probably the point in my training where I'd consider a change of experience.
It's for the best, Roger, and it's what I want.
They're the problem, you know.
Not you.
The situation between us is threatening to undo the good you've done in this department.
And that's the last thing I want.
Thank you.
Hi, it's me, Harriet.
I've told her.
I've told her she has to go.
It's a breech.
She was due for an elective section the day after tomorrow, but her contractions have started.
Alex Blair.
Delivery room 1.
Rob, it's not too late to call another team.
This is ours.
Alex, I'm just going to do an internal examination, if that's okay.
It's nothing to worry about.
It's Just your waters have broken, that's all.
-Hope those weren't new shoes.
-They aren't.
Shit! Cord prolapse.
Get the CTG, Paeds and anaesthetists.
Now.
Hazel, CTG, anaesthetist and Paeds! Go! ALEX: What's happening? (ALARM BUZZING) Get me a Foley cath, the latest Hb.
150 of ranitidine and 10 of metochlorpramide.
Come on.
ROB: Good, the cath's in.
Alex Alex, we're filling the bladder with water to take the pressure off the cord, okay.
You might feel it filling up.
I'm Roger Hurley, the consultant.
The umbilical cord's coming out ahead of the baby.
We need to stop it compressing to protect the oxygen supply to the baby.
I need to see if it is low enough down for a vaginal extraction.
They're getting theatre prepped for a section.
If the baby's down low enough, then a breech extraction's preferable.
-Okay? -Okay.
Oh shit, a footling breech.
What? What? Read the CTG.
Hazel, read the CTG! Baby's heart rate's dipping.
ROB: Alex, we've got to get you to theatre to deliver your baby via Caesarean section.
Let's get her into the knee-elbow position, please.
-Come on, let's go.
-Right.
Get over here, Hazel.
ROB: Get your bum higher than your shoulders, Alex.
It'll help take the pressure off the cord, okay? Right, let's go.
ROB: Scissors.
(ROGER BREATHING HEAVILY) Okay.
Doyens.
ROB: Clean knife.
Okay.
Good.
Okay, push it hard.
-Come on.
Push.
-I'm trying.
Push him hard.
-That's it.
Well done.
-Doing fundal pressure.
Come on.
Clamp.
-Clamp.
-Scissors.
Go.
WOMAN: Cleaning airway.
WOMAN: Oxygenating.
(BABY CRYING) Thank you, Rob.
We haven't always seen eye to eye and I should regret many of the reasons for that.
Recently, you've made a difference to the outcome of a number of my cases.
I'm sure the patients are grateful.
I'm grateful.
Who's going to look after Roger's patients when I've gone? Who's going to protect them? All my life, I have played by the rules.
I have done what everyone expected of me.
Sometimes, if you want to be happy, you've got to put yourself first.
(MOBILE PHONE RINGING) -Hello.
-HARRIET: Roger.
How are you? How are the boys? HARRIET: (ECHOING) They're fine.
Where are you? Been a good boy? Hmm? Have you? Only me.
I understand there was an intra-uterine foetal death.
The mother was Tessa Richards.
Roger Hurley was logged as the consultant in charge.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR) Mr Tennant wants to see you both now.
Chrissy.
Tony.
Coffee? -I'm fine, thanks.
-Thank you.
So, you're arguing about closing down the High Risk Pregnancy Unit, yes? Well, clearly, that'd be a lot easier if you were planning to do it with my input.
We are, of course, Mr Tennant.
It's absolutely open for discussion.
I didn't want to appear hasty as I remain Clinical Director only in an acting capacity.
-Please.
Why do you propose we should shut it? -Thank you, Mr Tennant.
I believe that by containing high-risk pregnancies in one unit, rather than reducing risks as Roger envisaged, you'll be increasing them because of the additional strain on an already overworked staff.
The HRPU was won at considerable cost.
And it's essential for our bid for foundation status.
And I have personally staked my position on it.
The HRPU will remain.
That's all.
Thank you, Mr Whitman.
Chrissy.
