Holby City
6 May 2008
BBC ONE 0800-0900pm
On AAU Linden is angry to find cameras and lightening equipment being installed in his operating theatre. He later finds out that the equipment is for a new video link up for onlookers to watch surgery. Linden is not impressed, but Jayne ignores his frustration by praising his spectacular work since arriving at Holby. She explains that the HOD meeting later that day will watch him operate if an emergency patient requires surgery. Jayne wants Linden to come and say a few words to the party of delegates but he ignores her request.
Abra continues to frustrate Ric by making a mess of his home, much to Lola’s annoyance. Ric leaves him at his flat, but to his horror, Abra turns up at Holby yet again - this time with his hand pouring with blood. Ric is annoyed even further when he discovers that Abra has injured himself by putting his hand through his bathroom window, and has now left the flat unattended with a broken window. Lola is infuriated to see Ric stitching up Abra. Ric hides him in the basement and tells Abra to stay there out of sight. He will collect him at the end of his shift and tell Lola that Abra has gone.
Elliot is faced with British 2012 Olympic hopeful Lizzie. She has a heart condition which they discover means she can no longer trial for the Olympics. Elliot is touched by her situation and suggests keyhole surgery, but this will cost £20,000. Unfortunately neither Connie nor Jayne will agree to the surgery as it is not seen as essential.
Back on AAU, Linden treats two patients: Mr Allerton, an elderly gentleman who has fallen badly after having a blackout, and Dean Michaels who has fallen off a roof onto metal spikes. Dean needs emergency surgery and to Jayne’s delight, this is the perfect opportunity for the delegates to watch Linden at work. Linden successfully operates on Dean with Maddy and Jac’s assistance, but is confused to why Jac came instead of Connie, who he had previously paged. Jac warns him that Connie is irritated with him for some reason and so she had been told to assist instead. She also warns Linden not to get on the wrong side of Connie, after all, she would know. However Connie has had enough of his goody-two-shoes reputation and is annoyed the HOD meeting is being based solely around him.
After being unable to help Lizzie, Elliot decides to ask Lady Byrne for funding from the Byrne Foundation. Joseph and Connie think that Elliot is exploiting his position as newly appointed Medical Advisor for an operation that is not essential. Lady Byrne however agrees for it to go ahead and they proceed with the surgery. Although the surgery is a success, Lizzie takes a turn for the worse and dies. Elliot is distraught and wants to resign as Medical Advisor. Lady Byrne tells him that Lizzie only died because of his passion, expertise and commitment in helping others. He is not a bad person and she wants him to carry on in his position in the charity.
Dean’s girlfriend Holly arrives as he is operated on. She sees Mr Allerton and immediately flies into a fury insisting that she saw him at the scene of Dean’s accident and that he must have had something to do with his fall. Linden calms the situation and investigates Mr Allerton further. When on the telephone to his GP, Mr Allerton tries to escape, though Linden finds him by following his trail of blood. He calms him and Linden discovers that Dean had actually tried to stop Mr Allerton from jumping from the top of the building, and that they had both fallen. Mr Allerton is ashamed to say that he had just left Dean and crawled away.
Through speaking to Mr Allerton’s GP, Linden discovered that he is suffering from depression and it turns out Mr Allerton had designed the building they fell off which was situated in the Goldsmith Estate. The estate was meant to be the future of contemporary living, but since its completion, it has turned into a place swarming with drugs and murders. Mr Allerton breaks down and this encourages Linden to show a softer side. Linden explains how ten years ago his wife died and it was his fault. He said he wishes everyday he could have changed something, but he can’t. He had to make a decision – to accept that he can’t change what has happened and to get on with his life instead. He tells Mr Allerton that he can make a difference in life, but what he did to Dean and Holly was wrong and he needs to make this right.
Jayne is shocked to get a call from security – they have found a strange man watching cartoons in the basement. When she realises it is Abra, Ric is called and told to explain why he is hiding Abra in the basement – he is banned from Holby. Ric tries to explain the situation, but told to just get Abra out and as far away from Holby as possible.
When taking Mr Allerton back to AAU, he takes a turn for the worse. Linden ends up operating on him in the corridor with Connie’s assistance and the delegates watching over. The surgery is a success and Linden is again praised. When speaking to the delegates in the HOD meeting, Linden turns the limelight away from him by praising Maddy, and then more importantly Connie - to her great surprise. He asks Connie to come and take over, which she does gratefully – and by following Jac’s advice, Linden has earned respect from Connie.