Health & Efficiency

production:

Health & Efficiency is a BBC-1 pre-watershed comedy concerning the day-to-day medical and personal problems of a group of doctors in the fictitious General and Surgical "B" Unit at St. James's Hospital.

Richard Boden produces all episodes with technical staff and crews from the BBC 2point4 Children unit.

Series creator Andrew Marshall wrote all episode descriptions for this episode guide.

1st Series 1993

1. "... but he never said he loved me"
   gs: Samantha Janus [ Charmaine ], Walter Sparrow [ Jock ], Ann Payot [ Doreen ], Sheila Keith [ Rex's Patient ], Steve Bridgen [ Kate's Patient ]

   Starting the series with an episode whose title draws on a quote from Cole Porter's song "The Physician" we meet the staff of General and Surgical "B", learn of the jilted romance between Michael and Kate, of Diana's cost cutting obsessions, Phil's non-existent love life and Rex's bizarre love of blood and cutting. Rex wants to amputate the leg of a patient, but Kate and Michael want to save it. Unfortunately, Diana has deemed keeping him in for treatment too expensive.

   b: 30 Dec 93

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2. "Brideshead Revisited"
   gs: Michael Lumsden [ Simon ], Jacqueline Beatty [ Lucy ], Patricia Kensley [ Mrs Edmunds ], Ian Thompson [ Mr Ward ]

   It's the anniversary of when Michael jilted Kate at their wedding, and she has vowed he'll never sleep with another woman on that day ever.

   b: 6 Jan 94

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3. "Cinderella Rockafeller"
   gs: Mark Williams [ Steven ], Noel Collins [ Mr Carver ], Norman Tyrrell [ Mr Brice ], Richard Long [ Rugby Player ]

   Diana and Rex have quarrelled about the forthcoming hospital dance, resulting in Diana's banning the use of expensive pain killers. The one chance of relieving the pain is to find someone else to take her to the ball.

   b: 13 Jan 94

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4. "The Green Eye of the Little Yellow God"
   gs: Nicky Henson [ Anthony Bolt ], Lynette Clark [ Mrs Leighton ], Paula Ann Bland [ Mrs London ], Ingrid Wiseman [ Nurse Sarah ], Dennis Clinton [ Elderly Patient ], Gavin Duff [ Lost Patient ]

   The visit of a notorious tabloid journalist intent on finding evidence of medical malpractise tests everybody's vow of silence to the full.

   b: 20 Jan 94

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5. "The Canvas"
   gs: Hilary Mason [ Mrs Warrington ], Timothy Bateson [ Walter Lowe ], Adrian Bracken [ M.C.], Steve Brigden [ Bob Graham ], Julian Parkin [ Dr Keith Browne ]

   Kate is determined that the boxing dinner due to take place in the hospital hall will not go ahead, but Michael has tickets.

   b: 27 Jan 94

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6. "Beware Young Girls of Five and Twenty"
   gs: Jennifer Gibson [ Nurse Mandy ], Nadine Shenton [ Geraldine ], Brenda Peters [ Mrs Wing ], Michael Redfern [ Mr Warner ]

   An attractive new nurse causes a further complication to the wheel of relationships, particularly when Diana's plans for abolishing the Nurse's Home to build a multi-story car park become apparent.

   b: 3 Feb 94

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   2nd Series 1995

7. "Doctor Death"
   gs: Jennifer Gibson [ Nurse Mandy ], Louis Mahoney [ Mr Tambo ], Earl Cameron [ Mr Tambo Senior ], Jackie Abbey-Taylor [ Mrs Cartney ], Andrew Conlan [ Terry Benson ]

   It's Phil's birthday and he has two wishes: to get promotion and to have a date with Nurse Mandy. Kate and Michael's attempts to get both of these for him result in a macabre situation.

   b: 6 Jan 95

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8. "Not Tested on Rabbits"
   gs: Malcom Mudie [ Mr Fish ], Stephen Ullathorne [ Medical Student ], Gerry Hinks [ Mr Shreeve ], Malcolm Freeman [ Terri's Father ], Moya O'Shea [ Terri's Mother ], Karen Salt [ Terri ], Jackie Broad [ Mrs Cramer ]

   Diana's announcement that everyone is to take a personality test worries Kate, but provides Rex with an evil plan to get rid of her once and for all.

   b: 13 Jan 95

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9. "You Bet Your Life"
   gs: Arthur Whybrow [ Mr Edmonds ], Dione Inman [ Mrs Warwick ], Julie-Christina Young [ Miss Eastman ], Andrew Nyman [ Photographer ], Nicky Barthorp [ Aurora ]

   When Virginia Bottomley announces a surprise visit to the hospital, Michael foolishly makes a bet with Kate he can get her to kiss him.

   b: 20 Jan 95

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10. "The Old Dope Peddler"
    gs: Jennifer Gibson [ Nurse Mandy ], Christopher Ryan [ Peter Hudson ], Tim Barlow [ Mr Bain ], Beryl Cooke [ Mrs Rossi ], Michael Nicholson [ Dr Tristram ]

    Can Michael and Kate stop Rex dispensing dangerous drugs to helpless patients in order to get a free holiday from the drugs company?

    b: 27 Jan 95

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11. "Five Have Plenty of Fun"
    gs: Jennifer Gibson [ Nurse Mandy ], Joanna Phillips-Lane [ Receptionist ], Jonathan Deverell [ Masked Murderer ], Angus Kennedy [ Shot Body ]

    Away from the hospital on an weekend training session in a remote hotel, all the tensions below the surface of the medical team bubble to the top.

    b: 3 Feb 95

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12. "Finders Keepers"
    gs: Owen Brenman [ Mr Lester ], Sally Grace [ Mrs Wisdom ], Tracy Gillman [ Beverley Lester, QC ], Phil Nice [ Roy Wisdom ], Andrew Powell [ Mr Gill ], Colin Wyatt [ Policeman ], Steve Weston [ Bailiff ]

    A dialysis patient is about to have his number of treatments on the kidney machine reduced by Diana, when an opportunity for transplant occurs. Unhappily, in their haste to gain his wife's permission a series of events is set in motion that could mean the end of the unit.

    b: 10 Feb 95