Either you're on my side or you're out.
Decide.
Rob.
Roger Hurley had an intra-uterine foetal death in the HRPU.
I know you're going to give me the dirt, I know.
Because when it comes down to it, you're on my side.
Chrissy, this came for you.
Sorry, we opened it by mistake.
Oh, okay.
Actually, this is for you.
-Everything's fine.
Congratulations.
-Thank you.
Mr Lake, would you come with me, please? -Excuse me.
-FATHER: Certainly.
Tony Whitman opposes everything that Roger and I stand for.
Now, I was swayed by the attention he'd given to his team's research into Female Sexual Dysfunction.
-I made a mistake.
-That's the least of them.
I know we've had our differences, Rob, but Tony will destroy everything I've worked for.
You understand he has to be stopped.
None of us enjoy these games.
No doctors, certainly.
But it's the only way.
I need the power to do good.
For the hospital, for the department, for the patients.
Tony Whitman is the only person standing in the way of us running this department the way we believe it should be run.
There's still so much to achieve here.
I want you to be a part of those achievements, Rob.
You do understand what we're offering you here? A future.
Thank you, everybody.
Shall we get on? Welcome to this month's Mortality and Morbidity meeting.
Roger.
Oh, the Clinical Director usually presents first.
Well, I'd say that's up to the Clinical Director, wouldn't you? The Hurley firm for this month.
Obstetrics first.
54 live births, 10 Caesarean sections.
So within the Department of Health figure of 20% .
I'm sorry to report that we experienced a tragic case of intra-uterine foetal death.
This wouldn't have happened on the HRPU, would it, Roger? The baby was hydrocephalic, the mother had had numerous abdominal surgeries, contraindicating Caesarean section.
And who was responsible for these decisions leading up to the IUFD? Well, as the consultant, they were my decisions.
Thank you, Roger.
At last you're beginning to accept responsibility for this folly.
Now, I warned you many times that the HRPU is neither staffed nor equipped to accept high-risk cases.
And now the tragic consequences are being realised.
You, and you alone, Roger, should accept responsibility.
This is an exceptional case which, in my opinion, questions neither my judgement nor the value of the HRPU.
At next month's M&M meeting, I shall ask all O&G staff to air their views pro and con the HRPU.
Then we'll see how far your opinion matches that of this department, won't we? Let's deal with the meeting in hand, shall we? I would like to raise the subject of professional standards.
Mr Whitman, I would like you to say a few words, as Clinical Director, on the topic of consultants' availability on call.
Yes.
In medicine, few events are as time-critical as obstetric emergencies.
So, when covering Labour Ward, all consultants should be in the vicinity and ready for action.
In which case, Tony, would you care to explain why, according to an anonymous allegation, you delayed attending an emergency Caesarean section, despite being called repeatedly? If you insist on making reckless accusations in a public forum, Roger, then please, bring it on.
The case in question was a uterine torsion.
The Registrar involved took the case to theatre and requested your assistance.
And is the registrar in this room? -Yeah, it was me.
-Excellent.
So we can clear this up right here and now.
Well, Rob? Would you be so good as to advise everyone that I came straightaway and patient and baby are doing very well? Patient and the baby are doing very well.
But did he come straightaway? That's the point.
Rob? TONY: Rob.
Fuck the lot of you.
How about that? I've got a job to do.
Well, as I see it, I haven't a case to answer.
Under Roger, all the budgets were pissed away on blue-sky projects, so I think it's the time to get back to basics.
More staff, less spin.
More patients, less research Can I ask everybody to wait outside? Not you, Mr Whitman.
Mr Whitman, you are to be escorted off the premises.
You are suspended from duty pending an inquiry into a charge of theft.
Theft? What theft? You took a serving of coffee form the canteen without paying for it.
I don't recall any such incident.
I was there.
It's all documented.
You're permitted five minutes to, um, to clear your desk.
Look, can I be let back in, please? Tony? Um, what's going on? This, ah This is for you.
