S13 E9 (24 Oct 98) : Public Service by Gillian Richmond
Episode Summary
Charlie is driving to work when a man, Pete Banks, runs out into the road in front of him. As he swerves to avoid him the man hammers on the window and Charlie stops. He takes Charlie into a house where his wife, Kath Banks, is lying on the floor in a corner. The room is trashed with over turned furniture etc. Pete begs Charlie to take his wife straight to A&E but Charlie says she needs emergency treatment in an ambulance. The phone line has been cut and he tells Charlie it was intruders. Penny and Josh arrive to take her to A&E
When Kath arrives Tina becomes concerned that she is the apparent victim of a domestic assault and wants to call the police. Kath is complaining of back pain but George is unable to contact the duty urologist to treat her. Charlie tries to reassure Pete but he is defensive when Charlie suggests calling the police to investigate the break-in.
Pete becomes agitated about his wife’s condition and causes trouble in reception, demanding a bed for her. He ends up arguing with Adam and pushes him to the floor.
Whilst being treated for a cut to the forehead, Adam tells Sam that he is HIV positive as a result of receiving infected blood. When Sam is unsympathetic and asks why he chose to tell him, Adam regrets saying anything.
Pete’s outburst reinforces Tina’s fears that he is the cause of Kath’s injuries. Charlie overhears Pete and Kath discussing the incident in the cubicle. Kath says she can remember everything that happened and Pete admits that it was all his fault. When Pete goes outside for some air while she is being treated he is approached by two men who warn him not to call the police but when he hints that he still might they threaten to harm his son. Meanwhile, scans reveal that, unknown to her, Kath only has one kidney, which she is in danger of losing. Max agrees with George that the only option is a transplant of dialysis and asks where the duty urologist is. When George complains that she has been unable to get hold of one, Max agrees to chase them up. As Kath’s condition deteriorates and she is rushed into resus two policemen arrive at the reception desk in response to a call about a ‘domestic assault’ and Charlie immediately assumes that Tina has called them without permission. As he reprimands her George comes into the office and tells him it was her who made the call. George and Charlie argue about responsibility for contacting the police and Charlie tells her that Pete has just asked for his wife to be tested for SID’s as she was raped during the attack.
Sunny carries in an old lady in, Nell Smith, who says she fell downstairs. Whilst treating her injured ankle Sean asks how it happened and she tells him she tripped over the stair carpet. He notices that the book of poetry Nell is ‘reading’ from is upside down and suggests she has an eye check. When Sean tells her he suspects a fracture and needs to send her up to x-ray she asks for ‘that very tall fellow’ to take her. After returning to A&E Sean examines her eyes and discovers she has glaucoma but she is adamant that she is not going to wear glasses. Sean calls Sunny to convince her to have treatment because she seems to have taken a liking to him. As she leaves Sunny wheels her out to a waiting taxi and he offers to visit her afterwards.
After dealing with Pete Bank’s outburst at reception Amy collapsed onto the desk and was wheeled away protesting to a cubicle to be checked over. She is found to be suffering from gestational diabetes and becomes depressed, confiding in Duffy that she is worried about coping as a single mum.
Charlie invites Pete to go to the canteen with him for a sandwich, assuring him that they will bleep him if there is any change in his wife’s condition. On the way Pete tells Charlie that he was the witness to a knifing and because of him the attacker was sentenced to four years imprisonment. It was the man’s brothers who turned up at his house the night before and attacked his wife while he stood and watched, unable to help. Now he finds himself accused of attacking his wife and unable to tell the truth because of the threats form her attackers. His wife faces the prospect of a lifetime on dialysis because he acted ‘responsibly’. When Pete asks Charlie what he should do he is unable to answer.
Wendy Prescott, a teacher, is loading canoes onto the roof-rack of a minibus at an outdoor camp whilst a group of girls stand around waiting. One of the girls, Lisa Forester, is standing by the minibus lighting a cigarette when she is approached by another, Sally Lennox, who makes comments about cigarettes making her appear tough and strong. Miss Prescott sees what is going on and asks for a word with Lisa. She tells her not to worry about being scared of heights when out on a cliff climb the previous day. Lisa insists she was not scared, just doesn’t see the point of climbing cliffs. As Wendy is driving the minibus Sally continues to taunt Lisa in the back and eventually Lisa leans forward, grabs her glasses and throws them out of the window. As they scuffle Wendy turns and asks them to be quiet. She fails to spot the tractor in front of her and the minibus careers across into the other lane as she swerves to avoid it.
Wendy is trapped inside the bus although the girls managed to escape. They are all taken to an ambulance but as the paramedics treat Wendy, Lisa is still wandering around the scene obviously concerned about the teacher’s condition. In reception Sally later accuses Lisa of causing the accident. After being treated for a cut hand Lisa eventually finds her way to resus where Eve is checking Wendy’s condition. Later, Eve sees Lisa still sitting in reception and takes her through to see her teacher. Lisa admits it was her fault. After Lisa leaves Wendy tells Eve she never thought she would hear Lisa apologise and Eve replies that she envies Wendy’s job, which must give her a real sense of satisfaction.
Charlie and Max discuss Sean’s attendance at Eugene Rafferty’s funeral and Max later warns him that there is a fine line between professional compassion and private sympathy. Sean feels he has got it wrong again.Chloe is puzzled by Tina’s over reaction to the domestic incident and when Duffy agrees with Tina that such men should be castrated Chloe tells Duffy it’s rather extreme. Duffy says that Chloe doesn’t understand what it’s like to be raped and when she replies that neither does Tina – Duffy’s expression tells her otherwise. Chloe is upset that Tina didn’t confide in her as her best friend but Tina tries to explain that she has to deal with it in her own way and as a friend she should accept that.
Josh has acquired a new MG sports car. He leaves Sunny in charge until the valet service arrive and later tries to explain to Penny the significance of owning such a classic car. Penny is concerned about where the money to buy the car came from.
Patients
Kath Banks – kidney damage following assault and rape.
Wendy Prescott – fractures to both legs as result of RTA.
Sally Lennox – gash to arm and possible fracture from RTA.
Lisa Forester – cut hand from RTA
Amy Howard – collapses with gestational diabetes.
Nell Smith – fractured ankle as result of fall, possible glaucoma.
First Scene/words
Eve places some files on Charlie’s desk and pauses to look at the photograph of him with Baz and Louis.
Last Scene/words
Sam and Adam are standing by the admin desk. Adam apologises for telling him about being HIV. Sam asks if he has any real friends and Adam replies ‘obviously not’.
Notable Facts
* Adam tells Sam that he is HIV positive.
* Chloe discovers that Tina was raped.
UK Viewing Figures
12.74m
