Alice meets Patricia and Nikki from the train station and drama unfolds as Nikki collapses. Alice is alarmed by the severity of Nikki’s condition as she hadn’t realised how ill she actually was.
The Beeches is still in a state of chaos as Andrew and David have yet to find a replacement for Erica. The surgery is also undergoing some reconstruction work carried out by local builder Liam.
ANDREW: I want someone who’s right for the practice and right for Cardale. Someone who became a doctor for the same reasons we did
Andrew visits Ronnie at home . The house is a mess and Ronnie is unclean and surrounded by take away cartons and empty bottles of drink. Andrew makes Ronnie wash himself and takes him out in his wheelchair. Ronnie finally opens up to Andrew and tells him that he doesn’t blame him for the accident and says Andrew shouldn’t blame himself.
David and Claire once again find themselves unable to make love. Claire tells David he needs to take some time out to concentrate on himself and them as a couple.
Patricia tells Alice that she and her husband are having problems at the moment. As they talk they don’t notice that Nikki has snuck out of the house and gone into the town centre. As she shops around she gets dizzy and collapses. Patricia and Alice realise she has left the house and are close behind her. An ambulance is called and Nikki is taken to the hospital. David also arrives and reveals to Patricia that tests have shown that Alice is a suitable donor for Nikki’s bone marrow transplant. Patricia is not sure that she wants Alice and Nikki to both be at risk from surgery but Alice is determined to be Nikki’s donor.
Joanna is working on a ward near to Nikki and sees David. He introduces her to Alice and Joanna tells her that if there is anything she needs explaining about Nikki’s condition or the transplant then she will be happy to help. David notices Joanna is becoming fed up of the hospital bureaucracy when a young boy is holding up a bed just because his consultant has been too slow to discharge him. Joanna wastes no time in discharging the boy and moving Nikki to his bed.
New practice nurse Georgie tells Andrew that he should take a look at the community hospital as they may be able to offer some care and support to Ronnie. Andrew goes to investigate and is introduced to Nurse Bridget Mellors who shows him around the hospital.
Andrew takes Ronnie to The Manor. All the regulars are pleased to see him and he gets special treatment from Dawn who is still working behind the bar despite the departure of Chloe and James.
Alice stops Joanna at the hospital and tells her she and the rest of Cardale are grateful for what she did to save Ronnie’s life.
The hospital consultant agrees that Alice is a perfect match for Nikki’s bone marrow transplant. However whilst out shopping Alice collapses whilst getting on the bus. Alice is taken to the hospital and they find out she has had a minor stroke. This has major implications for the transplant as Nikki has already been started on her last dose of chemotherapy. They find another match for Nikki but it’s not as good a match as Alice. Alice promises that she will be Nikki’s donor and the surgeon agrees to operate now. Patricia says she can’t be made to choose between her mother and her daughter – Alice says she doesn’t have to choose – she wants to go ahead with the procedure and nothing is going to change her mind.
ALICE: I don’t know if you lot thing you are standing behind the great wall of china, but that’s a curtain that is, I can hear everything you’re saying
David tells Andrew he feels like he can’t keep up with life at the moment. Andrew tells him he has an idea for a new partner but he has to give it some more thought before he lets him know who it is.
Joanna receives a letter from the hospitals chief administrator. They expect her to pay for all costs involved in taking the helicopter out to Ronnie’s accident. David meets her in the hospital car park and she tells him that as she authorised the use of the helicopter the hospital are expecting her to pick up the costs. Joanna sees the chief administrator getting into his car and walks over to him leaving David stunned! She hands in her resignation and tells the administrator that she despises the way he runs the hospital but due to the fact it contains hard working staff and patients who need care she is going to leave quietly. However she tells him that if he goes after her for the money she’ll run to the press so fast he won’t know what’s hit him. David witnesses the fall out and invites Joanna to Kim’s farewell bash at The Beeches.
ADMINISTRATOR: You’re required to give two weeks notice
JOANNA: I don’t know if you’re a hospital puppet or just an idiot, but I tell you what, I’ll send you a postcard from Bali when I’ve figured it out
The folk of Cardale gather to say a fond farewell to Kim, they wish her well as she heads to her new job. Kim says she will miss everyone she has worked so closely with.
DAVID: We’ll never forget Kim
Joanna arrives at the party and tells Andrew and David she is thinking of taking a holiday. They tell her she should – she deserves it. Joanna seems slightly peeved and says she thought they were going to offer her a job. Scrambling for words Andrew and David offer Joanna Erica’s job.
JOANNA: and I thought you were going to offer me a job
ANDREW: Well now you mention it
JOANNA: So when do I start?
