Series 1 Episode 1 – Sharp Practice

Dr Jack Kerruish finishes his last day at The Dry River Clinic in Africa. Jack is moving back to England as he not welcome by the African government any longer. Jack feels he has finished the job he came to do and after a farewell from his African friends, he travels to England to find work as a country G.P.

JACK:    That’s it then. Last clinic. Last patient.

Meanwhile in the rural village of Cardale, Derbyshire, Dr Beth Glover; senior partner of The Beeches surgery is greeted by a speeding sports car driven by her flash ex-colleague Dr. Daniel Acres. Dan is about to begin his first day at the new health centre. He wants Beth to join him there but she says no – she’s happy at The Beeches. Beth’s partner Dr Will Preston arrives for work and tells Beth he doesn’t know how will they cope now Dan has gone. As they walk into The Beeches it is a state of chaos with patients everywhere and local pensioner Alice North demanding to be seen quicker than she was last week, practice receptionist Kim Beardsmore says she’s she what she can do.

ALICE:      Two hours I was here last week – two hours
KIM:          We’ll try and get you seen that quickly again then Alice

Jack is staying with ex-girlfriend Sandy. She wants to talk but he has no time – he has to rush off for an interview in Derbyshire.

Beth’s best friend Isabel de Gines tells Beth she must find a replacement for Dan soon as the patients won’t wait around The Beeches when there’s a posh new health centre two miles away.

Local schoolboys Paul Elliot and Rob Barnes bunk of school for the day to fly their kites when Paul manages to get his kite caught on an electric cable. He climbs up to get it and electrocutes himself. Rob is also hurt as the sparks fly in he abandoned field.

Beth is notified of the accident and she and Will head to the scene. Jack, who is passing, notices the devastation and stops to help. He examines Paul and pronounces him dead. Beth gets upset – Will explains to Jack that she delivered Paul. Beth abruptly tells Jack that he’s late for his interview.

BETH:    If you’re Kerruish – you’re late

The three doctors head back to The Beeches where Jack’s interview is not a success. Beth tells him she doesn’t think he will fit in to the community. He accuses her of wasting his time and being sexist.

BETH:    He mends roads – he doesn’t do internals on elderly virgins

Dan and his new partner Dr John Reginald ask local bank manager Trevor Sharpe to freeze The Beeches account so that Beth will come over to the health centre. Trevor says he’ll freeze The Beeches overdraft.

Trevor and is hairdresser girlfriend Leanda spend another night together at The Manor Pub. Landlords of The Manor; Chloe and James White finally get the news they’ve been waiting for when they find out they are expecting a baby.

Jack arrives for the inquest of Paul Elliots death. Afterwards Beth and Will offer him a 6 month trial – Jack accepts. Sandy is not happy about Jack’s new job and tells him to leave.

JACK:    All I want is a chance to practice medicine the way I’ve always done it. For the benefit of the patient, not the wallet of the doctor

Beth visits the Elliots and receives a mouthful from Paul’s older sister Jazz. Rob Barnes dies in hospital and his dad Ted hits Jack in the pub when Jack tells him he must stop blaming everyone for Rob’s death. Jack and Beth discuss Jazz and Ted’s outbursts and Jack comments on how similar they are. Beth tells Jack that Jazz is Ted’s daughter.

BETH:    You remind me of a spaniel we once had – had to have it put down

Chloe collapses whilst shopping for a baby pram. Dan diagnoses an ectopic pregnancy but Chloe is adamant that she won’ t lose her baby and asks James to call Beth. Jack and Beth arrive at the hospital where they quickly diagnose an appendicitis. Both pleased at getting one over on Dan – Jack asks Beth out to dinner – she accepts.

Back at The Beeches tensions are strained when Jack tells Beth and Will everything that is wrong with their practice. Beth gives him a month to come up with a rescue plan and calls of their dinner plans when Sandy arrives.

JACK:    We could do with a filing system that works
BETH:    Oh, so you’ve met Kim then?

Sandy tells Jack she doesn’t want to live in the country, Jack tells her that he wants to make it work in Cardale – she leaves him.

Jack shows Beth and Will the plans for The Beeches refurbishment – Will is not convinced; especially after Trevor refuses the Beeches a loan.

Jazz goes missing after Ted’s wife tells her who her real father is. Jack finds her and persuades her to return home.

Jack and practice nurse Ellie Ndebala talk about Africa and she reveals that she was adopted by a white couple. She says she doesn’t like Africa because she can’t connect to it. She says hearing Jack talk about Africa has made her see what she has been missing.

Trevor and Leanda play a saucy game of cowboys and indians with disastrous consequences as Trevor falls through the wardrobe and is unable to move. Jack and James investigate the noise and find Leanda handcuffed to the bed and Trevor covered in dust. Trevor is seen into the ambulance by Jack and Beth who promise to keep quiet about his cowboy stint so long as he signs The Beeches application for a loan. He signs. The Beeches has a future.

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