Help (2021) Movie Script
Being a carer is all about...
..acknowledging and, you know,
preserving the residents' dignity.
You know, I've been told,
I've been told before
that I'm very good at making people
feel comfortable.
Very, you know, I'm very social,
very sociable person,
very personable,
very personable...
..very personable.
Like to have a laugh, like to go...
like to have a
Don't say you like have laugh.
She's not your mate.
Ow!
Hello... Hi. I'm Sarah Bain.
I'm here for the interview.
DOOR ENTRY BUZZES
RADIO PLAYS
It's just down there, love.
Excuse me, I'm looking for Steve.
WHISPERING: Follow me. Be quick.
Go on, then.
We've been given the honour
of getting tea and that
for the candidate.
You're the only candidate.
Er, tea, please, yeah.
Ta.
Milk and sugar?
One and a half, please.
You mean two.
No, she means one and a half.
That's not a number, is it?
Well, it is a number,
it's one and a half.
I'm sorry. He's rude.
I'm Tony, by the way.
He's Kenny.
After Kenny Dalglish, easy.
Where he's named after milkman
his mum used to play dominoes with.
Ask him how old he is, ask him when
Dalglish made his debut.
My dad was a fortune teller.
A point to me... Tit.
Sarah, is it? Yeah.
Thank you, lads.
So what brings you
to residential care?
Well, I've got me Level 1
in Preparing to Work in Adult Social
Care... Going to stop you there.
This job is about treating
people with dignity.
Of course.
This is their home that we work in.
So I'm not just employing any old
knobby-knobstopper to wipe an arse.
Have I upset you?
You sent your CV and,
well, your skills are joking
and your work's not much better.
You know, I just... I haven't found
a good fit,
and I think,
given the opportunity...
You think 53 hours of your Level 1
makes you ready for this?
Did I say that? Cos you
might be trusted to pull a pint,
but sitting with a scared old man
while he's trying to work out
what a fork is...
- -All right, Alan Sugar!
Yeah, you see me,
but I see you as well.
Do you know how many people... You
came in here absolutely certain...
with this precious Level 1...
I was a waste of time.
And they last no more than I week.
Well, I won't even last that long.
Stick your job.
Do you know, me grandad had
Alzheimer's and I was only young,
but I remember... I remember singing
and dancing with him and I thought,
"Do you know, if I can help someone
else like that,
"maybe I'll feel less like shit."
So I understand dignity.
But from the way that you've carried
on, I'm not sure that you do.
You'll do fine.
You can start Monday... Whatever.
I was baiting you.
SHE EXHALES
ENGINE STARTS
ENGINE REVS
Stop!
You wanted tea.
I'm not supposed to be out
here unsupervised,
but I learnt the door code
and I wrote it down.
OK... They'll change the code now.
That's all right. I'll risk that.
Cos I like you.
WHISPERS: Fucking hell.
Tony!
Tony, come on, lad.
In!
Ta-ra.
I'll see you Monday.
So?
I got it.
Look at you! What's that screaming?
She got the job, Bob.
I'll give her five minutes before
she fucks it... Bob, don't.
I say it, you think it.
I won't mess up, not this time.
Did you take the car? Yeah.
She took the car today. It's my
turn... Well, she had her interview.
Doesn't mean she can take my keys.
I paid for the car.
Car's for all the family.
Messed up there, didn't you?
And what did you do today, Dad, eh?
Did you scratch your right bollock
or left? I see you...
..even if she doesn't.
DOOR ENTRY BUZZES
Hello, love. You having a sad day?
Thelma?
Are you all right?
Where are you going?
TV ON
QUIET CONVERSATION
You get nothing.
Don't I now?
Bill's just delivering the post,
if you'll excuse us? Yeah.
Nothing for her... No, love, not yet.
Any for me, Bill?
I'll take that as a no.
Follow me to the office, please.
So what we have here
is a one week induction...
..with two days training
on the floor.
The first six weeks of probationary
but I'll do my best by you.
Nights, you know,
they're generally OK.
I've switched my shifts
so I can be doing your induction,
so it's all joined up.
Right, uniform.
Me mum chose the colour.
Used to be hers, all this... OK.
I think it makes it look like you
work in a tuck shop
or on Play School or whatever shit
they watch these days,
I haven't got kids.
I'll let you get changed, then,
and when I come back,
give you the guided tour,
lay out a few don'ts and do's.
KNOCK ON DOOR
I need the phone... Oh, eh!
I need the phone... Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, you're OK.
HE DIALS
RINGING TONE
Er, police.
Hello, my name's Steve Frobisher.
I'm calling from
Bright Sky Care Home.
One of our residents
has gone missing.
His name is Tony Connell.
He's 47 years old.
He has young onset Alzheimer's.
Jeans and a blue jacket, I think.
Well, he hasn't been seen since tea.
Yeah, thank you. All right.
Well, someone will be here to answer
this number.
CLICKS FINGERS
OK, thank you. OK, thank you. Bye.
You with me now... But... Come on.
Ooh!
I know where he'll probably be -
he'll have gone to his mum's.
Have you got this?
Cos I need her with me.
Well, there's only two of us.
Are you kidding? We'll be quick.
My feet hurt.
Oh, that's because you've been
walking over my heart all day, pal.
Come on, let's have a sit-down.
You'll know her...
..by her foot
The smallest gamboge hand
Fingers where the toes should be
Would more affront the sand.
That's beautiful.
This is his route.
I can't watch for him, you can,
both windows.
You remember his face, right?
He's a bit young, isn't he,
for all this?
It happens more than you think,
you know.
Probably been ill for a while with
the Alzheimer's,
but his mum was masking it.
Anyway, she dies and he sets fire
to the back kitchen,
ends up walking down the
street half naked... Shit.
Police pick him up and he's like,
"Don't touch me, don't touch me!"
You know the sort of thing? No.
A few evaluations later and a brain
scan or two and he moves in with us.
He's a lovely fellow...
..but can't keep him still for
love nor money.
There.
There he is.
There... Good girl, good girl.
INDICATOR CLICKS
Tony, come on, mate.
Tony! Tony!
