Series 15 Episode 12:
IF YOU GO DOWN TO THE WARDS TODAY
Written by Jeff Povey

Holly has organised a visit to A&E for some children and their teddies. She tries to brief the rest of the staff but they just take the mickey. They arrive with their teacher Laura Abrams, whom Patrick and Max both fancy on sight. Patrick says hello, and when she replies he tells Max he's in. Max bets him a fiver that he isn't. The children follow them around and one girl, Michelle, takes a shine to Patrick - her teddy is also called Patrick.
Ashley Morrison takes down a mobile from an empty baby's room. She opens a cupboard to put it away but doubles up in pain. She knocks a coat to the floor and a necklace falls out of one of the pockets. The doorbell rings, and she answers it. The woman at the door introduces herself as Pamela Coulson - they have met before at a do of their husbands, who are both rig workers. Pamela says she is organising a party for all the riggers' wives, and has come to invite Ashley. She realises Ashley is in pain and is about to call a doctor, but suddenly the door opens and Ashley's husband Declan walks in. Ashley is surprised to see him as he wasn't due home. He comes in and is startled to see Pamela, whom he recognises immediately. Ashley doubles up in pain again. Pamela calls an ambulance, and Penny and Josh arrive. Ashley says she's been abroad, to Poland, and Declan is shocked. She says she went for an operation. When she gets to A&E, she tells Max the operation was liposuction. She says she did it because she thought it would help them. She tells him she went into the baby's room for the first time today. Declan says he'd like to have been there with her. She says he wasn't around, and that she now knows his work isn't the only reason for that. She shows him the necklace she found. Ashley is taken to theatre, and Declan goes to the relatives' room. Colette recognises Declan, and goes into the relatives' room to talk to him. It becomes apparent that they had an affair, which Colette ended as soon as she found out he was married. Colette realises Declan is seeing someone else. He tells her that he and Ashley were OK before they lost their baby, a few months before he started seeing Colette. He says Ashley became very depressed and wouldn't go out anymore. Colette says that the liposuction was her way of changing things, and making him notice her again. Declan says he thinks he's done too much damage. Colette says Ashley's the only one who can tell him that. Pamela arrives to see Ashley. Declan comes up to her. He gives her the necklace and tells her their affair is over. He goes to see Ashley when she's out of theatre. He confesses that he did have an affair. He says as a couple they died with their baby. He says she has every right to hate him, but Ashley says she doesn't. She says she wants back what they had. They decide to try again for a baby, and Declan says he'll give up the rigs and get an office job so he'll be there for her.
Chloe and Barney both have job interviews for the "E"-grade post. Chloe is very nervous and comes out of her interview saying it went terribly. Barney comes out feeling he's done well. Later, Charlie tells Chloe she's got the job. She can't believe it and is ecstatic. Charlie breaks the news to Barney, telling him they just felt Chloe had more experience.
Teenager Lenny Christie tells his girlfriend Eliza that he's going on a rugby training weekend as there will be some talent scouts there. She asks how he can afford it, but he says he'll get the money. He finds Bobby Roberts in the playground and tells him to meet him at lunchtime. Bobby has to run to the meeting-place after a lesson, and arrives out-of-breath. Lenny asks him to sell some E's for him. Bobby refuses, and Lenny tries to bribe him by saying he can have Eliza for a week. Eliza is shocked, both at this and at the drugs. She grabs them off Lenny, and he gets hold of her, trying to get them back. Bobby tries to help Eliza and Lenny pushes him away. He falls heavily to the ground and can't get up. He asks them to call an ambulance. Lenny refuses, but Eliza grabs his bag and takes both his phone and the E's. She calls an ambulance and waits with Bobby. Bobby tells her he has sickle-cell anaemia, and he's having a crisis. As the ambulance is about to leave, Lenny comes running back, calling Eliza. She asks to come in the ambulance with Bobby; Josh lets her in and shuts the door. Eliza sits with Bobby in A&E. She tells him that she took the E's as she didn't want Lenny to have them, but now she's seen a policeman and she's scared. Bobby tells her to go to the police but she tells him he's naïve and says she doesn't want to get Lenny into trouble. She sees Patrick the teddy left on a trolley, takes him to the toilets and stuffs the E's into a hole in his neck, before putting him on a laundry trolley. Michelle realises her teddy is gone and Patrick offers to help Laura look for it. He is about to ask her out when Max interrupts them, asking Patrick to see a patient. Spencer finds Patrick the teddy and returns him to Michelle.
Lenny turns up in A&E, asking Eliza where the E's are. She won't tell him so he grabs Bobby, threatening to hurt him unless she tells him where they are. She gives in and tells him, but when he goes to the laundry trolley, the teddy has gone. He goes into reception where the children are sitting and sees the bear. He runs past and grabs it, making for the door, but is stopped by two policemen who were waiting in reception. Eliza yells out that Lenny has hidden drugs in the teddy. The bear's head comes off in the scrimmage, and the E's fall out. Eliza goes back to see Bobby, and gives him back some Pokemon cards he had dropped. Bobby is ashamed but Eliza says she has a collection too, and asks him if he wants to come round and do some swaps. Bobby agrees.
Patrick operates on Patrick the bear to reattach his head. He asks Laura if she wants to go to dinner but she tells him she's choosing a wedding ring next week.
Duffy has been tired out all day. Andrew offers her a cup of coffee but she refuses. He tells her he'll take care of dinner and the kids tonight, and she thanks him. Charlie, who overheard all this, says he's glad Andrew's looking after her. She says it's working out all right. Charlie has been trying to get plane tickets to Canada - he tells Duffy that Baz has got everything arranged for Louis over there. There's a message left on his answerphone, which he's been trying to ignore. He wonders what Baz would do if he couldn't get flights, and Duffy says she'd get a ship. Charlie says at least then he could spend more time with Louis. He listens to the message, which is from the airline saying they've had a cancellation and there are seats available. Charlie says those are probably the hardest words he's ever had to hear. Holly comes in, asking them to come for a group photo with the children, for the local press. Charlie says he's not in the mood but Holly pushes him into it. Everyone goes out and says, "cheese".


Episode first broadcast Saturday 25th November 2000

Additional Cast
Tom Harvey Kieron Forsyth
Ashley Morrison Carol Starks
Declan Morrison          Seamus Gubbins
Pamela Coulson Gaynor Barrett
Bobby Roberts Marlon Yearwood
Eliza Dunn Rochelle Gadd
Lenny Christie Matt Sargeant
Laura Abrams Biddy Hodson
Michelle Hannah Cole
Tony Fleming Vincent Franklin

Pictures provided by Chris Leader

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