Dr. Rajesh Rajah wakes up in the bed with Nurse Reece after having had a skinful the night before. A fresh faced Dr. Andrew Collin arrives on the wards finding himself unprepared for the situations with which he has to deal, including that of the asbestos patient, Albert Gray. The suited consultant surgeon Mr. Betancourt also makes his first appearance. He is revealed to be Maitland's lover and heavy critic of SHO Monica Broome.
The pressure begins to get to Monica, who starts to drink. After Dr. Mortimer sexually harasses a nurse, Claire embarrases him in front of the other staff by pretending to fancy him. Betancourt continues his criticism against Monica.
Andrew overlooks a potassium reading and believes he is negligent over the death of an eldery lady patient, Ada Pitkin. At a hospital party, Dr. Mortimer plays a joke on Raj, and sets him up with a transvestite. Raj has an encounter with Nurse Whitecoat. and forgets about taking a heart pacemaker out of someone who is being cremated.
Raj takes a fancy to one of the medical students are shown around the wards with Mr. Docherty. A patient who has taken a paracetomal overdose asks Dr. Maitland to stop his treatment. Caroline goes on a date with Andrew. Andrew nearly falls asleep during his date! When they both get back to his place, Andrew holds back going any further than the basics because he is a Christian.
Attention turns to Monica, who fails her fellowship exam. Despite appealling to management, Dr. Collin is expected to work another night when a locum cannot be found to cover. Betancourt reveals to Claire that the hospital did not even attempt to find cover, and that because Andrew has worked an illegal number of hours, he cannot be paid. During Andrew's long night, the hospital manager Alex Legg is brought in suffering from a heart attack.
The pressure takes its toll on Claire, Raj and Andrew. After a confrontation with her husband who says their kids will be taken away to stay elsewhere, it is all too much for Monica, who takes an insulin overdose and commits suicide. Mr. Docherty confronts Betancourt about his behaviour towards Monica. Lucy Buxton is brought in with a chest injury sustained from an accident on a merry-go-round. The doctor treating her initially is hesitant about what to do, and the nurse contacts Claire who rushes to deal with the patient.
Due to a bomb scare at the General, the hospital is overrun with patients. New doctors are introduced. Phil Kirkby (played by Andrew Clover) is eager, but tries too hard to impress. Smedley (Peter O'Brien of Neighbours fame) is the new registrar, who impresses the other doctors with his knowledge. In the same episode, he saves a patient who has a collapsed lung. Dr. Collin is no longer a beginner and is now one of the experienced doctors. He is now married, and is often taking personal phone calls from his wife, Alison. The hospital manager Alex Legg (from series 1) makes a brief appearance, only to be killed off from a heart attack. Adrian DeVries (Jack Fortune) is the new consultant surgeon - he can perhaps be seen as this series' replacement for Mr. Betancourt. Incidentally, for the first time, the cameras move outside to show DeVries driving his car.
This episode features a patient who has prolonged hypothermia. Claire and Dr. Mortimer provide extended resus. During the long process, Dr. Mortimer reads from a sex novel. As a result of a managerial meeting, it is decided that junior doctors are expected to cover the specialist Ear, Nose and Throat cases, to the objection of Mr. Docherty who believes the plan is madness. He is proved right in episode 5. Alf Grocott, a terminally ill patient is introduced. He is told that he has lung cancer, however he tells Dr. Collin that he does not want his daughter told. Alf's daughter also tells Dr. Collin not to inform her father of the diagnosis.
In this powerful episode, the main storyline is that of Heather Parsons, a girl who brought in with flu, but later develops meningitis and dies. The blame for misdiagnosis is laid at the door of the blundering GP, Dr. Wilson, although it is Andrew to has to carry the can. Andrew takes some small revenge on Dr. Wilson by pretending to be a patient experiencing symptoms of diabetes, and then turning the tables when Wilson clearly fails to recognise them. Maitland starts to question whether or not she wants to be a doctor anymore. Nasreen, a police officer, and an old school friend of Raj is introduced
Kirkby becomes attracted to a woman who is brought in with a sickle cell crisis, however it turns out she is faking some of her symptoms in order to get a ""fix"" of painkillers. Caroline is suspended after a patient dies in suspicious cirumstances. Raj and Nasreen kiss and become lovers at the hospital ball. Maitland starts the night with a handsome helicopter pilot, however both he and DeVries are brushed aside at the end of the evening in favour of Smedley. Mr. Docherty is informed that one of his operating lists is no longer available.
The investigation continues in to the death of an elderly patient. Nurse Chandley is interrogated by the hospital manager Paul Tennant. Eventually Andrew finds out from a conversation with Alf Grocott that it is the patient's niece who was responsible. Alf is sent home. Dr. Turner, Dr. Yates and Tennant agree to cover up the death of a second patient.
