The Beeches staff put up a petition to stop a chemist being built as it will cut off some of their income.
Meningitis breaks out in Brompton as a baby dies. Andrew wonders if there is a link between that case and a previous case in Cardale as the baby in Brompton has a cousin who attends Cardale primary school. However the health authority dismiss Andrew’s theory.
David, Claire and Chloe wave goodbye to Emma, Tom and Sarah-Jane as they leave for the school camp. However the trip comes under scrutiny when the deceased babies mother tries to stop the trip from going ahead as she thinks all of the children are at risk from catching Meningitis.
Chloe and James hold a Sausage Sizzler evening for all the parents whose kids have gone to the camp. Erica is pleased when Andrew arrives as he initially rejected her invitation. However she has no alternative but to go as she is now living at The Manor due to her house fire (s5 ep14). She tells him that she’s a little bit drunk but that she doesn’t think she’ll regret what she’s about to do – she kisses him. Meanwhile Chloe is worried about Sarah-Jane being at the camp.
David goes to the camp site to check all the children are ok and that there are no signs of Meningitis. He is taken to the tent of Gary who has been unwell after falling in the river on an exercise. David is alarmed by the severity of his condition and rushes him to hospital. However it is too late, Gary has Meningitis and dies.
Dawn Rudge fronts the parents campaign to have all the children vaccinated but as much as Andrew tries to convince them, the health authority don’t believe Cardale is on the verge of an outbreak. The camp is cancelled and all the children are returned home.
Sarah-Jane is taken ill with a high temperature, Erica is sure nothing is wrong but Andrew wastes no time in rushing her to hospital. Tests show that she has a virus and not Meningitis. Elsewhere Emma tells David and Claire that Tom spent the night in Gary’s tent whilst on camp. David immediately vaccinates both Emma and Tom as well as Gary’s brother Phillip.
The Beeches hold an emergency meeting for all the parents to warn them about the symptoms of Meningitis. However all hell breaks loose when it is revealed that David has vaccinated Emma and Tom. Despite his explanation that they had come into contact with the virus the parents group refuse to listen and demand full vaccinations for all children. The Beeches set up a 24 hour helpline to deal with all parents queries.
Claire begins to keep vigil outside Emma and Tom’s bedrooms in fear they will catch Meningitis. She tells David she’s worried that if something bad happens the manic depression will return. As David returns to the night cover Claire frantically calls him when Emma complains of several of the Meningitis symptoms. However there is no answer on David’s phone and Claire rushes Emma to hospital leaving Tom alone in the house. When David returns he finds the house left open and Tom huddled in the corner. They both go to the hospital where Claire is anxiously waiting at Emma’s bedside.
CLAIRE: I don’t want to let you down
DAVID: You’ve never let me down
With Emma in hospital and David spitting feathers at the health authority, they finally give in to the vaccination. All the children in Cardale are vaccinated and there is much celebrating when it’s done.
David and Claire get a shock when Emma is found to be lying, she wasn’t ill after all but had swotted up on the symptoms to get some attention.
Erica finds out that plans are going ahead for a chemist to be built with local resident Norman Shorthose as the pharmacist.
Erica tells Andrew she thought for a while he wasn’t interested in her. He tells her he wanted to give her time after she had found out her real mum died. Erica tells Andrew she doesn’t want this to be another fling. He tells her it isn’t.