I went to talk to Laura Johnson and, um, I entered all my findings.
My name is all over these notes now, as Consultant, absolving you of all responsibility.
That's a statement that says that you continually warned me about the dangers of bisphenafil.
You did that for me? Why? Oh, Tony.
You can go back in.
Start synto, please, and I'll review her in an hour.
-Sure.
-Thank you.
Don't let the bastards grind you down.
It's up to you now, son.
If you've got the balls.
I'm sorry.
I have to do what I think is right for me.
-We can still keep on seeing each other.
-I know.
We'll try.
I need you.
But I'm needed here.
-I'm already taking another to theatre.
Okay.
-No problem.
-See you.
-Okay.
I'm Mr Lake, and I'm going to be looking after you.
Okay, now just give me a little push.
Okay, you're doing great.
Now give me a nice big push.
Another big push.
Let's go.
ROB: Here he comes.
(BABY CRYING)
I'm sorry, I can't.
I'm I've got a family.
I have children, I'm sorry.
-The girl, Roger.
-Harriet, please.
She has to go.
Laura Johnson.
She's a regular user of bisphenafil.
-Give me the phone! -Mr Hurley! Give me the fucking phone! This could be the start of a beautiful friendship.
-I'm going to leave.
-That'll be the end of me and you.
The opposite, if you came with me.
-Congratulations.
-Thank you.
Do I have to salute you from now on? Fuck off.
Oh.
Sorry, Roger.
Chrissy should have sent you a memo.
TONY: Now, I'm thinking of making the M&M meetings bi-monthly taking the time to lead -Mr Whitman.
-Chrissy.
Um, I'll Excuse me.
So, how can I be of assistance? I have persuaded Paul to conditionally approve your appointment.
Yes, I see that Roger changed his title from ''Principal Consultant'' to ''Clinical Director.
'' So I think I'd quite like to change mine to something that's more me.
Um, what do you think would be more you? Oh, I don't know, something like ''The Fonz.
'' Hmm? ''Fab Fingers.
'' ''Obi-Wan Ke-Whitman.
'' Our HRPU referral's arrived, boss.
Tessa Richards.
She's deaf and blind.
The foetus is going to be very difficult to deliver and Well, Caesarean section looks out of the question.
Everybody else has turned her down.
Well, I wouldn't want to turn any case away, however complex.
Of course not, boss.
The risks are exceptional.
A tragedy would have an extremely damaging effect on the unit at a critical time.
I should confer with my colleagues and perhaps refer her to an expert centre.
I thought those passes were management only.
Hmm.
Well, Chrissy let me have one.
Nice and quiet.
Just how I like it when I'm covering Labour Ward.
Actually, Tony, I'm assessing an HRPU referral.
You know my opinion about the HRPU.
-As Clinical Director -Acting Clinical Director.
I shall be closing it down.
This is our recently-opened High Dependency Unit.
The baby's head is enlarged, which will present a problem with delivery.
Ordinarily we'd book Tessa in for an elective Caesarean section, but because of her previous operations, we want to avoid a section, as we'd be obstructed by the adhesions and scarring from the bladder surgery and the transplanted kidney.
This is exactly what they told us at the North Midland.
The obstetrician was pushing for us not to go through with the pregnancy.
-I'm sure that was very upsetting for you both.
-Tessa would never have a termination.
When she makes up her mind about something She's very strong-willed.
Look, they said you were the unit set up to do the complicated cases.
Tessa's reaching her due date.
She could go into labour any day now.
I know, Mr Richards, I know.
Yours is exactly the sort of case that this unit was set up to handle.
I'd like to offer you and Tessa the chance to have your baby here with us.
-Thank you.
-Thank you.
-Thank you.
-TESSA: Thank you.
I could watch him closer than ever.
You can't do his job and yours.
So maybe it's the right time to be looking for a new one.
(PAGER BEEPING) I've got to go.
I'm sorry.
Tender tense abdomen and transverse lie.
Veronica, I'm going to have to do an internal examination.
Sorry.
I can't get the catheter in.
