What’s He Done Now?

Alex, our exhausted Chief Executive, was trying to keep everything quiet and rolling along at St. Angela’s and its children’s hospital, Reggie’s, so that the forthcoming inspection would go smoothly. There was a rumour that a hostile takeover dressed up as a merger was in the wings. His nerves were shredded by the local press’s constant attention to with the “Nappy Scandal” – the ongoing story of new computer muck ups, no orders, too many orders, and management with “no grip”. And then there was the ever-present car parking problem – too many cars and not enough spaces. It was particularly bad at Reggie’s.

Reggie’s had its fair share of Prima Donnas. The one I recall with a wry smile was Dr. Rudi Van Der Loo. He was a pathologist – not a speciality noted for having Prima Donnas, but Reggie’s conducted bone marrow transplants and pathology was central to the programme’s success. Rudi, known as Rudey to most, exhibited a form of Prima Donna Syndrome known as the “playboy”. Such individuals were loveable rogues, naughty in the extreme, but charming, utterly charming, and they exhausted the patience of bureaucrats. Continue reading →