A film crew arrives at the hospital to make a promotional video. The director of the crew (played by none other than Game On's Neil Stuke) is revealed to be the boyfriend of Dr. Mortimer. Mr. Docherty is under pressure from Mr. Tennant to retire. Maitland reports her experiences to the papers. In a meeting with Tennant, he explains that she cannot be suspended for this, however she is suspended for failing to pay for a pint of milk from the canteen. Maitland decides to dump Smedley by telling him he has the smallest dick she's ever seen. Smedley goes out driving and overturns his car in an accident. Raj has a bit of fun with a man who is suffering from complete amnesia. At the end of the episode, Maitland cries her heart out in the arms of Mr. Cullen's widow
Dr. Mortimer is diagnosed with AIDS. His diagnosis is leaked, and the hospital manager Tennant tried to convince him to take a leave of absence, but he refuses. DeVries gets some blood from Sister Pereira's child whom he believes is his son. Alf Grocott is re-admitted to the hospital, and is told that the cancer has spread to his liver. He dies on Christmas day. Dr. Collin starts an affair with Caroline. Kirkby draws up chemotheraphy wrongly. He seeks advice from Dr. Turner, although is told to carry on even though he doesn't know what to do. The patient suffers from a reaction and dies.
The teenage daughter of Sister Landers is brought in with an abcess. When trouble develops during her operation to remove it, Mortimer steps in. Maitland gets back together with DeVries. Dr. Turner and Paul Tennant try to persuade Kirkby to lie at the inquest. In return they promise to look out for him in the future and provide him with the best work and references. The inquest returns a verdict of unlawful killing, and a possible manslaughter charge to follow. Maitland decides to return to the hospital after coming to the aid of man who has a heart attack while she is having a job interview
A young wife brings her husband in to the hospital with a suspected brain haemorrhage, and he is not expected to survive. The issue of organ transplant is raised. At first the wife says yes, but later changes her mind. David, a recurring character who needs kidney dialysis is introduced. He has a more informal relationship with Maitland, whom he affectionately calls ""slapper"". After Raj gives a patient a cigarette, the patient decides to smoke it when he is taking oxygen, and there is an explosion. A few new characters are introduced. Sarah Hudson the new consultant (it seems in place of Barry Yates who does not appear in series 3), and a new doctor is Liz Reid. Almost straight away, Liz is shown to want to dump most of her duties on other doctors and nurses as much as possible. Two elderly gentleman are brought in - one has bit off and swallowed the other's finger. Raj starts on the GP training scheme.
A suspected peritonitis case is brought in. After an exploratory operation, Smedley finds a tumour in the woman's abdomen, but makes a error of judgement by telling the woman that he thinks the all cancer has been taken out, however tests reveal that she has only days to live. Liz goes to sleep forgetting to take her contact lenses out, and is impaired whilst trying to treat a drugs overdose. As a result, she tangles a lavage tube inside the patient's stomach. In a generally bad day for Liz, she also loses her temper with one of the patients. Dr. Collin and Caroline continue their affair.
Dr. Collin is told by Dr. Turner to continue with a procedure to fit a temporary pacemaker even though he has only seen one done once before. When he gets stuck, Claire who is not on call has contacted at home and brought in to help. Dr. Mortimer is pursued by a journalist about his HIV status. Raj has collision with DeVries' car, and thinks he has got away with it, but DeVries finds out and in order to pay for the damage, Raj goes to work in a private practice for a day. Caroline informs Dr. Collin that he needs to take a HIV test, because Caroline and Luke slept together before. Sister Landers has an accident with a needle. Dr. Turner is told by Tennant to restrict his private practice. Mr. Docherty decides to stand as a replacement for Graham Turner as the chairman of the consultant's committee
This is a wonderfully crafted episode, that is centered entirely around Dr. Collin in casualty. He is the sole doctor available, aside from scant help from Liz Reid, and treats several patients under difficult conditions, including a heart attack victim, a man who has a potentially dangerous cord compression, and a man suffering from a drugs overdose. His main problem is that he is unable to refer patients due to a lack of beds. In the end he manages to refer the most urgent of the patients, and find time to go to the toilet!
A patient, a Michelle Elliot is brought in who appears to be suffering from sharp pain in her stomach. Lots of tests are performed on the woman throughout the episode, however at the end it is Maitland who establishes that she does not have any actual illness, and is faking her symptoms. She is in fact suffering from a kind of illness - Munchausen's syndrome. Mrs. Trimble asks Mr. Docherty to move in with her. Sister Landers reports that she has not caught hepatitis, although her fortunes turn for the worse, when after appearing on a television chat show to criticise management, she is suspended from duty. Phil Kirkby starts to become frustrated about jibes he is receiving about his medical competence since the inquest, and tension mounts between him and Dr. Turner. It is revealed that Tennant has had a previous relationship with Novac. Tennant is suspended.
This excellent episode interweaves a storyline about shaken baby syndrome with which Dr. Raj deals with, a cricket match between the junior doctors and consultants, and a behind-closed-doors meeting about how to resolve Phil Kirkby's possible manslaughter charge. Phil tells Mr. Docherty the truth about the inquest, and how he was expected to lie to cover Dr. Turner. Mr. Docherty promises to help him. Liz is unsure what to do about basic CPR. Raj talks to Nasreen on the phone, and their relationship starts to come under some strain. Claire tells Sarah Hudson that she thinks that Liz is ""ill motivated, innatentive and manipulative"".