She's desperate to go.
-Who's covering Labour Ward? -Mr Whitman.
Get him.
You're one centimetre dilated, Veronica.
You're actually in the earliest stages of labour.
I've got to be honest with you, I don't know why you're in so much pain.
CTG suggests your baby's coping well but we should get him or her out sooner rather than later.
Unfortunately it's lying in a difficult position, so I'm going to have to perform a Caesarean section, okay? Okay, good.
I'm going to get the cath in now, make you feel a little bit more comfortable.
ROB: Try deep breathing.
Shit.
It's okay, Veronica.
I'm going to get you to theatre straightaway.
The reason why you couldn't get the cath in is because the urethra is twisted.
This is a uterine torsion and I need her in theatre now.
-Where's Tony? -He says he's ''busy.
'' Busy? Get her to theatre.
I'll be there in a minute.
Yes, it's my department so, um, by joining us, you've agreed to me being on top of you, as it were.
Christ, Tony, I've got a torsion in there.
What are you playing at? Well, here I go again.
Going to save the day.
It's a kingdom, Rob.
And I'm the king.
Hold the ovary and bowel clear.
Pull back the uterus.
Clamp.
Clamp.
Scissors.
TONY: Go.
(BABY CRYING) Hold the uterus out.
There's a good lad.
Stitch.
-Have you seen Tony? -The late Tony Whitman.
Polly.
Congratulations on getting the clinical fellowship.
-Thank you.
-Next they'll be making you consultant.
It'll be a while yet, I hope.
-Sorry.
-I'm sorry too.
Tony went that way.
He's the twat walking around like this department's his own personal train set.
Hurley's downfall, Tony's back running the show.
I thought that was what you were after all along, isn't it, Rob? You're right.
What is there to stay here for? I'll come with you.
I'm just putting on the acetic acid so, um Don't be alarmed if it starts to smell like fish and chips.
Excuse me.
Excuse me a second.
I want them to delay the marketing of bisphenafil till we know more about the side-effects.
It was this research that swung you your clinical fellowship.
So? What they give, they can take away.
And you think the possibility of that is enough to make me shut up? I Yes.
Welcome to the real world, Polly.
A soup of the day and a filter coffee, ladies, please.
And, um, whatever he's having.
Bring them over, would you? You know, I think Roger rather cocked up not swinging you the clinical fellowship.
-How's that, Tony? -It's not what you know about O&G, it's what you know about the O&G Department.
But I'm not a whistle-blower, Tony.
I've got Chrissy eating out of my hand, though, obviously, I fear for my hand.
It's a formality that my clinical directorship will be made permanent.
So, I will get rid of Roger for good, I will reverse his decisions and then yours will be a smooth path to consultancy.
You're offering me the clinical fellowship.
Well, I'm presuming that retrospective decisions are Are within my gift.
A dictator should control the past as well as the future.
And what about Polly? Hasn't it been given to her? Well, she's got herself a nice research project that will ensure her international recognition.
Unless bisphenafil gets withdrawn for causing heart disease.
You see, that's the kind of knowledge that I was talking about.
-Thank you.
-Thank you.
-Mmm.
-In return for what? The best time to kick a man is when he's down.
You could testify to the Maya-Hurley liaison.
Tony, Roger's got two kids.
I'm not going to tell a pack of lies that's going to turn him into some dickhead dangling off Buckingham Palace in a Superman suit.
-If you want to challenge Roger -If! It'll have to be for something that he's guilty of.
Medical negligence.
Nothing else.
Sorry.
Is this a bad moment? No, I was just leaving.
(CHRISSY SIGHING) Good news.
I've just had a very productive meeting with Paul about you staying on permanently as Clinical Director.
Your firm's research into Female Sexual Dysfunction.
Now it's being talked about as the new Viagra, Paul sees you as a prime mover in raising the hospital's profile.
Yes, I'm rather fabulous, aren't I? I've got a list of some departmental issues we need to go over.
Well, if you contact my secretary, I'm sure we can arrange something for next week.