Come on... Going back to me ma.
Tony, come on, mate... Get your
fucking hands off me, will ya?!
Tony, come on. You're going
to get me into trouble
with the police again
like last time.
Who the fuck are you to talk
to me like that? Tony...
You're just confused, mate.
- -Do you want to go? Come on.
It's only Steve.
- -I was expecting a big hello here
and this is what you do.
One and a half sugars.
I've got to get back to me ma.
She needs me.
She worries about me
when I'm not there.
Why, were you a naughty boy at
school, was you?
Sometimes, yeah... Oh, she had a right
to worry, then, didn't she?
SHE CHUCKLES
Well, do you want to come back
to ours?
Me ma makes the best scouse
in the world.
Oh, I love scouse,
especially with a load of HP.
Can you tell me her recipe?
No, she'd rather die.
She is dead, isn't she?
HE SNIFFLES
I forgot me ma was dead.
We're going to take you home, Tony.
I'm going home... Somebody else
lives there now, Tony.
The council, they've given that to
someone else.
You have a bed in a home with us -
Bright Sky Homes, do you remember?
Bright Sky.
Poster on me wall.
Bruce Grobbelaar, Alan Kennedy...
..Phil Neal...
Mark Lawrenson, Alan Hansen,
Sammy Lee, Ronnie Whelan,
Craig Johnston...
..Ian Rush, Kenny Dalglish...
..Graeme Souness...
Fierce player, Souness, wasn't he?
- -Yeah.
He was me favourite.
HE EXHALES
Come on, Tony.
Hey, come and show me your poster.
Hmm?
ENGINE STARTS
You all right? Oh, hey.
So, we've got six breakfasts due,
and we're behind on feeds.
How did we get behind on feeds?
Needed a hand with the
meds order. We're behind.
Seniors are behind, we're behind.
Do you want to make a start
on Gloria's pad change?
Then lead on to Hercules' breakfast?
Oh, yeah, I get pads, do I?
What, you think she'll let me do it?
OK, time for downstairs.
I know.
Oh, I've got a joke
about that, actually.
About my bits? No!
But it is a bit naughty.
I like naughty... OK.
Now, there's this little boy called
Liam, and he goes downstairs
in the middle of the night and he
asks his dad for a cup of water...
Oh, they do that.
And his dad says,
"Jesus, Liam, that's the 15th one
"you've asked for tonight."
Oh, it's difficult
when they won't asleep.
And he says,
"I know it's the 15th, Dad,
"but me room's still on fire."
It's not a great joke.
Are you ready for me
to start downstairs now?
Will you tell me that joke again?
There's this little boy
called Liam... Yes.
And he goes downstairs
in the middle of the night,
and he asks his dad
for a cup of water.
HERCULES MUTTERS INDISTINCTLY
OK, Hercules.
I need you to pop your teeth in
before we do breakfast.
You don't like me doing it.
You bit me last time.
Do you remember?
Come on, Herc, before we...
TRAY CLATTERS
Fuck's sake...!
HE MUTTERS
SARAH EXHALES
What? What are you pointing at? Eh?
What? Me hair?
SARAH LAUGHS
What about it?
Eh?
My mind to me a kingdom is,
therein such present joys I find,
that it excels all other bliss
that Earth affords
or grows by kind.
Through much I want that
most do have,
yet still my mind forbids to crave.
No princely pomp, no wealthy store,
no force to win the victory,
no wily wit to salve a sore,
no shape to feed a loving eye.
To none of these I yield as thrall.
For why?
My mind doth serve for all.
I see how plenty surfeits oft,
and hasty climbers soon do fall.
I see those that are aloft,
mischanche may threaten most of all.
They get with toil,
they keep with fear.
Such cares my mind could never bear.
Content I live, this is my stay...
English teacher.
They always tell people
to take the Christmas shift.
Not only is the pay better,
but you actually have a good time.
Mm, it's nice.
And for some reason, at Christmas
less people shit themselves.
Thank Santa for that... Yeah.
Lo, thus I triumph like a king,
content with what
my mind doth bring.
That was beautiful, Polly.
What? I said, that
was beautiful, Pol.
That was a young
lady from Lancashire,
who succumbed to her lover's desire.
She said, "Oh, this is sin,
but now that it's in,
"can you page push it a
few inches higher?"
LAUGHTER AROUND ROOM
This is you and me when
we went to the beach.
Get away! Dad, it's OK.
Go on, go on...
Get away from me.
- -Dad, it's me, Joan. It's OK.
Go... Herc?
OK, calm down, mate.
- -Just get her away from me.
Please, Dad, it's OK.
You're all right. It's all right.
Take her away, take her away.
It's Joan, it's your girl...
Steal away, steal away...
SNACKS CRUNCHING
LAUGHTER FROM TV
GLORIA: She was out of
her mind with grief,
and guilt, Catholic guilt...
It was all weird. But I just
think she lived with the guilt.
No visitors?
Well, don't say that.
It's crowded enough in here
with just me, myself and I.
You off home?
In a bit.
Do you know how to play Shithead?
LAUGHING: What?
It's a simple game, really.
You deal three card blind,
three cards facing,
and you get three cards
in your hand.
Right, the aim of the game is to
get rid of all your cards.
Yeah? OK.
Highest card wins.
If you can't go higher,
then you pick up from the pile.
Only cards that'll do you
different is two - which means
you start again from two
- or seven.
If I play a seven,
you have to play lower then.
Or a ten, which is like a magic
card, a ten clears the whole pile.
Capishe?
- -How do you remember all of that?
It's all right.
Yeah, we'll pick up as we go along.
I never was a big fan of...
It'll come to me.
Christmas.
Well, why weren't you a fan?
Well, when my dad left,
it was just me and Aunt Trisha.
We had to look after me mum.
That was hard.
Some days it was really messy.
And then after that doctor gave her
her tablets, then...
..she never left the couch.
I remember one Christmas me Dad
didn't get me anything.
No presents.
He says, "I told her
"if she weren't a good girl,
she weren't going to get shit."
And were you?
Was you a good girl?
Well, I was in PRU at
the time, so...
