End Game

Terri becomes suspicious about the reasons for a man's repeat hospital visits. Neil has been admitted to All Saints for a variety of complaints over recent months. And now he is being prepped for an appendicectomy. After more than a decade in nursing, Terri knows patients sometimes develop a crush on their nurse but she begins to think there is something much stranger behind Neil's run of accidents and illnesses. Luke's problems with Neil's case are compounded by having to supervise middle-aged intern, Dr. Ashok Patel. Luke immediately sizes him up as a dithering pedant. Even patient, Russel Woods, wonders whether Ashok knows what he is doing. And Jared finds himself in the unenviable position of trying to keep Luke, Ashok and Russell all happy, while at the same time trying to quell his own doubts about Ashok's methods. But Ashok refuses to dismiss Russell's breathing problems as asthma. Bron and Ben are called out to a near-drowning and bring in teenager Cathy Maxwell. Cathy is brought up to Ward 17 and is put under Mitch and Steph's care. She is a bright and talented girl and it looks like she will be able to be discharged quickly into the care of her loving parents. So the shocking and unpredictable actions he takes when no-one is looking causes Mitch to completely re-evaluate his treatment of her and land Steph in trouble. Mitch has noted that Steph is "away with the pixies" all day — no one is aware that Ben has walked out on her. Terri does her best to find out what is behind Steph's behaviour but she is not ready to talk. Neither is Ben — but he is stuck on the job with the ever inquisitive Bron and it is not long before she starts putting the pieces of the puzzle together. And Ward 17 has another new ward clerk. Tony Hurst is young and competent, with just the sort of bubbly personality that keeps the ward upbeat. He is a secure gay guy and while it is not a problem for him, it does seem to make Connor uncomfortable — and that encourages Tony to stir just that little bit more and consequently Connor to be a little more uptight.