I'm looking at a couple of prospectuses at the moment.
There's three or four courses I'm interested in.
Hmm.
What subject? -English Lit.
-That's all the economy needs.
Another literature student.
Next time try and take a proper history.
-We're not fucking vets.
-I'm sorry, Mr Whitman.
-I have done her LFT and amylase -Yes, yes.
LFTs, amylase, O&G, B&Q, BBC, RAC I've done a search on the effects of cephalocentesis on the baby.
Some studies report that draining the CSF leads to temporary foetal bradycardia.
Others report no effects.
That's very interesting, Roger.
Rog.
Sharing your wisdom.
Poor girl.
You must be working her flat out.
Let's step into the office for a second, shall we, Maya? I can't wait to get out of this shit.
Sit down.
This is an extremely awkward and difficult professional situation.
I see it the same way, Roger.
And we have to deal with it professionally.
Maya You're right.
MAN: Inject now, please.
Does Tony know she's having angioplasty? He's in this as much as I am.
No, he's not, Polly.
It's your name on the trial data.
He's just supervising it.
You've got to stop this drug being marketed.
Tony is Tony, and you know as well as I do, he will sell out to save his neck.
It wasn't that long ago that you shat on him to get in with Hurley.
So the only person I know in this department who's sold out to get on is you.
BEN: Well, thank you, Tony, very much for submitting the trial data.
Company's delighted.
Well, I'm very happy too, Ben.
All systems go for the market launch.
I need to report that bisphenafil may have a very serious side-effect.
Well, we've all seen the trial data.
Any side-effects were mild and acceptable.
The case in question wasn't in the trial.
Polly, we can only go on the data you've returned to us.
The trial's over.
And it's a success.
Congratulations.
Tony, we really should be going.
I want to talk to somebody in authority at Bing, Stornoway & Carroll.
I will not let this drug be marketed.
You do realise that this will knacker your research career.
I don't want the clinical fellowship if it's just to keep me quiet.
I'm going to resign it.
(SIGHING) Okay.
Oh, and just one more thing.
We've come too far, Tony.
Well, uh Polly won't be quiet.
If there is some new information which conflicts with the official data, I assume you've been smart enough to keep your name off it.
It's her neck, not ours.
My name is Mr Whitman.
I'm the senior gynaecologist.
I'd be very grateful if you could tell me all about what's been happening to you.
-With a nice bottle of Chateau Lamarche, 1999.
-Hmm.
-How's it been? -Oh, I am beat.
I'll put some food in the fridge for when you get back.
Um I'm meeting my husband for dinner.
We've got to over selling the house, and that and some other stuff before we can move away.
Oh.
Okay.
It's just to talk, that's all.
-Things are different now.
-I know.
When we're somewhere else where no one knows us, things will be easier.
We can have the life we want.
(PAGER BEEPING) Sorry.
HAZEL: Her contractions have stopped.
We need to get her into position for the epidural.
Membranes have ruptured, eight centimetres dilated, epidural about to go in.
Once the epidural is in, she'll be a lot more relaxed.
-Ready now.
-You can spell out words on Tessa's palm, but I do a form of sign language, so it's faster through me.
Okay, no problem.
Excuse me for a second.
Let's make sure we've got everything ready.
(ROB SIGHING) -Roger on his way in from home yet? -He's been air-called.
HAZEL: We need an episiotomy tray HAZEL: And some pushing now.
-Boss.
Didn't expect you so soon.
-No traffic at this time of night.
How's she doing? -Labour's progressing rapidly.
-Okay, let's go.
When we need Tessa to push, we'll be saying that to you, Brian, so if you can squeeze her hand or something quick like that, -to let her know when? -Okay.
Okay.
-She's contracting.
-Time to push now.
ROGER: Very good.
Keep pushing.
He's coming down.
He's coming down.
Well done, Tessa.
More pushing, please.
(TESSA GROANING) ROGER: Another push.
Another one.
(TESSA GROANING) Okay, he's stopped coming down.
