Episode 2

Nigel Planer, Celia Imrie, David Westhead, Phil Cornwell and Tony Gardner star in a timely satire on the NHS set in the bewildering new world of Coalition healthcare. This new sitcom is written by Private Eye's medical columnist, broadcaster, comedian and practising GP Dr. Phil Hammond and David Spicer ('Double Income, No Kids Yet' and 'Three Off the Tee'.)

As responsibility for the Health Service is stripped from managers and handed to doctors, brothers-in-medicine Roy & Hugh Thornton are struggling to work out what to do with all this sudden money and power. If they can diagnose acute appendicitis surely they can manage an £80 billion health budget. Can't they?

But a useless Celebrity TV Doctor, an overly-aggressive South African Nurse and a sinister GP Consortium Chairman don't make their lot any easier.

In this second episode TV's Dr. Jeremy and the two Dr. Thornton brothers have been persuaded by their Consortium to buy the Polyoaks Walk-In centre and set up a polyclinic. It's now their Practice Manager Betty's unenviable task to show them how manage the money. Well they couldn't do it on their own, could they? Hugh's too busy playing squash with local politicians and Roy has started filming consultations. And if, God forbid, any of their patients is seriously ill, will anybody notice?

Cast:
Dr Roy Thornton: Nigel Planer
Dr Hugh Thornton: Tony Gardner
TV's Dr Jeremy: David Westhead
Betty Crossfield: Celia Imrie
Vera Du Plessis: Carla Mendonca
Mr Devlin/Patient: Phil Cornwell
Mr Stafford: David Holt
Nanny/Mrs Grafton: Kate O'Sullivan
Oliver: Hugo Docking

Written By Phil Hammond and David Spicer

Producer/Director: Frank Stirling
An Unique production for BBC Radio 4.