The Royal

- Season 5

(2006)

Gordon Ormerod returns to the hospital following his accident and is called to a girls'school where his unsympathetic treatment of a hypochondriac pupil suggests that he needs more time to recover. A new nurse, Catherine Deane, comes to work at the Royal whilst T.J. Middleditch prepares to retire as hospital administrator.

Having secured the future of the Royal Mr. Middleditch hands over to the much younger Adam Carnegie whilst Gordon's plaster comes off at last. Mr. Rose is forced to think on his feet when disaster befalls a friend on the golf course whilst the Travis family have to face up to tragedy.

Gordon has still not regained all his old confidence as is evidenced when he attends a drunken farmer after a tractor accident. Paul Guthrie accuses his glamorous young step-mother Debbie of trying to murder his father, night-club owner George who has been admitted to the hospital with symptoms of poisoning, whilst Jeff becomes involved in a domestic case when Hilary Worthington claims custody of her grandson on the grounds of his parents' irresponsibility. Lizzie has an admirer in stationery salesman Teddy Worthington.

Jeff is accused of becoming too involved when he goes out of his way to help Carol Buxton, who tells him that she is suffering domestic violence at the hands of her husband whilst a patient who is referred under an assumed name causes confusion. Frankie suspects that Gordon's erratic behaviour is caused by addiction to his medication.

An epidemic of typhoid breaks out, located to the wards, and the Royal has to be quarantined though, despite this, Mr. Rose still has to bring an injured man into the hospital for an operation. Jill catches Gordon, still not his full self, asleep on the job.

Jean Westerley comes to the Royal, suffering from burns, and Gordon is anxious that she be admitted but she refuses, saying that she cannot leave home, causing him and Jill to discover her reason. Frankie goes after a man trying to steal his motor-bike and injures him, causing the thief to crash the bike and ultimately to die. Alun becomes obsessed with an expensive hi-fi system.

When a friend of the Ormerods complains of stomach pains, Jill diagnoses appendicitis and Mr. Rose prepares to operate. However, it turns out to be a perforated bowel and the patient dies of septicaemia. Adam Carnegie is critical of Jill, who is defended by Gordon. Jeff is let down by the parents of baby Charlie Worthington when he persuades the baby's granny and guardian to take him to the park, whilst a misunderstanding leaves Catherine Deane believing Adam has asked her to a dance.

When Ella Hale brings baby Anne to the Royal and congenital syphilis is diagnosed, it is revealed that Ella and her husband have adopted the child unofficially and the real mother is stripper Paula, who now decides she wants to see her baby again. Catherine treats an old friend of her late husband, Billy Yates, who asks her on a date, whilst Gordon and an unimpressed Mr. Rose find themselves at a hippy camp.

Nigerian locum Joan Makori encounters prejudice from patient's mother Mrs. Woodbridge but wins her respect after saving her daughter's life. Adam and Catherine have a secret date at the races where jockey Liam O'Brien falls ill after starving himself to make the weight. Gordon is concerned for school-boy Jimmy Carbery who is running himself ragged with milk and paper rounds to sustain his family but ultimately gets the boy a job as stable-lad when he leaves school.

Due to signposts being changed in the war to confuse Germans, Joan gets lost on her way to a remote home visit and is rescued by Ken in time for her to sample some Yorkshire hospitality for treating the Worsleys' son. Adam takes Catherine to an Italian restaurant whilst a randy window-cleaner is brought in in a state of undress having injured himself fleeing an irate husband. The X-ray machine breaks down and an old man dies but his widow donates his savings to the Royal in gratitude for past treatment.

Chip shop owner Phil Granger comes to the Royal after a fire which the police believe he started in order to claim the insurance. Elderly Mr. Wilkinson is also brought in after Ken almost runs him over and a desperate Phil steals an ambulance with the old man inside it, ending up in the sea. Jill persuades a bullied wife to live life for herself whilst Jeff decides to volunteer his services in Biafra.

An elderly trawler-man collapses and his boat ploughs into and demolishes a pier on which a wedding reception is being held. Jeff rescues the groom from drowning whilst Gordon has to perform an amputation in situ to free a guest from the wreckage. Afterwards a leaving party is thrown for Jeff but Gordon is called away as Jill gives birth prematurely.