S4 E47 (21 Aug 02) : A Second Chance by Dawn Harrison
Episode Summary
On his first day, Tom Campbell-Gore gives a short introductory talk to his staff.
A young woman, Mandy Harris, gives birth in Maternity to a child that is to be adopted, but when it is learned that he has a heart condition, the adoptive parents pull out, leaving the child’s mother in the lurch.
A young couple, Gemma Lester and Will Malone, are brought in after an accident at a canal. Despite the team’s best efforts, Gemma later dies in Intensive Care. The couple are found to have both taken cocaine. Tom has strong opinions about such patients being made to take better care of themselves, and takes it upon himself to ensure that Gemma’s boyfriend Will learns his lesson, but with tragic consequences.
Mubbs takes up Lisa’s joking invitation to meet her parents, and then begins to regret it as it turns into a “lunch from hell”, after which Lisa’s father ends up in A&E.
Patients
Gemma Leicester- She is aged 15 and has been found near to drowning, and was pulled out of the canal. She has an arterial bleed in one arm, which happens to be bleeding everywhere. In theatre, she has a high temperature and suffers a VT. Ric and Diane manage to get her back, her condition stabilises, but she later crashes and dies. She is found to have cocaine in her system.
Mandy Harris: A young girl who is giving birth to her baby, which is later going to his adoptive parents. This does not go according to plan as the baby stops breathing and is diagnosed with a heart condition. Hearing of this, the adoptive parents do not wish to adopt him any more, leaving Mandy and her mum with the upbringing of Mandy’s son.
Will Malone- He is Gemma’s boyfriend. Whilst arguing with her parents, he collapses with a possible pneuma thorax, and is rushed into theatre by Tom. In theatre, Tom is told that Will also has cocaine in his blood which will explain the odd ECG readings showing multiple ectopics. When he is later told of Gemma’s death, he escapes to the roof, with his chest wound open and bleeding. Tom tries to win his trust, but when Tom turns to gather medical equipment to fix Will’s injury, Will jumps off the roof.
Terry Fox- Terry is Lisa’s dad, who thinks he has Irritable Bowel Syndrome. After being punched in the stomach by his wife’s secret affair, he is rushed into Holby by Lisa and Mubbs. He is later examined by Diane, to whom she tells him that he is slightly anaemic, and he also has abdominal pains.
First Scene/words
[Sandy walks late into Tom’s briefing, he seems surprisingly ok with her lack of punctuality. He re-iterates that the staff must work as a team, and that everything is backed up by their hard work. He also takes the opportunity to welcome his new Registrar Ed Keating who has been fast tracked through the system. This causes a few sarcastic comments from Chrissie. Tom says his thanks once again, and tells Sandy off for being late, and that she should never be late for him again.The next things we see are Diane and Ric rushing patient to theatre.]
Last Scene/words
[We see Lisa and her dad talking about where he will go, after finding out that his wife is having an affair. Lisa offers him a place at hers, and says the others will not mind.We then see Tom pronouncing Will dead, and Ed reassuring him that it was not his fault. Tom seems oblivious to Ed’s assurance and sits in his car, the rain pours down covering the windscreen, ultimately reflecting Tom’s mood.]
(Laura B)
