As the curtains rise on the second installment of Malpractice, Kate McAllister (portrayed by Zoe Telford) and James Ford (embodied by Tom Hughes) step into a conference room, joined by Precious Danso (Naana Agyei-Ampadu) and an assortment of other attendees. The Chief Medical Director, Dr. Eric Sawers (Rick Warden), strides in, addressing the gathering with the gravity of their communal duties. He drops a bombshell: the Integrated Care Board is mulling over their potential shutdown. Eric emphasizes that they must demonstrate they have gleaned wisdom from recent mishaps. Dr. Ford laments their futile attempts at voicing concerns, stressing that adequate funding is paramount for safe operations. Eric counters that additional funds were once made accessible and assures they are striving to secure more, while everyone will be under a microscope in the forthcoming weeks.
Later, Kwame Essiedu (played by Tobi Bakare) informs Dr. Ford of a visitor awaiting him in the relatives' lounge. James Ford discovers Ed Newman (Alex Price), who demands answers, quizzing him on how he overlooked Rosie's poor health and why he let her depart. James clarifies that Rosie (Hannah McClean) displayed no acute symptoms. Ed presses further, querying why James allowed her to flee again and why he failed to emphasize the significance of lorazepam. Kwame's timely reminder of James's 1 PM appointment interrupts the tense conversation, prompting James to delegate the issue to management. Ed insists he cannot wait months for the investigation's conclusion; he demands to know why his wife perished. He wonders why no one else recognized Rosie's psychotic state, believing doctors and midwives should have noticed something during her childbirth. Ed asserts they had four days to pinpoint Rosie's issue. James, astounded by the revelation she spent four days in the postnatal ward, remarks on the unusual duration.
Security officers arrive to escort Ed out, prompting Indira (Shereen Martin) to inquire about James's provocative words. James protests innocence, recounting Ed's accusations about Rosie's extended hospital stay. He expresses skepticism, wondering if there was any rationale behind it. Indira reminds him that Rosie ended her life on his watch. She urges Eric to consider compensating Ed promptly to keep the Minor Injuries Unit's focus on Dr. Ford. Eric, reluctantly, concurs to arrange a meeting.
James checks on Samira (Romona Lewis-Malley), inquiring about aripiprazole, but she's more engrossed in the television doctor. Dr. Bernadette Asamoah (Jessica Layde) cuts in, informing James that Toni has barricaded herself in a toilet with labor approaching. James urgently tries to coax Toni (Seraphina Beh) to open the door while Bernadette attempts to contact Kate McAllister. Once the door is pried open, Caitlyn grabs a pillow, and they hastily commence assisting Toni in her delivery.
Precious insists that they ought to await the arrival of an obstetrician, but James counters that time is of the essence. Eric takes a seat alongside Norma Callahan (portrayed by Helen Behan) and George Adjei (played by Jordan Kouame). Indira voices their earnest desire to prevent any recurrence of a tragedy akin to Rosie's demise. Norma recalls that their initial conversation with Dr. Ford had underscored several managerial shortcomings in his handling of Rosie's case. Eric elaborates that Dr. Ford transferred to their hospital midway through the previous year, arriving with glowing recommendations, which negated the need for a thorough background check.
James informs Bernadette that the baby is trapped, with the shoulders refusing to emerge. They instruct Toni to halt her pushing efforts. James hastily consults on shoulder dystocia. Precious persists in her plea to wait for an obstetrician, but James warns that inactivity will lead to a fatal outcome for both mother and child. He demonstrates to Bernadette and Precious the necessary maneuvers and soonafter delivers the baby. Dr. Sophia Hernandez (Selin Hizli) finally arrives to assume control of the situation, reminding James that she should have been summoned immediately upon the commencement of labor.