Oh, it's a pupil referral unit.
It's... it's basically where
they put kids no school wants.
No! But I was 12!
Do you know what I mean? I was...
I think all 12-year-olds should
get presents. Don't you?
Yeah... Yeah, well, the worst thing
was me mum went along with it.
She's just as bad.
So you were a proper bad girl, then?
"Proper bad girl."
I did some damage.
Primary school,
I'd lost me bouncy ball,
and the teacher couldn't find it,
so I smashed every single light
in the classroom and got
suspended for two weeks.
Oh, school disco, Sonia Sherbet.
Well, she called me a slag
because I had boobs before her.
So I broke her nose.
TONY LAUGHS
Yeah. Got moved schools for that.
GCSE, Maths.
I turned up late and I told my
teacher I didn't have me...
..ne calculator, me ruler,
and me, erm...
Pen... Pen, yeah, yeah.
So, erm... So he said
to me I was too late
and he'd given them all out, so...
I knocked him out.
I didn't get no GCSE though.
- -Neither did I.
THEY LAUGH
Third school they found me,
I remember nicking the keys
off the caretaker,
and I let these mates of mine in...
..and they cleared out every
computer they could find.
Yeah. They didn't know it was me.
Otherwise I probably would've
been sent away... Yeah.
But I think the caretaker knew, but
he didn't say anything, because...
Well, I mean, me mate was
sucking him off at the time.
Fuck...! Yeah.
You win.
SARAH LAUGHS
Oh, I regret it all now.
What we playing?
Shithead.
Yeah.
A simple game, really.
You deal three cards blind,
then three cards facing,
then three cards in your hand.
Then the aim of the game is
to clear all your cards, yeah?
Yeah, I know.
KEYS JANGLE
You're home late.
Hey, you missed a good one.
There's loads still to
be cleaned there.
Your mam went to bed early.
Headache or something.
How were the old people?
Uh, really good.
Yeah.
I can smell them on you.
Careful of that.
Sodium powder and piss.
That's what me dad smells of.
I think I smell fine, Dad.
Do they need anyone else there?
Do they need anyone?
- -Oh, fuck off.
You need to be able to lift them.
You know, and with your back...
You know, the food banks...
..they gave Christmas crackers
this year.
Bloody proud of them they were, too.
"You like these crackers,
don't you?" "Nice."
HE SCOFFS
Merry Christmas to them.
FURNITURE CLATTERS
CAR RADIO:
This is BBC Radio 5 Live.
Good morning, it's 6:36,
it's Thursday, March 5.
A woman in her 70s has become
the first person in the UK
to die after testing positive
for coronavirus.
The Royal Berkshire Hospital,
in Redding,
said she had underlying
health issues.
The number of people infected in
the UK has jumped again to 116...
SARAH CHANGES RADIO STATION
SHE SINGS ALONG TO MUSIC
Now, the secret with sheep
is that they love easily,
and a way to make a sheep
love you is to feed it.
So, my colleague there, Susan,
she's coming round with some
feed to give you. So those of you
who are willing,
get ready to be loved.
I can see you are, fella.
You're chomping at the bit
like these are, aren't you?
Get ready. Three, two, one.
Go on! Spread some love.
That's it, straight in there.
That big one there, love, is Wonky.
Don't kiss him.
He knows where you've been.
I can feel her heart.
Can you?
Very calming.
Hmm.
You can tell her a poem,
if you like.
No, this is nice as it is.
Tickle him under his chin,
he loves that, like me.
We've had word from the hospital,
we're going to be taking on
a few more residents.
How many? Eight.
It's the virus thing.
They just need, you know,
to make space,
get rid of a few long termers.
Well, is it safe, like?
They're doctors, love.
What, and you think I don't
watch the news? I know.
This is us doing our bit.
Most of them should have
been out years ago,
they're just blocking up beds.
We're being useful.
It's good... OK.
This is Stan, he's 85 years old.
Hiya, Stan.
Where's your mask?
Uh, I didn't knew we needed
to wear them.
Who's your manager?
I'm the manager.
No masks unless you're around the
infection, that's what we were told.
He's been tested, right?
He's all clear?
It's above my station, that.
Shall we get him in?
I've got five others
to deliver today.
Yeah, let's get you somewhere
comfortable, shall we, Stan?
AMBULANCE RADIO CHATTER
RADIO BEEPS
Right, I need to talk to you all
about Covid-19 protocols.
We need more PPE... Let's not start
out all aggressively, shall we?
We've got a box of this
and a box of that
but mostly we've got a box
of eff all.
Look, I am trying. I drove around
every bloody chemist yesterday,
every one in the best part
of Merseyside.
I couldn't get masks, I couldn't get
alcohol wipes, couldn't get nothing.
And PHE don't give a shit... No,
it's rationing, pure and simple.
They want to protect the NHS
and care homes can just go to hell.
The guidance is face masks
should only be worn
when within two metres
of the infected
and we don't have any infected yet
so we don't need to wear them, OK?
Cleaning - when in doubt, scrub with
every disinfectant you can find.
And residents are to be fed in
their rooms exclusively from now on.
Where are we supposed to find time
for that? The priority has to be
keeping the residents apart,
so we have to do a lockdown
inside the home.
- -But we carry it between them.
Then we have to be dead careful
not to carry it between them.
As soon as we know there's a case,
barrier nursing, OK?
Washing hands, erm...
Happy Birthday twice, or two verses
of Ferry Cross The Mersey.
New masks, new aprons?
Oh, no, we can't do that, can we?
And I'm banning visits.
What? Just till we know.
Hold on, there's no advice on that.
No, that's me.
I'm saying it's happening,
for the sake of everyone here.
What about Bill? He sleeps in the
lounge. What am I supposed to do?
Tell him to sleep in his
own bloody bed for once.
One last thing, the laundry service
have said that they can only do half
of what they did before
so can we please
try and keep the sheets on the beds
a little bit longer.
Oh, Steve, come on. If people
are sick they need new sheets.
Do they not know that?
- -It's Covid protocol.
It's there to keep their
staff apart. It's...