There's no reason to panic.
This is what we anticipated happening.
Can we get Tessa's legs into McRobert's position, please? Okay, push now.
(TESSA GROANING) And again.
Harder.
Very good.
Let's push as hard as that again.
And really get the legs back, please.
Big push.
Bigger push now.
-Is it coming down? -Head's still high.
Get a ventouse.
ROGER: Legs back in lithotomy, please.
Okay.
Up to 80.
All right.
Big push now.
-Push.
-Push! McRobert's again, please.
ROGER: Legs back.
ROGER: Big push, Brian.
HAZEL: Push! ROGER: Push! ROB: Push! DOTTIE: Push! Push! ROB: Push! It's not coming down.
Boss, I'm ready with the cephalocentesis whenever you say.
Okay.
Drain it.
Mr Lake's going to do the procedure that we discussed to drain the fluid from the head.
This may cause the baby distress but the fluids are causing the head enlargement.
So we're very hopeful this will help us to carry out the delivery.
-You got the fontanelle? -Head's high.
Got it.
-CTG? -Foetal distress.
Good work, Rob.
Go.
ROGER: Get back into McRobert's, please.
ROGER: Harder.
Another contraction.
Here we go.
Boss, we've got big dips here.
Push, Tessa, push! Come on, Tessa, push! Baby's heart rate's dropping.
A big push.
We can't use forceps or ventouse.
The skull's too weak now.
Big push! Big push! It's not coming down.
Boss.
Boss, let's do a section, for Christ's sake! Let's just do a section.
Please, please do something! The urologist can repair any damage that we do here.
Boss! Boss.
Please! What happened? Please, someone.
What's happened to my baby? (BRIAN SOBBING) No! No! TESSA: No! How high's the head? It's too high to be safe for forceps.
(TESSA SOBBING) TESSA: (SOBBING) No! Brian.
Brian, I'm sorry.
Listen to me.
Brian, you've got to listen to me.
We still need to We still need to deliver the baby.
Tessa's going to feel some pushing and pulling.
We have to tell her what we have to do.
We have to break the baby's skull.
Hi, it's me.
I want to come home.
Well, just let me come home tonight.
Harriet, I want to come home.
I wanna come home! Brian, is there something I can do? Would it be all right for Tessa to have a sedative? -She's She's still very -I'll do it myself.
She'll have the injection in no more than a couple of minutes.
She'll get through this? I don't blame you.
I don't blame anyone.
You tried your best.
Thank you.
-DONNA: Hi.
-You're here.
-I thought you had gone.
-I'm not gone.
You're not going back to him? Never.
Lovely day for it.
-I'm getting impatient.
-For what? Regime change.
He's been, um Oh shit.
Come on.
TIM: Hello there.
How are you feeling? -Fine, thank you.
-TIM: Good.
Dr Dutta.
Um, maybe you didn't think there was anyone you could turn to about this.
About what? Mr Hurley.
He's acted inappropriately with you.
It damages working relationships, Maya, and you've got a duty to report it to your line manager.
My door is always open.
Okay? Roger.
I've been on your firm a fair while now and it's probably the point in my training where I'd consider a change of experience.
It's for the best, Roger, and it's what I want.
They're the problem, you know.
Not you.
The situation between us is threatening to undo the good you've done in this department.
And that's the last thing I want.
Thank you.
Hi, it's me, Harriet.
I've told her.
I've told her she has to go.
It's a breech.
She was due for an elective section the day after tomorrow, but her contractions have started.
Alex Blair.
Delivery room 1.
Rob, it's not too late to call another team.
This is ours.
Alex, I'm just going to do an internal examination, if that's okay.
It's nothing to worry about.
It's Just your waters have broken, that's all.
-Hope those weren't new shoes.
-They aren't.
Shit! Cord prolapse.
Get the CTG, Paeds and anaesthetists.
Now.
Hazel, CTG, anaesthetist and Paeds! Go! ALEX: What's happening? (ALARM BUZZING) Get me a Foley cath, the latest Hb.
