Norm invents a strict curmudgeon of a partner to boss around his easygoing paint crew while Sam goes crazy with concern after selling his precious 'Vette.

There's a crisis at Holby due to cut backs and it puts a strain on all the staff, when patients are kept waiting in corridors because there are no beds available. One of Megan's patient's, who has just lost a baby ends up rowing with the husband because of it and Megan has to keep apologising to them for not being able to move her to the ward. Duffy's first patient has a broken leg but she's more upset by the timing of her accident because she was about to go on holiday. After years of holidaying in the UK, she had finally persuaded her husband to go abroad and now they can't go but Duffy sees no reason why, after treatment, they can't go. Charlie and Valerie are at loggerheads over the bed shortage and when she offers him a course to go on, he sees it as a waste of valuable money, in the current crisis. Duffy's not pleased with him either for allowing Alex to go out with the ambulance team. The receptionist, Julie Stevens, is at odds with Jimmy, the porter over getting drunk on