Bruce's Fingers (龍門秘指)

Catherine, hurry up and eat your breakfast. I've got a new job.

I start work today. I can't be late.

Why are you using that knife for butter?

It's the only one that was clean.

- I'll see you later. - Bye, Mum.

Mwah! Have a good day at school.

- Bye, Mum. - Hey!

What about me? I start today.

Oh... Good luck.

There you go.

Dad, just leave us here. The other parents don't come in.

Come on.

Love you.

- Yeah. Bye. - Bye.

Hello, Catherine.

Bye. Have a good day.

See you.

- Dave. Sorry I'm late, mate. - It's all right. There's a uniform in there.

- Then I'll show you what to do. - Great. OK.

Morning.

- Hello. - Hi.

I'm Dan.

My son died a few weeks ago. You probably don't even...

You're... You're working here?

First day.

Well... er... I'd better get on.

Yeah.

I mean, he's not actually harassing you, is he?

Threatened you, put a dead animal in your car, anything like that?

Morning.

Maybe he saw it advertised when he was here.

Like there are no other jobs?

You see, he's working right at the front door.

So every morning he'll... be there.

It's freaking you out.

- It's not freaking me out, it's... - Upsetting you.

- No, it's bothering me. - Hmm.

Look, no offence, but maybe he's not the one with the problem.

Men get more stressed as they age.

You're not as young as you used to be.

Red eyes, wrinkles, this hangdog expression...

You're a middle-aged workaholic, mate.

Keep going as you are, you'll have a stroke and end up there.

And you don't want that.

Cos if that happens, you know who'll be in charge of saving your life?

Scary, right?

Why don't you go on a retreat?

Apparently, there's one you can do where you don't say anything for a week.

- Try that. - Wouldn't mind booking you on to it.

All right, everyone. Welcome to M&M.

There you go. Here.

- Charlotte, do you want to start? - Erm... Yeah.

A ruptured appendix in a 32-year-old male, William Rowe.

We attempted removal laparoscopically but there was a delay of approximately 14 hours

between the rupture and arrival with us which made success unlikely.

Next.

Er...

Male, 15,

admitted with a stab wound to the upper left abdomen going into the chest.

Name?

Sorry. Er... Alex Bowker.

He suddenly deteriorated after his CT scan.

The damage was more severe than first thought.

Despite aggressive resuscitation and... all our best efforts...

.. er... he died... at 12:54.

There's a note here about his father.

- I'm sorry? - His father got into the room during surgery.

Yes.

And how that happened I... I don't know. You'll have to talk to the nursing staff.

But any impact on the procedure?

When the father interrupted?

Jon?

No. No impact.

The father was only there for a second.

The key was the degree of damage to the heart.

At first the patient was compensating because...

He was compensating because the blood loss was being controlled

by the pericardium to some degree.

But then he tamponaded. We had to open the chest.

It was only then that we could see how big the hole was

and the degree of blood loss that we were trying to cope with.

Any comments on practice, procedure?

Any other irregularities?

No.

All right. Thank you. Moving on. Next.

So the accusation is drinking leading to malpractice?

Yeah.

All right. Just one question.

You mention the Mortality and Morbidity meeting this morning that Mr Allerton was at.

Well, these are closed sessions normally, just for staff.

- Hospital staff? - Medical staff.

Oh.

Well, I heard it was happening, and that they were discussing my son,

so I didn't think it'd be a problem.

That's fine. Just it's a question that will come up.

What happens now?

Given that it concerns a senior member of staff,

it will be overseen by someone at a similar or higher level.

- They'll investigate it, and come back to you. - How long will that take?

Probably a few weeks.

But, Mr Bowker, thank you for coming to see us.

I can tell even from your initial account that you've had a terrible experience

and you have some important questions you'd like answers to.

Right.

You'd never met Mr Allerton socially?

- No. - Right.

Why?

I just wondered if that might be the reason he attended the funeral.

It's because he felt guilty. He knows what he did.

Oh. Well...

And it'll be done properly? Independent. You won't just cover it up?

No.

You can imagine in a hospital, listening to our patients and their relatives is of vital importance.

- For future practice, apart from anything else. - Right.

Right, thanks.

Because he really is lying.

Look, this complaint...

because of the severity of what he's saying, and your seniority, they've called me in.

Asked me to take it on.

What does he say?

He claims that you told him you'd been drinking that night but you still came in.

Drinking? No.

I can see how it happens.

You're called in unexpectedly. You've had a glass of wine or whatever.

But you make the call, decide to come in, because you know you're needed.

I honestly hadn't.

Matt, he's obsessed with me and what happened that night.

He got a job here just to put pressure on me.

He's started working in the cafe at reception.

- He... - He's after me.

And it's a huge distraction when I have to concentrate. You understand.

You know he was in the M&M meeting this morning?

- He was what? - He found a way in to watch at the back.

He claims you lied in there as well.

He has lost his son and wants someone to blame.

Sure.

As there's been a complaint, I'll need to interview you formally.

You've not done many of these, have you?

- No. - It'll be ten minutes.

Once we're done, I'll check with some of the others, as we have to.

Then we'll get a letter out as quickly as we can.

The sooner this is done the better, yes?

I'm... erm... I'm not sure he'll accept it.

Let's see, shall we?

All right?

- I'll just run through some questions. - Yeah.

Hey.

- Feeling better? - Yeah.

Thanks for covering for me.

No worries.

Jesus.

I didn't answer it. Like you said.

Good evening. I'm sorry to disturb you.

- Dan's at work. - I know.

I was hoping to catch you, actually.

Come in.

Do you want a biscuit or something?

I'm fine. Thanks.

I assume you know where your husband's working.

Yeah.

I'm pleased he got it.

What do you mean?

Just... I'm not sure it's good for him, given what's happened.

This morning he attended a private meeting

where we go over the mortality cases one by one.

- You were discussing Alex? - Yes.

And then after the meeting he made a formal complaint against me.

Right.

Sorry.

I worry that he's developing a resentment against me

and I wondered if you could speak to him.

Persuade him to find work elsewhere.

Well, he's not found getting work easy.

Right.

We've still got all of Alex's stuff.

Cereal bowl...

His best mug.

I know that you did your best.

Thank you.

Things aren't great with... me and Dan, so...

.. I just don't know how much he'll listen.

Well, whatever you can do.

You see, basically, at the moment I just get up...

I go to work, come home, cook, sort the house out, sleep.

The only bit of time I get for myself is in the shower.

Me and Dan...

We don't talk.

We don't... We don't do anything together.

You're not... supporting each other?

No. He's in his own world.

- Perhaps he should... - You know what I need right now?

Is just some time for me. An escape. Do you know what I mean?

If I had the money, I'd just get on a plane. Just go somewhere, just for a couple of days.

Just... sit on a beach.

Drink.

I don't know. Maybe... meet a man.

Whatever. Just...

.. get out of all of this.

Things will get better.

Bet you have great holidays.