A man covers himself with flammable liquid in casualty and threatens to set himself alight. Sister Novac eventually persuades the man to stop. At the same time a criminal called Binns (accompanied by the police) is brought in with a stab wound. His stab wound is treated and he is supposed to be discharged in a short time, however the wound fails to heal properly. It is revealed later that Binns attempts to put off his discharge from the hospital by deliberately infecting the wound himself. New student nurses start at the hospital, including Kirsty (played by Lisa Harkus). Raj takes a fancy to Kirsty. Dr. Collin treats Edith Channing the Parkinson's patient. At the start of the episode she appears extremely confused and difficult to deal with, although at the end of the episode she has completely transformed for the better. Caroline gives Andrew an ultimatum to leave his wife Alison or they stop seeing each other. Novac and Smedley finally get it together.
A man and his daughter are brought in after a car accident. The man survives relatively lightly, however the daughter goes on to suffer brain damage. The kidney patient (David) from episode 1 returns, and the issue of organ donation again arises. Despite Claire's personal intervention to try and persuade the man to give his daughter's organs for donation, he refuses
Mr. Docherty plans on proposing to Mrs. Trimble. In a bad day for Mr. Docherty, he accompanies a patient in an ambulance over to the General, however finds that he does not have a lift to return him afterwards. A boy is admitted and an appendectomy performed. When the child complains of leg pain after the operation, Dr. Mortimer examines the boy, however there is trouble when the boy's (almost unbelievably prejudiced) father learns that it is the HIV positive Mortimer who is treating his son. He demands Mortimer is sacked after making a completely false allegation about Mortimer supposedly touching the boy inappropriately. The nurse who observed Mortimer examining the boy can easily confirm there was nothing untoward in his examination, but is told by Tennant not to back up Dr. Mortimer. Later, Mr. Docherty delves into the incident, and the truth is revealed. Smedley, Novac, Raj and Kirsty try to help three children affected by smoke inhalation. During the procedure, Kirsty is told by
Sister Pereria (from series 2) returns bringing in her son for treatment. DeVries finds out about the blood group and that the boy is his son. Dr. Mortimer tries to teach Mr. Docherty how to dance! A Wharfarin overdose patient initially refuses treatment with a blood transfusion because he is a Jehovah's Witness. When the patient suffers a stroke, he appears to change his mind, however in a seemingly uncharacteristic act of Dr. Collin, he suddenly tries to persuade the patient to continue to refuse treatment with the blood because of religious beliefs. Liz starts to crack under the pressure.
David the kidney patient returns again as an emergency case. They have reached end of line with dialysis and he is told that he needs a transplant fairly urgently or he will die. Liz asks Rod to phone for some results. A verbal misunderstanding follows, and Liz tells the patient he doesn't have cancer, however the results are in fact cancer, and Liz is in error of judgement again. A drunk driver and his victim are brought in. In an uncharacteristic act, Smedley deliberately ignores treatment of the drunk driver, although Raj realises in time to save him when Smedley reveals that his wife died from a drunk driver some years before. Sister Novac (above right) questions her relationship with Smedley. Raj gets it together with Kirsty the student nurse.
Because of staff shortage Liz hasn't slept for three nights. She is asked to turn off the ventilator of a brain-dead patient (with relatives present) and accidentally presses the wrong button, which triggers a noisy alarm. She later has an argument with a patient. Claire breaks up with Adrian. Julie breaks up with Cyril. Mr. Docherty finally proposes to Mrs. Trimble. Adrian's son comes in after a traffic accident. Adrian tries to save him but fails. Alone in the theatre, he breaks out in tears. Liz has a nervous breakdown in her room, smashing her pager.
A suspicious looking doctor starts doing the rounds at the hospital. The staff hold a surprise party for Mr. Docherty who is getting married the next day. Caroline is shown to be violently vomiting, and later she tells Andrew that she is pregnant. Raj's father is being treated for a heart attack. Dr. Mortimer is diagnosed with pneumonia. Smedley gets back together with Claire. In the final scenes, Dr. Collin visits Liz Reid, who has previously suffered a mental breakdown. Andrew answers the door to what he thinks is a diabetic patient requiring advice, however the patient suddenly stabs Dr. Collin with a needle containing insulin. Raj realises who the man is, and arrives shortly after to bring the maniac under control. In the meantime Maitland, Smedley, Mortimer and Raj attempt to treat Dr. Collin, whose life is clearly in great danger.
Line of Duty writer Jed Mercurio looks back on the first drama he wrote and the start of his extraordinary journey from junior doctor to award-winning TV showrunner. The acclaimed 1994 series 'Cardiac Arrest' featured a cast of then unknown actors, including future Friends star Helen Baxendale, and captured the realities of life working on a hospital ward in 90s Britain. Jed recalls what motivated him to become more than just a series advisor to the point where he ended up taking over script-writer duties; the controversy around the series that saw even the then Health Secretary getting involved, and the real-life stresses he's experienced as a doctor that made their way into the scripts.