150 of ranitidine and 10 of metochlorpramide.
Come on.
ROB: Good, the cath's in.
Alex Alex, we're filling the bladder with water to take the pressure off the cord, okay.
You might feel it filling up.
I'm Roger Hurley, the consultant.
The umbilical cord's coming out ahead of the baby.
We need to stop it compressing to protect the oxygen supply to the baby.
I need to see if it is low enough down for a vaginal extraction.
They're getting theatre prepped for a section.
If the baby's down low enough, then a breech extraction's preferable.
-Okay? -Okay.
Oh shit, a footling breech.
What? What? Read the CTG.
Hazel, read the CTG! Baby's heart rate's dipping.
ROB: Alex, we've got to get you to theatre to deliver your baby via Caesarean section.
Let's get her into the knee-elbow position, please.
-Come on, let's go.
-Right.
Get over here, Hazel.
ROB: Get your bum higher than your shoulders, Alex.
It'll help take the pressure off the cord, okay? Right, let's go.
ROB: Scissors.
(ROGER BREATHING HEAVILY) Okay.
Doyens.
ROB: Clean knife.
Okay.
Good.
Okay, push it hard.
-Come on.
Push.
-I'm trying.
Push him hard.
-That's it.
Well done.
-Doing fundal pressure.
Come on.
Clamp.
-Clamp.
-Scissors.
Go.
WOMAN: Cleaning airway.
WOMAN: Oxygenating.
(BABY CRYING) Thank you, Rob.
We haven't always seen eye to eye and I should regret many of the reasons for that.
Recently, you've made a difference to the outcome of a number of my cases.
I'm sure the patients are grateful.
I'm grateful.
Who's going to look after Roger's patients when I've gone? Who's going to protect them? All my life, I have played by the rules.
I have done what everyone expected of me.
Sometimes, if you want to be happy, you've got to put yourself first.
(MOBILE PHONE RINGING) -Hello.
-HARRIET: Roger.
How are you? How are the boys? HARRIET: (ECHOING) They're fine.
Where are you? Been a good boy? Hmm? Have you? Only me.
I understand there was an intra-uterine foetal death.
The mother was Tessa Richards.
Roger Hurley was logged as the consultant in charge.
(KNOCKING ON DOOR) Mr Tennant wants to see you both now.
Chrissy.
Tony.
Coffee? -I'm fine, thanks.
-Thank you.
So, you're arguing about closing down the High Risk Pregnancy Unit, yes? Well, clearly, that'd be a lot easier if you were planning to do it with my input.
We are, of course, Mr Tennant.
It's absolutely open for discussion.
I didn't want to appear hasty as I remain Clinical Director only in an acting capacity.
-Please.
Why do you propose we should shut it? -Thank you, Mr Tennant.
I believe that by containing high-risk pregnancies in one unit, rather than reducing risks as Roger envisaged, you'll be increasing them because of the additional strain on an already overworked staff.
The HRPU was won at considerable cost.
And it's essential for our bid for foundation status.
And I have personally staked my position on it.
The HRPU will remain.
That's all.
Thank you, Mr Whitman.
Chrissy.
Either you're on my side or you're out.
Decide.
Rob.
Roger Hurley had an intra-uterine foetal death in the HRPU.
I know you're going to give me the dirt, I know.
Because when it comes down to it, you're on my side.
Chrissy, this came for you.
Sorry, we opened it by mistake.
Oh, okay.
Actually, this is for you.
-Everything's fine.
Congratulations.
-Thank you.
Mr Lake, would you come with me, please? -Excuse me.
-FATHER: Certainly.
Tony Whitman opposes everything that Roger and I stand for.
Now, I was swayed by the attention he'd given to his team's research into Female Sexual Dysfunction.
-I made a mistake.
-That's the least of them.
I know we've had our differences, Rob, but Tony will destroy everything I've worked for.
You understand he has to be stopped.
None of us enjoy these games.
No doctors, certainly.
But it's the only way.
I need the power to do good.