The baby's vitality is uncertain, and Toni is experiencing excessive blood loss. A faint heartbeat is detected for the infant, while Toni requires oxygen, which is in short supply. They rush her to the hospital. Bernadette inquiries about the whereabouts of Toni's designated nurse. Kate admits she had reassigned the nurse from Toni's care. In a private exchange, James reprimands Kate for not maintaining constant vigilance over Toni. Kate argues that staffing shortages necessitated such reallocation and asserts that James is unaware of the myriad challenges faced by the ward. She insists that the Minor Injuries Unit (MIU) must remain oblivious to this incident. James counters that they have saved lives, yet Sophia expresses her inability to stem Toni's bleeding. Arun Mansoor (Ace Bhatti) suggests a hysterectomy as the only viable option, informing Toni that this would render her infertile. Arun questions whether this is necessarily a detriment.
James learns that Bernadette intends to report Kate McAllister. He contends that obstetrics, not Kate, bear responsibility and warns that implicating her would reflect poorly on all involved. Bernadette fears that Kate would scapegoat them if her career hung in the balance. James disagrees, arguing that obstetrics will inevitably seek to blame them regardless, emphasizing the importance of solidarity. Bernadette ultimately decides against filing the report. Sophia confides in Arun that they have made errors but anticipate being scapegoated. Arun disputes this, placing blame on psychiatry for failing to alert them sooner, arguing that a patient like Toni was unlikely to provoke concern. He advises Sophia to preemptively disseminate her version of events should the situation escalate. Arun also emphasizes that Dr. Ford committed several errors and that the appropriate authorities should be apprised of this.
George informs Norma that CCTV footage captures James entering the car park shortly before 3 a.m. Norma requests a license plate check to ascertain whether Automatic Number Plate Recognition (ANPR) systems have logged his car elsewhere. She extends an invitation to George and Gina for dinner. Sophia contacts George, expressing her desire to meet as she may possess pertinent information regarding Dr. Ford. Meanwhile, Kwame asks James to authorize an increase in Samira's medications on McAllister's orders.
Kwame ponders whether he ought to reserve the bed for Patient 136 when James informs him that the individual is awaiting transportation in A&E, insisting that protocols are being diligently followed. They are steadfastly waiting for an ambulance, regardless of the potential delay. As fate would have it, James encounters Aislene (Amy Marston), who informs him she has been granted permission for a half-hour escorted excursion. James proposes that Kwame escort her to the shops later. Meanwhile, Sophia confides in George, laying the blame for their dire situation with Toni squarely on Dr. Ford's shoulders. She alleges that Dr. Ford deemed Toni no longer required a dedicated nurse, leading to an unnoticed onset of labor until it was危急万分. George vows to confront Dr. Ford about the matter and inquiries about any distressing remarks from Rosie concerning her mental well-being. Sophia reveals that Ed had expressed concerns, which she took seriously. Despite an agreed-upon meeting with Rosie, Dr. Ford attempted to reschedule for another assessment until Sophia threatened to escalate the issue. George mentions Rosie's refusal to take the prescribed lorazepam, to which Sophia responds that she had prescribed it as instructed but is unsure why it wasn't administered.
Norma updates George, revealing that another patient and an infant have suffered due to Dr. Ford's flawed judgments. She wonders aloud why Sophia disclosed this information. As Dr. Ford's HR file arrives, it hints at a past grave incident, with critical details censored. Witness accounts hint at police involvement, prompting Norma to seek a conversation with Kate McAllister. Sophia informs James and Kate that Toni's hysterectomy was unavoidable, suggesting she return to the psychiatric unit. James counters that she isn't prepared for such a setting, and Kate concurs, emphasizing the unsuitability of the psych unit for a post-operative patient needing recovery and bonding time with her newborn. Sophia proposes transferring Toni to Willow Ward, but James argues passionately that an acute psychiatric ward is no place for an infant. He endeavors to secure a login to document his notes, amidst Norma and George's probing of Kate about James's abrupt departure from his previous job. Kate insists she's unaware of any such complaints, noting James's dedication and commitment, and denies asking Dr. Ford to attend Toni's sectioning. She acknowledges that the decision to remove Toni's one-to-one nurse was a management call.
Later, as James peruses Rosie's notes, he reminisces about their conversation. He joins Norma and George, where James persists that Kate had requested his presence at the Mental Health Act assessment, attributing the discrepancy to a miscommunication. They rigorously question him about Toni's delivery, with James contending that she never should have been on their ward, exacerbated by obstetrics' refusal to accept her. George counters that obstetrics was unaware of their insufficient resources to manage an emergency.