I don't know. It's annoying.
It's all just annoying.
From midday we implement, OK?
And I will find you your PPE.
REPORTER: There have been
92 care homes
where an outbreak has been detected.
One of the things we want to do
is to extend the amount
of testing of people in care homes
and the ability to test...
Where have you been?
Out. Why? Looking to grass me up
are you?
You're not supposed to be going out.
You can cut the holier than thou
crap. You're going to work.
I'm supposed to be in work.
I'm needed in work.
Yeah, and they've all got it,
and you're bringing it here,
so what's the problem? Because your
divvy mates could infect you,
which could infect me, which
could then infect my residents.
It's such shit. I'm young. I need to
live my life - do something with it.
Yeah, you're really doing something
with your life, aren't you?
Hey, hey, hey.
You sound like your dad.
It's her, saying I can't go out.
If he infects me
and then I infect them.
Well, there's a solution to that,
isn't there?
Don't look at me like that.
We've coped without your wage
before, we can cope again.
Come on now... I like it, Mum.
Actually, I'm good at it.
Steal away
Steal away
Steal away to Jesus
Steal away
Steal away home
I ain't got long...
Kenny, can you go back into
your room for me, please?
I'll get you fed as soon as I can.
- -I don't want to be fed.
I want to watch telly.
- -The lounge is closed.
I need to get all these dinners out.
Can we get you in here? I'll get
your tray and bring it in for you.
I need to come in.
You can't be here right now.
I'm not leaving my dad in there
knowing what's going on.
We'll sort something out, OK?
I need to see him now. Let us in.
Maybe you can talk to him
through the window.
It's for the best for everyone.
- -It's not for me, is it, Steve?
Why can't you come in?
We're just not allowed in.
They're not allowed to let us
near you... What do you mean?
It's not allowed... In case we catch
this silly Covid thing.
Let's open the window, yeah?
No, no, we can't...
We can't open the window.
- -Why can't we?
No, no, we can't.
Steal away
Steal away home...
KNOCKING Hello.
Can I go out today?
No, I'm afraid not, no.
I can't do this.
I've had it with being here.
I don't fucking want to be here.
WINDOW RATTLES Calm down, Tony.
You know what we do,
take a deep breath...
Tony! You take a fucking
deep breath, eh!
Tony, it's Sarah.
Everything OK here?
I'm your friend and I'm not
scared of you. Steve, go away.
Come on.
Come on.
Are you doing your exercises?
I can lift a bus, me.
Are you eating?
You're not my mother.
What does it bloody look like?
THEY LAUGH
Well, you've got half of it
down your top,
that's what I'm talking about.
You must be starving.
You cheeky get.
What's this?
I'm breathing in.
THEY LAUGH
He was fine.
He just needed calming.
Good news and bad news.
The good news is, my mate Rob the
builder has got us some dust masks.
Bad news?
Gloria's got a cough
and a temperature.
Tim is with her in her room.
- -Is she OK?
For now.
Steve, there isn't no-one
she hasn't been near.
The GP has said that there is no-one
available to send out right now.
When they do,
they'll just be on a screen.
RRAT have told us
there's nothing down for us.
We don't even get a nurse?
All rapid response nurses available
have been sent to local hospitals
or LA run care homes.
Did you know it would be like this?
How could I?
I followed all the advice.
We did more.
No-one told us.
No-one.
My mum was in here too.
As a resident? Yeah. It felt right.
But wrong.
I always made sure I was the one
who cleaned her up,
you know, gave her her dignity
with the other members of staff,
cos they were her employees
and they shouldn't be the ones
to have to wash her bottom.
I just wanted this place to...
I wanted it to be
a good place to be.
COUGHING
I've got some water. If you want
to have a sip, just let me know.
SEVERE COUGHING
I tell you what, you can
have just a little bit.
OK, OK...
COUGHING
How can I help you, Gloria?
I'm quite unwell.
You may have to fetch a doctor.
OK.
Hercules, come on, love.
There you go.
SPLUTTERING
There you go.
Come on. OK, OK, OK.
Are you doing your exercises? Yes.
MUFFLED CHATTER
Is she going to be OK?
You should be in your room.
Am I going to be OK?
I promise you will.
KNOCKING
Sarah? Are you in here?
Herc's tripped over.
Sarah?
TOILET FLUSHES
Oh, Herc.
Let's get you cleaned up, shall we?
Fuckin' hell.
I know I've used my five tests.
We've got it everywhere
and I don't know who to separate.
STEVE COUGHS
But you're PAT.
You're supposed to be supporting me.
COUGHING
SEVERE COUGHING
Don't put me on hold.
Don't you dare come in here
dressed like that again.
We haven't got none of that.
Not one of us.
You could give us your kit, eh?
Give us your kit, you rich gits.
Just a few pieces!
Give us your kit!
CAN HISSES
This programme contains scenes some
viewers may find distressing.
Joan hasn't turned up, Steve.
OVER PHONE: Let me call her.
- -No, I've called her.
She's not answering.
- -OK, you stay on an hour or two.
Well, I...
I don't have a choice, do I?
With you and Tim and everyone
else on the 14 days, I-I'm it.
Look, I wish I could come in
and help, but I'd infect them all.
HE COUGHS
COUGHING CONTINUES
Oh, all right -
don't be dramatic about it!
HE CHUCKLES
Don't make me laugh!
Oh, it hurts to buggery.
Is Tori, er...? Tori's phone's off.
You know what her fella's like
if she gets called in.
Is there nothing from the agencies?
I'll try.
CQC will kill the both of us
if it's just you there alone.
You do your best, and I'll do mine.
SHE POURS WATER
You got a poem for me, Pol?
Yeah, well,
I've got some pills for you.
Well, maybe I'll do a recital
while I give you them, eh?
"I wanna be rich
"And I want lots of money
"I don't care about clever
"I don't care about funny
"I want loads of clothes
"And I want fuckloads of diamonds
"Though I hear people die
while they're trying to find them
"And I'll take my clothes off
and it will be shameless
"You know, because everyone knows
that's how you get famous
"I'll look at The Sun
and I'll look in The Mirror
"I'm on the right track
"Yeah, I'm on to a winner."