For the hospital, for the department, for the patients.
Tony Whitman is the only person standing in the way of us running this department the way we believe it should be run.
There's still so much to achieve here.
I want you to be a part of those achievements, Rob.
You do understand what we're offering you here? A future.
Thank you, everybody.
Shall we get on? Welcome to this month's Mortality and Morbidity meeting.
Roger.
Oh, the Clinical Director usually presents first.
Well, I'd say that's up to the Clinical Director, wouldn't you? The Hurley firm for this month.
Obstetrics first.
54 live births, 10 Caesarean sections.
So within the Department of Health figure of 20% .
I'm sorry to report that we experienced a tragic case of intra-uterine foetal death.
This wouldn't have happened on the HRPU, would it, Roger? The baby was hydrocephalic, the mother had had numerous abdominal surgeries, contraindicating Caesarean section.
And who was responsible for these decisions leading up to the IUFD? Well, as the consultant, they were my decisions.
Thank you, Roger.
At last you're beginning to accept responsibility for this folly.
Now, I warned you many times that the HRPU is neither staffed nor equipped to accept high-risk cases.
And now the tragic consequences are being realised.
You, and you alone, Roger, should accept responsibility.
This is an exceptional case which, in my opinion, questions neither my judgement nor the value of the HRPU.
At next month's M&M meeting, I shall ask all O&G staff to air their views pro and con the HRPU.
Then we'll see how far your opinion matches that of this department, won't we? Let's deal with the meeting in hand, shall we? I would like to raise the subject of professional standards.
Mr Whitman, I would like you to say a few words, as Clinical Director, on the topic of consultants' availability on call.
Yes.
In medicine, few events are as time-critical as obstetric emergencies.
So, when covering Labour Ward, all consultants should be in the vicinity and ready for action.
In which case, Tony, would you care to explain why, according to an anonymous allegation, you delayed attending an emergency Caesarean section, despite being called repeatedly? If you insist on making reckless accusations in a public forum, Roger, then please, bring it on.
The case in question was a uterine torsion.
The Registrar involved took the case to theatre and requested your assistance.
And is the registrar in this room? -Yeah, it was me.
-Excellent.
So we can clear this up right here and now.
Well, Rob? Would you be so good as to advise everyone that I came straightaway and patient and baby are doing very well? Patient and the baby are doing very well.
But did he come straightaway? That's the point.
Rob? TONY: Rob.
Fuck the lot of you.
How about that? I've got a job to do.
Well, as I see it, I haven't a case to answer.
Under Roger, all the budgets were pissed away on blue-sky projects, so I think it's the time to get back to basics.
More staff, less spin.
More patients, less research Can I ask everybody to wait outside? Not you, Mr Whitman.
Mr Whitman, you are to be escorted off the premises.
You are suspended from duty pending an inquiry into a charge of theft.
Theft? What theft? You took a serving of coffee form the canteen without paying for it.
I don't recall any such incident.
I was there.
It's all documented.
You're permitted five minutes to, um, to clear your desk.
Look, can I be let back in, please? Tony? Um, what's going on? This, ah This is for you.
I went to talk to Laura Johnson and, um, I entered all my findings.
My name is all over these notes now, as Consultant, absolving you of all responsibility.
That's a statement that says that you continually warned me about the dangers of bisphenafil.
You did that for me? Why? Oh, Tony.
You can go back in.
Start synto, please, and I'll review her in an hour.
-Sure.
-Thank you.
Don't let the bastards grind you down.
It's up to you now, son.
If you've got the balls.
I'm sorry.
I have to do what I think is right for me.
-We can still keep on seeing each other.
-I know.
We'll try.
I need you.
But I'm needed here.
-I'm already taking another to theatre.
Okay.
-No problem.
-See you.
-Okay.
I'm Mr Lake, and I'm going to be looking after you.
Okay, now just give me a little push.
Okay, you're doing great.
Now give me a nice big push.
Another big push.
Let's go.
ROB: Here he comes.
(BABY CRYING)