S15 E19 (6 Jan 01) : On the Edge by Carolyn Sally Jones
Episode Summary
Fin and Penny are running a stall at the local sports centre to promote the work of the ambulance service. Assisted by Chantelle, they are also collecting money for the Ambulance Benevolent Fund. They are watched by Nathan and Gary Healey and Nathan’s friend Lynsey. Inside the sports centre, Nathan and Lynsey watch Gary practising on the basketball courts. They are discussing college coursework; Nathan asks if Lynsey wants to come over later to go through his notes. Gary interrupts them and it is clear he is showing off to impress Lynsey. Later they argue and Gary says he has got better things to do than studying, he isn’t a swot. Lynsey says that the conversation is boring and she walks off. Knowing he is terrified of heights, Gary challenges Nathan to climb the climbing wall. Gary scales it with no problem whilst Nathan struggles. Lynsey can’t bear to watch and leaves whilst Gary calls his brother a wimp. In the locker room Nathan accuses Gary of trying to make him look stupid in front of Lynsey. He says that his brother is a joke, he hates him and wishes he was dead. Gary collapses on the bench clutching his chest. Nathan runs out to Fin and Penny in the car park. They leave Chantelle to man the stall and go into the locker room. As she sees the ambulance leave Lynsey goes over to the stall because she is worried that Nathan has fallen off the wall. Chantelle tells her that it is someone called Gary with a heart problem.
Gary arrives in resusc and Max diagnoses an irregular heart beat. Their mother arrives and Max explains the situation. She can’t understand how it happened and asks Nathan what he and his brother were doing at the time. Nathan fears that she blames him and leaves resusc. Chloe tracks him down to the car park and tells him that Nathan has stabilised. She tries to convince him that it wasn’t his fault. In resus, Holly explains to Gary and his mother that it is not known why very fit people often suffer irregular heart beats. Gary’s main concern is whether or not he will be able to still work out. Chloe tlls their mother that Nathan is upset and Bernice is surprised because Nathan is normally so calm. Chloe tells her that Nathan feels she blames him. Bernice finds Nathan and and apologises. She tells Nathans that Gary really needs him, he was so jealous when Nathan passed his exams. He shows his mum Gary’s application for a fitness instructor’s job, he is worried that Gary will not be able to do the job with a dodgy heart. Nathan and Bernice go to see Gary. The brothers make up and Gary tells Nathan that he thinks Lynsey really fancies him and he should go for it with her.
Roz and her son Harry are putting away their Christmas decorations. Her boyfriend Neil arrives and she explains that she can’t go to his office party with him as the babysitter has let her down. Neil says he will contact his friend whose sister, Gail, does a lot of childminding. Gail arrives and Harry is reluctant to be left with her. Roz gives her her mobile number. Gail tries to read Harry a story but he won’t sit and listen – he says that his mum reads the story better. He turns the television up to full volume and won’t give her the remote control. Gail sits down and falls asleep. Harry goes into the kitchen to make a drink. He climbs onto the work surface, slips and falls to the ground. Gail wakes up disorientated and finds him. She dials 999 but is unsure of the address. Mel and Josh drive round the village searching for the cottage with a green gate. Eventually they find it and Josh goes in first. Mel however can’t get past the front gate as she is confronted by the family’s dog. Josh examines Harry and realises Mel isn’t there. He goes out into the garden and takes the dog inside with him. They arrive in resusc where Holly and Andrew examine Harry. Gail tells Colette that she hasn’t been able to contact Roz because her mobile is switched off. Roz and Neil eventually arrive and they argue with Gail. Colette takes Roz into see Harry and sends Gail to the relatives room. Neil is left in reception. Later Colette goes in to see Gail who falls asleep whilst they are talking. The team take her into a cubicle and Andrew arranges for a neurologist to assess her. Holly explains to Roz that Harry’s x-rays show a small skull fracture and he is going to be transferred to the paediatric department. Roz feels guilty when she hears that Gail has collapsed. Gail tells the neurologist that she has been falling asleep quite regularly recently. She describes her symptoms and the neurologist says that she is showing classic symptoms of narcolepsy. She refers her to a sleep laboratory to investigate her sleep patterns.
In reception a young boy is annoying Amy. He is waiting for his mother who is being treated. Charlie suggest that he should go and sit with his mum to cheer her up. Amy asks Charlie if he has heard from Louis. He says that he phoned yesterday. Later Charlie talks to Baz on the phone and tells her that he misses his son and wants Louis to spend part of the year with him in England. Max comes in half way through the conversation. Charlie tells Baz that they are getting nowhere and he will phone back later. He explains to Max that Baz has said he can see Louis any time he wants to but only in Canada. In reception Leighton Edwards complains to Amy that he has been waiting for two hours despite the fact that the board says the waiting time is one hour. He tells Charlie that the department is a complete joke. Charlie explains the triage system to him and that he has been given priority according to the severity of his injury. Having waiting three and a half hours Leighton is about to leave but Charlie calls him through. He tells Charlie that he slipped on the canteen floor and needs to get back to work. He apologises for causing a fuss, saying that he works under a lot of pressure. When the x-rays come back Charlie explains that he has cracked the scaphoid bone in his wrist. When Charlie discovers that he is a lawyer he explains the situation with Baz and Louis. Leighton tells him that he has a good case and suggests that Charlie contacts a specialist in family law. Charlie later tells Amy that he has no choice but to fight for custody of Louis as he misses him too much.
Amy takes delivery of a huge bunch of flowers for Holly. Chloe passes them on to Holly who is really surprised. Chloe and Amy later speculate as to who sent them. They assume it was Patrick. Holly gives the flowers away as they are making her sneeze!
Dan tells Max that Amanda Lewis, the mother of the boy brought in with an overdose, is coming in for a meeting at half past three. She feels that the overdose was Max’s fault as she gave her son clean needles. Dan reckons they have nothing to fear as Max saved his life. When she arrives Dan tells her that her son received the best possible care and that the hospital supports Max’s actions, he had no choice in the circumstances. Amanda tells Max that she knows he did the right thing but she was looking for someone to blame as she couldn’t bear the thought that she’d failed her son. After the meeting Max makes her coffee and tells her about Frank’s death. As she leaves she kisses his cheek and thanks him – talking to him has really helped. Max seems about to ask her out but an ambulance arrives, and Amanda walks away as Max stares after her, then gets to work.
Additional Cast
Chantelle Cassidy – Melissa Batchelor
Amanda Lewis – Janet Dibley
Bernice Healey – Claire Perkins
Gary Healey – Velentine Hanson
Nathan Healey – Robert Ryan-Denton
Lynsey – Ellie Conrad-Leigh
Leighton Edwards – Brian Hickey
Roz Butler – Sally George
Harry Butler – Scott Chisholm
Gail – Laura Crossley
Neil – Marston Bloom
Neurologist – Carole Lythgoe
Review by Alison
UK Viewing Figures
9.63m