You're gonna be OK, Pol.
MAN COUGHING
HE WHEEZES
Kenny.
COUGHING CONTINUES
Jesus, Kenny, what's going on?!
Eh?
Gonna take your temperature,
OK, love?
OK.
Oh, you're burning up.
Try and take two of these...
..and then I'm gonna
call a doctor, OK?
HE WHEEZES
KEYPAD BEEPS
LINE RINGS
RECORDING: Hi.
- -Hello...
This emergency line
is no longer in operation.
Please try Swinson Street
practice for support.
KEYPAD BEEPS
LINE RINGS
RECORDING: Swinson Street practice
offices are now closed.
Our working
hours are from 8am to 6pm.
If your call is Covid related...
SHE SIGHS Bastard.
KEYPAD BEEPS
LINE RINGS
COUGHING ON LINE
Look, I tried a few people,
and then I fell asleep.
Steve, Kenny's not well,
and I can't get a doctor out.
Have you tried
the out of hours number?
Nothing.
Shite. You've no choice. 111.
HE COUGHS
You're just on hold forever.
Look, I'm here, OK? Er...
Just let me know.
OK...
OK.
KEYPAD BEEPS
LINE RINGS
RECORDING: Welcome to NHS 111.
NHS 111 are experiencing
an extremely high number of calls
at the moment, and may not be able
to answer immediately...
OK, Kenny.
Come here, love.
HE WHEEZES
What I need you to do, Kenny,
is to breathe deeply, OK?
That's it, deep breaths.
LOUD WHEEZING
OK.
OK. OK, love.
BEEP
That's it, Kenny, deep breaths.
RAPID BEEPING
Oh, fuck.
NHS 111 RECORDING: Please be aware
that a short pause may follow
as you are connected
to your local NHS service.
KEYPAD BEEPS
LINE RINGS
WOMAN ON PHONE: What service
do you require, please?
A-Ambulance, please.
MAN ON PHONE:
What's the address of the emergency?
Bright Sky Homes. L64 9SD.
My name's Sarah Berner
and I need urgent medical assistance
for a resident with Covid.
Hello? Is the patient breathing?
Yeah, his breathing's ragged,
and he's got a temperature of 39.2.
Is the patient alert?
He's delirious.
How old is he?
He's 77.
Does he have a history
of breathing problems?
No.
Is the patient coughing?
Continuously.
Look, I've given him paracetamol,
it isn't going to be enough.
Have you been able to
take his blood oxygen?
It's 84.
OK. That's low... Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah, I know! Look, no-one...
Nobody's picking up.
Not 111, not the GP,
nobody's helping me.
Unfortunately, all our ambulances
are busy right now,
but we will be there as soon
as possible... Mm.
What if I wasn't
calling from a care home?
Sorry? Care homes,
they don't matter.
They don't matter any more, do they?
Look, he needs you and he needs me,
and you're not interested.
We will be with you as soon as we
can. Let me talk to a clinician...
Yeah, and they're gonna tell you
we're not high priority.
Stay with him, make him comfortable
and monitor his breathing,
I'll get back to you
as fast as I can.
SHE SIGHS
NHS 111 RECORDING CONTINUES
KENNY WHEEZES
I'm sorry, Kenny.
I'm so sorry, no-one's coming.
No-one's coming.
Kenny, I've seen forums online,
and it tells me what I need to do.
It says what may help
is to move you over onto your front.
It's called proning, and it may
ease... it may ease your pipes.
Does that make sense to you?
HE COUGHS HEAVILY
Oh, OK. Deep breaths.
Come on.
OK.
OK.
NHS 111 RECORDING CONTINUES
Oh...
Oh, I'm sorry...
OK, Kenny.
OK.
Three, two, one...
HE WHEEZES AND COUGHS
I'm sorry, Kenny.
PHONE RINGS
Kenny, I'll be one minute.
RINGING CONTINUES
DISPENSER ACTIVATES
Hello?
MAN ON LINE: Sarah? Yeah.
It's Martin from ambulance control.
Yeah... I've spoken to a clinician.
Kenny is still a priority to us,
but unfortunately we cannot allocate
a vehicle right now.
We'll try and get one...
Fuck off!
NHS 111 RECORDING CONTINUES
DISPENSER ACTIVATES
Tony?
Tony, it's me.
HE GRUNTS
Tony, I'm sorry to wake you, love.
What? Tony, I needed to look at me.
What? Are you OK?
I need...
I need help with your friend Kenny.
Eh? But it could put you in danger.
Tony, look at me.
I need you to be able to consent
properly to that.
What time is it? Er...
It's 3:30... What, in the morning?
Tony, Tony, please, please,
please concentrate.
Yeah... Look at me.
I'm looking, I'm looking.
Will you help me
move Kenny onto his front?
What, is he a big lad, is he?
Well, he's your best friend.
Isn't he? That's right.
Tony, please, I need your help, OK?
I believe that you would give it...
..and whatever your state, I believe
that you would give it, OK?
So, will you help me? To do what?
OK, love, I need you to... I need
you to get out of bed... What for?
Because I need your help.
Kenny needs our help. OK?
So I need you to get out of bed
as soon as you can.
And I need you to wash your hands,
please... All right, all right.
Wash your hands, please.
OK.
WATER RUNS
Tony, with soap, come on.
Bit more, yeah?
OK, that's enough.
OK, I need you to put
these on your hands.
That's it.
You need this on your face, OK?
OK.
So, are we robbing a bank?
No. I need you to keep them
on no matter what.
Promise me.
Do you understand what we're doing?
Well, I don't understand
why you're so upset.
I'm sorry, love. OK, follow me.
NHS 111 RECORDING CONTINUES
Do you understand what we're doing?
Yeah.
KENNY WHEEZES
Here are, Kenny... Kenny?
Kenny?
Kenny... Kenny?
Kenny's not very well.
He looks really bad.
He is really bad, but you know
what's gonna make him feel better
is us helping him.
Well, he can't breathe.
I know, love, and we need to roll
him over onto his front -
and guess what,
I need your strength for that.
