Stevie Nash and Charlie Fairhead spearhead a zero tolerance policy in Casualty episode Barriers (BBC One, 9.20pm, Saturday 13 January 2024 — See our TV Guide for listings) but there’s a backlash from the paramedics when these new measures put them in danger.
Elsewhere, Teddy Gowan asks Jodie Whyte to keep shtum about their one-night stand, Iain Dean and Natalia Malinovsky get closer, and one Casualty favourite considers walking away from Holby once and for all.
Full Casualty spoilers for Barriers below…
Stevie Nash faces furious backlash
Consultant Stevie Nash (Elinor Lawless) has the bit between her teeth following Ryan Firth’s brutal assault and decision to leave nursing behind him.
This week, with the support of clinical lead Max Cristie (Nigel Harman) and nurse manager Charlie Fairhead (Derek Thompson) she briefs the ED staff on Holby Hospital's new zero tolerance policy. This involves trialling queue barriers, the use of body cameras and a red card system, which identifies volatile patients and hospital visitors, meaning they can be refused non-life threatening treatment. Added into the mix is PC Harry Sinclair (a new semi-regular character played by Outlander’s Rod Hallett), who’s on hand to turf out anyone acting up.
It’s an imperfect solution to a difficult problem and results in a furious backlash from the paramedics who quickly learn these new measures put them in danger…
By the end of play, Stevie is left questioning the direction she’s taken the ED in, as two paramedics and a patient are placed in mortal danger.
Will she have blood on her hands by the time the shift finishes?
Jacob and Sah’s deadly ordeal
When paramedic Jacob Masters (Charles Venn) gets wind of the new protocols he queries whether this is the direction they should be going in — even after Charlie introduces PC Harry as an old mate of his!
All too soon Jacob’s worst fears come true while on a shout out with co-worker Sah Brockner (Arin Smethurt). The duo attend to injured asylum seeker Habid Ali (The Swimmers’ Mudar Abbara) and are caught up in a violent anti-immigration protest.
Trapped as the angry mob swarms their ambulance and refused admittance to Holby ED due to Habid’s name being on the red card system, Sah and Jacob have to make a split-second decision.
Will they get out alive?
Teddy’s love trouble!
Paramedic Teddy Gowan (Milo Clarke) is in shock when his ex, doctor Paige Allcott (Shalisha James-Davis), returns to work and greets him with a big warm hug.
The last time they spoke, she’d called off their engagement and Teddy did what any self-respecting soap character would do — drowned his sorrows in the pub and hooked up with a colleague!
What Teddy wasn’t unaware of when he was tonsil-deep with nurse Jodie Whyte (Anna Chell) is that Paige had left him a voicemail saying that she believes calling off the wedding is for the best as it gives them time to build on their relationship…
Suddenly finding himself undumped, Teddy jumps into damage control mode and begs Jodie to keep quiet about their one-night stand.
Will she play along?
Sah weighs up their future
Prior to the terrifying attack Sah approaches boss Jan Jenning (Di Botcher) and reveals that a cancellation means their top surgery has been brought forward. If Sah, who handed in their notice last year, decides to take the new appointment it will leave the team short staffed and also result in their time at Holby coming to a close earlier than expected.
Will Sah decide to take the new surgery date or stay at Holby for a bit longer?
Also in Casualty this week
Jodie confides in Rida Amaan (Sarah Seggari) that initial tests reveal she has the potential to be a kidney donor match for her father, Max.
There isn’t much time to think about what she’ll do, however, as Cam Micklethwaite (Barney Walsh) reveals that Max’s mum, Stella Lawson (Kate Williams), has been admitted to resus with breathing problems.
As Stella’s health rapidly deteriorates, Max and Jodie look on helplessly as Dylan Keogh (William Beck) treats her… And the reality of donating an organ hits home for Jodie.
Meanwhile, Rida is super eager to start work as a carer for Rash Masum’s father, Ashok (Kriss Dosanjh). Rash (Neet Mohan) stands firm on Rida’s start date, but Cam begins to suspect that the young nurse has money worries…
Elsewhere, A-level student Natalia Malinovsky (Zoe Brough) opens up even more to paramedic Iain Dean (Michael Stevenson). Are they becoming too close for comfort?
Casualty episode Barrier airs on BBC One on Saturday 13 January 2024 at 9.20pm. It is available on BBC iPlayer after transmission.