Subsequently, they grill James regarding his tardiness, prompted by Bernadette's call. Reluctantly, James confesses he had been residing at his girlfriend's due to the incessant noise from his flatmates. Before James could elaborate further, Norma interrupts, suggesting they ought to inquire with Sophia about the complications surrounding Rosie's birth. Norma clarifies this as mere conjecture. Turning the spotlight on James once more, they question his abrupt departure from his previous employment. He responds by stating that the reason was redacted since it deemed immaterial. George then reads aloud a newspaper article detailing a junior doctor's decision to release a mentally unstable patient from seclusion, driven by compassion for what he deemed an excessively harsh punishment. Shortly thereafter, a nurse was assaulted. James swiftly corrects this narrative, revealing the ward's culture where nurses frequently resorted to seclusion for difficult patients, seeing it as a simpler alternative to de-escalation techniques. Norma, however, remains unyielding, continuously undermining James's judgments. His attempts to clarify further devolve into a disjointed ramble until George steps in. Norma asserts their conclusions will be submitted to a tribunal for assessment, ultimately determining James's medical practice eligibility. Meanwhile, Precious lounges nearby, seemingly detached.
James is compelled to assure Samira of his genuine medical credentials, reprimanding Precious for leaving caution tape strewn among suicidal patients, an oversight she acknowledges with mention of Kate's absence throughout the morning. James learns that MC remains in the Accident and Emergency department, awaiting transfer. He ponders the futility of adhering to protocols that yield no tangible results. He promptly phones, instructing them to escort MC with two nurses for safe transportation. Norma struggles in vain with a vending machine, while George reveals that Rosie was warded for four days without any noted complications in her records. Her discharge was orchestrated by her midwife, Maria Carter, after a consultation with Sophia Hernandez. George adds that Maria has since relocated to North Yorkshire Hospital but was subsequently suspended. Maria responds to their summons via email, declining any informal communication unless accompanied by her Royal College of Midwives representative and legal counsel. Norma insists on a meeting at the earliest convenience.
Enter Maria (played by Katherine Dow Blyton), who joins them with a grave expression upon learning of Rosie's suicide. Instantly, she suspects Sophia might be under scrutiny and attempting to deflect blame onto her.
Maria asserts that she had informed Sophia of a pressing issue and emphasized the necessity for Rosie to consult a psychiatrist. However, Sophia promptly requested her to revoke the referral, effectively bringing an end to the scheduled appointment. As Sophia returns home, she discovers her children have acquired novel possessions. Meanwhile, Maria sends her a message, warning that the Medical Incident Unit (MIU) has taken notice of her actions.
Will, played by Joshua Lacey, greets James warmly and urges him to join their dining companions, hinting at the presence of someone who might intrigue him. During the gathering, James remains visibly distracted, his thoughts elsewhere. He confides in Fizz (Hannah Chinn) about his professional journey, and when prompted to share the most bizarre patient encounter, he recounts the tale of the individual who amassed a collection of deceased pigeons. Fizz, intrigued, extends an invitation to James to accompany them to the club.
Elsewhere, Norma and George socialize with Gina (Phoebe Sparrow) and Rubi (Imogen Sandhu), but a争端 arises between Norma and Rubi, who makes her disdain for the medical profession unequivocally clear. Meanwhile, Fizz and her friends indulge in pills, while James, nearby, consumes whisky, unable to shake thoughts of Rosie from his mind. Offered a pill, James places it in his shirt pocket, intending to resist temptation. Yet, as he seeks more whisky, Fizz approaches, retrieves the pill from his pocket, and consumes it without hesitation. Their kiss later heralds their departure together.
Unsurprisingly, Fizz's reaction to the pill turns ominous, necessitating immediate medical attention. James directs the driver to North Yorkshire, where Fizz is swiftly taken and treated. In a moment of deceit, James fabricates his name and denies giving Fizz the pills. Upon returning home to Kate, who expresses surprise at his unexpected arrival, James admits to having made a grave mistake.