Kenny?
I need one hand here...
..and one hand there.
Not too... Not too tight, Tony.
Nice and gentle.
Tony, we need to move quickly,
because you shouldn't be in here.
After three... Kenny...
One, two, three... OK.
Ken?
Kenny? That's it, love.
You're OK, Ken.
Let's make him nice and comfortable.
Kenny, it's OK.
There we go.
OK, love.
It's OK.
You're OK, Ken... OK, Kenny,
we'll be back in one moment.
Tony, I need you with me.
Come on, love.
Now, please.
It's OK, Ken.
We'll be back.
Tony, can you move a bit quicker?
I need you to wash your hands.
My hands are a bit raw...
No, you can wash them with me.
What did you say? No, no, no, no!
Don't touch your mask.
What? Do not touch your mask.
Tony, you know I'm not gonna
hurt you. Stand here, please.
OK? I need your concentration.
Look at me.
Pinch your glove...
That's right... and pull.
OK. Two fingers underneath,
and push.
And here, wash your hands.
Is Kenny gonna be OK?
I think so, yeah.
Come on, Tony, wash them properly.
Why are you shouting at me?
I'm not shouting.
And again.
Why are you shouting?
I'm just angry with myself,
that's all.
You're not angry at me, are you? No.
NHS 111 RECORDING CONTINUES
There we go.
Now we can take our masks off.
Look at me.
OK. You can take yours off,
and I'll...
..I'll swap mine.
OK, Tony, what I need you to do
now, right, is I need you to take
all your clothes off and I'm gonna
take them to be washed.
Yeah, but you'll see me naked,
though.
And then I need you to
get in the shower.
Be back in one minute... OK.
DISPENSER ACTIVATES
I'm gonna get you some
clean clothes, Tony.
You can turn that off now.
Can you get yourself dressed?
Yeah.
I've got you some new pyjamas there.
Thanks, love.
Well, get dry first, eh?
OK.
MUFFLED SOBS
What time is it?
Oh, it's 3:30.
I feel quite tired.
SHE LAUGHS WEAKLY
Yeah, me, too.
Thank you for tonight.
Well, I didn't do anything.
No, you're me hero.
Some days I feel OK, you know?
Some days I feel like I'm aware,
and what I should be.
And then some days
I don't know where the fuck I am!
But if I helped,
you know, that's nice.
Sorry.
Be back in a minute.
NHS 111 RECORDING CONTINUES
SHE SOBS
Oh...!
Oh...
available online through
the NHS website, 111.nhs.uk.
In cases where you think emergency
advice from a clinical expert
is not required,
you can find advice
on self treatment
on the NHS website.
You may also want to consider
getting advice
from your pharmacy or GP.
You can find advice online
on coronavirus and cold and flu...
SHE SOBS
Oh, fuck...
Please take into consideration
that most patients
suffering from coronavirus may only
display minor symptoms
and only require the same treatment
as the normal cold and flu symptoms.
However, if you are displaying
the symptoms,
you must also take measures
to self isolate and protect others.
For patients who have not been
specifically advised to seek advice,
you should only seek
further assistance
if your symptoms are significantly
limiting your capacity
to continue with
everyday activities.
If this is the case
and you still require consultation,
please continue to hold...
NHS 111 RECORDING CONTINUES
BEEP
SHE KNOCKS
Sarah.
Do you want to come outside?
We were on your own here last night?
Yeah.
Yeah, I ended up doing a double,
you know?
I need to get
the breakfast together.
Er, I'll do that.
You've just done a 20 hour shift.
Kenny's not well.
And... I can see that.
Why did you put him on his front?
Well, they said to make
and comfortable, and...
So you thought you'd go rogue.
I admire the balls.
No-one would come.
Yeah, it's like they've
forgot about us, innit?
No.
No, they haven't forgot.
No.
You're a good girl.
Whatever happened here last night,
you did well.
Get yourself home.
I'll do the breakfast.
RADIO: This is Today at seven
o'clock on Tuesday, 21st of April.
The body which represents
NHS trusts in England
has warned against advising
the public to wear masks,
saying it could jeopardise
supplies for health workers
during the coronavirus pandemic.
MUFFLED FOOTSTEPS
AND WALKING FRAME
ON PHONE: Hiya, Sarah, it's Tori.
I thought that you should know
that Kenny passed five minutes ago.
OK, then.
OK. Er...
Have you called his lad?
- -No. That's Steve's job.
Well, Steve's sick,
and, you know, I was with him, so...
Yeah, I've got, erm... his mobile.
Have you got a pen?
You OK?
Just need to make a call.
Can I get you some breakfast?
No. Can you leave me alone?
See you've laid out the bunting,
then... Oh, you're back.
Oh, I'm back, baby.
I've got some fine-looking PPE.
Proper aprons, good masks,
great gloves.
All delivered from China to my door,
say no more.
You both look shattered.
Is this the point where
I say thank you?
It feels like this should
be that point.
You were sick.
So, what needs doing?
We're behind on meds.
Then show me the way to Mandalay.
I've come to take charge now.
Been doing a lot of thinking.
I've come to take charge.
We need a rotation on the use
of outside space... Good idea.
And inside. They can't be
in their rooms all day... Good idea.
We need the system for visits.
I think with some simple
rigging in the car park, we'll be...
HE LAUGHS
All right, bright spark, let me get
my feet under the table, will you?
I've got it now.
AMBIENT OUTSIDE NOISE
HE MUTTERS UNDER BREATH
ALARM BLARES
Ah!
Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop.
KNOCKS AT DOOR
Morning.
I've come to change your bedding.
And then let's get you some
breakfast, shall we?
Tony?
What's Tony on?
What do you mean? What the
fuck have you put Tony on?
It's a new regime.
It's prescribed... Yeah, but why?
Sarah, I know you're still
quite new to this
and you've had a very hard time...
No, fuck off back home
if you're just going to drug him!
He tried to escape again.
He's a constant flight risk,
so we spoke with Dr McCavitt
and devised a new patient plan for
Tony... We just need to watch him.
We've always watched him before.
