Something sinister is stalking the corridors of Bassethwaite General Hospital, and it's not just the cleaners. Join the harried staff as they battle with NHS cutbacks, the unkillable superbug, trade union disputes, overpriced carpets, a new surgeon visiting from the US, the ghost of Ward 13, and the man who 'slipped in the shower and landed on a carrot'…
Bassethwaite General is a small but busy hospital serving the Bassethwaite area of the North West of England. It was founded in the 14th century by a religious order, the Little Sisters of the Poor, and remained a Church institution until the creation of the NHS. It is now part of the Bassethwaite NHS Trust – just one of many unremarkable hospitals in the region, not dissimilar to that portrayed in BSkyBBC’s long-running medical TV drama Accident.
The hospital comprises a mixture of old and new buildings. The oldest parts date back to the 1420s; these include the cellar, the Chief Executive’s offices, the Chapel, the Pathology Laboratory and the morgue. Most of the wards and the kitchen were built in Victorian times. New additions include the Reception and waiting room, and the Pharmacy. Most recently of all, a Chinese take-away van has taken up permanent residence in the hospital car park.
Eric Baldwin, Chief Executive
Appointed by the Board of NHS Trustees to run Bassethwaite General; responsible for policy, finance, and the hiring and firing of staff
Medical Staff
Dr Charles Fortescue, Consultant
Dr Celia Carmichael, Consultant
Jointly in charge of the hospital's medical services
Dr Gary Jackson, Doctor
Dr Floyd Carter, Surgeon
Visiting from the USA
Dr Harry Stiff, Psychiatrist
Nursing Staff
Elsie Hetherington, Matron
In charge of the hospital's nursing services
Felicity Smith, Nurse
Mickey Lea, Nurse
Sister Maria Annunciata, Nurse
A member of the Little Sisters of the Poor
Ancillary Staff
Dr Kurt Liebschitz, Pathologist
Eddie Ramsden, Pharmacist
Cornelius Jacoby, Chaplain
Sextus Swelter, Cook
Craig Potts, Receptionist
Nagel, Porter
Workers’ Union Shop Steward
Hobbs, Cleaner
Workers’ Union Shop Steward
Others on the ward today
Anthony Drake, Lawyer
R. Wang, Owner of a Chinese take-away van
Mr Zanetti, Italian waiter
A patient in the waiting room
Premiere: EuroGenCon 1998
Subsequent runs: Furrytales Short Stories 2000
Return to the front page.
Last update: 17th February 2012