Casualty1986

[earlier on, Abs ordered a work-to-rule as a protest about Charlie being sacked; now a patient has died and Zoe blames Abs]

Zoe Hanna:
Proud of yourself, Abs? Good day's work, was it? We've put patients' lives in danger today. I don't blame the paramedics. I don't blame Ruth - she made the best call she could, given the experience she has in the field. No, I blame you, because you chose not to do your job when a patient needed you.

John 'Abs' Denham:
Really? Well I've worked in this ED a lot longer than you.

Zoe Hanna:
Then you should know better. How *dare* you leave your colleagues exposed. You were petty, childish, irresponsible - and something much worse could have gone wrong today. You should seriously think about whether you want to be a nurse or not.

John 'Abs' Denham:
Maybe you're right. Maybe I shouldn't be a nurse. No-one seems to want to let me do my job.

Zoe Hanna:
Are you blaming other people?

John 'Abs' Denham:
Well that's what we do round here, isn't it? It's not like after three decades of hard work I'd have the thanks, respect and loyalty of my colleagues and employers, is it? Just ask Charlie.

Harry Harper:
That is not fair.

John 'Abs' Denham:
How did it get to the point where half of what we do is not on our job description and yet unless we do it people start accusing us of letting the side down? Cost cutting. Not taking breaks. Overtime. Working uninsured. This is supposed to be the best health service in the world. So why is it being run like a dodgy car dealership? All of that gets in the way of me doing my job. Maybe I should give up. But I won't. Because I *want* to be a nurse - if this hospital will let me.

[everyone applauds]