His brain is still good, Steve.
Can't be doing this.
- -I've seen this before.
Over-associating with patients.
They're not patients,
they are residents.
And they're mostly fucking dead.
Right?
You are slowing him down
when he needs his wits about him.
He's got a good head on him,
Steve. You just leave him be.
You've been doing this,
what, five months.
I've been pushing this rock up
a hill for a little bit longer,
so watch out till you...
Please, take him off the drugs,
no more needs to be said.
Why does he matter
so much to you, eh?
Because he is a good man.
Which is really fucking rare.
And I'm a bad man, am I? I believe
you care about them, Steve.
I really do.
And none of this is your fault.
But you do this, and you are just
like the rest of them.
You're exhausted.
Yeah, I am, actually.
And the home can cope without
you for a week or two, so go home,
have a rest, have a good think about
whether this is what you want.
Sacking me? No, I'm simply letting
you know that we don't have any
hours for you next we
ek.
With a reduced number of residents,
we have reduced income.
They are reduced cos they died,
Steve.
Yeah, and I'm trying to keep
this fucking place
going for the ones that are left,
Sarah!
Finish your shift
and then give me a call
when you had a little bit of think
about the situation, will you?
Yeah... Put your mask back on.
CLATTERING
TROLLEY ROLLS ALONG
KNOCKS DOOR
Only me, Paul.
Tim?
Tim?
I'm not leaving you in here.
Hey.
Come on, love.
DOOR OPENS
OK.
Come on.
DISTANT CONVERSATION
Come on, Tony.
Wait there, Tony.
DOOR CLATTERS
Where are we going?
Your mum's.
ALARM BLARES
SHE LAUGHS
Woo!
Be careful, Tone.
It's really slippy.
Come on.
It's gorgeous, isn't it?
Ah!
Are you sure I didn't learn anything
in school, eh?
Tony!
Tone! Come on.
Can you hear the birds? Yeah.
My name is high
Low
Jack-alo
Low
High...
No.
Jack-alo
High...
High!
High... No, it's crap.
It's crap, you soft tomato.
I've got a better one.
Oh, when the Reds
Go marching in...
That's not a clap routine!
Oh, when the Reds go marching in!
I want to be in their number
Oh, when the Reds go marching in
Oh, when the Reds
Go marching in... ... Shush!
Shush!
- - When the Reds go marching in...
Look at that.
There's your paradise.
It's not so bad, is it?
You only asked today.
All right. No-one likes
a know-it-all, you know?
BIRDS CAWING
SHE SIGHS
SHE SIGHS
Tony!
Tony! Tone!
Tony!
Tone!
Oi, you.
Hey.
Oi! I've got to get back to me ma.
But, Tony, it's me... No, it's me ma.
Look, she needs me.
She worries about me
when I'm not there.
Well, she's this way.
Hey, you're a little bit lost.
Come on now. She's this way.
Hey.
You'll make the colour run
on me top like that.
That will stop you smelling like an
elephant. Quiet your noise.
SHE SIGHS
RADIO: Good afternoon and welcome
to Downing Street for the daily
coronavirus briefing.
I want to tell you what we've
been doing to protect
people in care homes throughout
the crisis.
Right from the start it's been clear
that this horrible virus
affects older people most. So, right
from the start we've tried to
throw a protective ring around
our care homes.
We set out our first
advice in February
and as the virus grew,
we strengthened it throughout.
We made sure that care homes
have the resources
they need to control the spread
of infection.
Social care is a devolved matter...
It's lovely, that.
I've always said you can't beat
bread and butter.
Yeah.
Dad, you can get out of here.
Now, don't get dramatic... Nah, I mean
it. I mean it, Dad, just go.
You're quite the cover girl, do you
know that? What?
Well, front page of the Echo you
were last week. "Covid on the run."
You think you're the one who's going
to fuck it up for me?
I remembered Nana took you
caravanning round here once.
What did you...? Did you break into
the vans? Please. Please go away.
Always with the fucking drama!
These are people's holidays,
people's dreams.
Where is he?
We've done ten days.
We only need to do four more... What?
We just need to get to 14 days
and then I'll make them put him
somewhere different.
This is quarantine?
Well, for 14 days, that's all that
matters, isn't it?
That's what they say.
You know, they'll know he doesn't
have it, then, and I think...
I'm sure he will be allowed to go...
He'll be allowed to go
somewhere different.
You're a mad cow.
You always say that.
Because you fucking are!
We had 20 residents when
this started.
Got given eight more.
We lost nine.
12 more had the bug.
They've been dying off,
one by one, Dad.
No.
The thought of leaving him
like that...
What do you need?
Money.
No... Uh, food. Just normal food.
Fucking hell.
Steady, all right?
What's going on? Right foot. Ooh!
There you go.
Left foot down. Next step. Perfect.
Don't get your hopes up, all right?
But it's something, do you know
what I mean?
Where are you taking me? To
the firing squad or something?
Sit down.
What's going on?
Just wait, will you?
Woohoo-hoo!
Ta-da!
What is it you did?
The cards.
That'll be telling.
Now...
Do you know how to play shitter?
HE CHUCKLES
Is this me surprise?
Yeah. Do you like it? Yeah.
Do you know? I've never done much of
this before.
To think the world we know
and it's all over. Walking.
Seeing. Shift-free for one thing.
We went on holiday when I was a kid.
Oh. Where did you go?
Donegal.
Oh, Donegal... Donegal. Yeah.
Yeah, me ma had a cousin.
Left us some money when she died
and she just went, "Fuck it.
"We're going to Donegal." To this
day, I don't know
why it was Donegal.
Were you there with Trish? Yeah.
You look like her a little
bit, actually.
Softness.
Can always tell when someone's
a bit soft.
I'm not soft. I'm not soft!
I'm saying you are, Sarah.
You're soft... Oh, right.
Hang on a minute.
MUSIC: The Fields of Athenry
I like this one... Me, too.
This is Sarah's song.
Yeah, I know... Yeah.
Yeah, you're a blue, though.
You're Everton. You're Everton.
- -Nah! Yes, blue nose. "Meh!"
