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Polyoaks

Comedy: Satire

Comedy: Sitcoms

NHS satire by Dr Phil Hammond and David Spicer

Polyoaks: Series 1

Polyoaks: Series 1: Episode 3

Episode 3

Series 1

BBC Radio 4 Extra - Polyoaks, Series 1, Episode 3

Dr Hugh is worried that Dr Roy has overlooked a possible communicable disease.

Dr Hugh is worried that Dr Roy has overlooked a possible communicable disease. NHS satire sitcom stars Nigel Planer and Celia Imrie. From June 2011.

Written By Phil Hammond and David Spicer.

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' 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 episode Hugh is lumbered with a problem patient, when Roy goes mysteriously AWOL, while cycling for his health. He's worried that Roy's overlooked a possible communicable disease, which could lumber the practice with a disastrous drugs bill and he really needs a second opinion. Trouble is there's only Dr. Jeremy on hand. Which is worse than useless. And anyway it would mean interrupting the STD clinic.

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/Mr Bourner ..... Phil Cornwell 

All Patients played by David Holt and Kate O'Sullivan 

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

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Satire on the NHS, set in the bewildering new world of coalition healthcare

Satire on the NHS by Dr Phil Hammond and David Spicer, set in the bewildering new world of coalition healthcare

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