You're a blue nose.
You are a blue nose.
- -Yeah, I am... Yeah.
And what? How did you know that?
How did you know that?
- -Because I can smell it.
I thought I had you... No, you didn't.
Hasn't put me off you, though.
I love you, actually.
I love you, too.
Our love was on the wing
We had dreams and songs to sing
It's so lonely round the fields
of Athenry
By a lonely prison wall
I heard a young man calling...
Shit. Tony, go inside.
Why? Go inside.
Look, can you just...?
Just wait for one minute.
Come on now, love. Come here... No!
No! No, you don't. No, you don't.
Where are you taking her? You're
going to come with me for a minute.
I don't want to go with you.
I want to go with Sarah.
You do not have to say anything.
Tony! Sarah!
Tony!
Harm your defence if you do not
mention when questioned something
you later rely on in court. Anything
you do say may be given in evidence.
Do you understand me? Please don't
take him back there.
You don't understand... Sarah, you're
in enough trouble as it is,
love... Please.
Tony!
Tony, are you OK?
Come here, mate!
Calm down, love... Calm down.
Come on, Sarah.
Calm down! Leave him alone.
MUFFLED: Sarah. No, I'm going
with Sarah.
SHE SNIFFS
Was it me dad who told you?
No, some walkers saw you.
Do-gooders, you know.
Do-gooders... Well, they did good.
Caught you.
I need your help. Listen to me. He's
done 12 days. He's nearly safe... No.
No, I quarantined him, I did... No.
Just radio in and tell them not
to take him back there.
Take him somewhere else, please.
Please! Are you listening to me?
Are you listening to me?
Please... It's not my
department, love.
No. No. No, it never is, is it? Eh?
No, never... Never is. Never is.
It's always someone else.
It's the way this country works now.
You know, keep our eyes
down to the rest of it.
You know, cos if we see people
queueing up for food banks
and if we see people lying...
Lying on the streets,
if we see disabled people being left
to die, we'll feel sorry.
We can't cope. We can't cope with
Tory. Not us.
Not any more. Underlying health
conditions. What's in them?
When did our lives stop being
worth the same, eh?
Eh?!
Come on, Tony.
Come on, mate.
Welcome home.
Where's Sarah?
You don't need to worry about
her right now.
Come on. Let's just get you in.
Have a nice cup of tea.
..acknowledging and, you know,
preserving the residents' dignity.
You know, I've been told,
I've been told before
that I'm very good at making people
feel comfortable.
Very, you know, I'm very social,
very sociable person,
very personable,
very personable...
..very personable.
Like to have a laugh, like to go...
like to have a
Don't say you like have laugh.
She's not your mate.
Ow!
Hello... Hi. I'm Sarah Bain.
I'm here for the interview.
DOOR ENTRY BUZZES
RADIO PLAYS
It's just down there, love.
Excuse me, I'm looking for Steve.
WHISPERING: Follow me. Be quick.
Go on, then.
We've been given the honour
of getting tea and that
for the candidate.
You're the only candidate.
Er, tea, please, yeah.
Ta.
Milk and sugar?
One and a half, please.
You mean two.
No, she means one and a half.
That's not a number, is it?
Well, it is a number,
it's one and a half.
I'm sorry. He's rude.
I'm Tony, by the way.
He's Kenny.
After Kenny Dalglish, easy.
Where he's named after milkman
his mum used to play dominoes with.
Ask him how old he is, ask him when
Dalglish made his debut.
My dad was a fortune teller.
A point to me... Tit.
Sarah, is it? Yeah.
Thank you, lads.
So what brings you
to residential care?
Well, I've got me Level 1
in Preparing to Work in Adult Social
Care... Going to stop you there.
This job is about treating
people with dignity.
Of course.
This is their home that we work in.
So I'm not just employing any old
knobby-knobstopper to wipe an arse.
Have I upset you?
You sent your CV and,
well, your skills are joking
and your work's not much better.
You know, I just... I haven't found
a good fit,
and I think,
given the opportunity...
You think 53 hours of your Level 1
makes you ready for this?
Did I say that? Cos you
might be trusted to pull a pint,
but sitting with a scared old man
while he's trying to work out
what a fork is...
- -All right, Alan Sugar!
Yeah, you see me,
but I see you as well.
Do you know how many people... You
came in here absolutely certain...
with this precious Level 1...
I was a waste of time.
And they last no more than I week.
Well, I won't even last that long.
Stick your job.
Do you know, me grandad had
Alzheimer's and I was only young,
but I remember... I remember singing
and dancing with him and I thought,
"Do you know, if I can help someone
else like that,
"maybe I'll feel less like shit."
So I understand dignity.
But from the way that you've carried
on, I'm not sure that you do.
You'll do fine.
You can start Monday... Whatever.
I was baiting you.
SHE EXHALES
ENGINE STARTS
ENGINE REVS
Stop!
You wanted tea.
I'm not supposed to be out
here unsupervised,
but I learnt the door code
and I wrote it down.
OK... They'll change the code now.
That's all right. I'll risk that.
Cos I like you.
WHISPERS: Fucking hell.
Tony!
Tony, come on, lad.
In!
Ta-ra.
I'll see you Monday.
So?
I got it.
Look at you! What's that screaming?
She got the job, Bob.
I'll give her five minutes before
she fucks it... Bob, don't.
I say it, you think it.
I won't mess up, not this time.
Did you take the car? Yeah.
She took the car today. It's my
turn... Well, she had her interview.
Doesn't mean she can take my keys.
I paid for the car.
Car's for all the family.
Messed up there, didn't you?
And what did you do today, Dad, eh?
Did you scratch your right bollock
or left? I see you...
..even if she doesn't.
DOOR ENTRY BUZZES
Hello, love. You having a sad day?
Thelma?
Are you all right?
Where are you going?
TV ON
QUIET CONVERSATION
You get nothing.
Don't I now?
Bill's just delivering the post,
if you'll excuse us? Yeah.
Nothing for her... No, love, not yet.
Any for me, Bill?
I'll take that as a no.
Follow me to the office, please.
So what we have here
is a one week induction...
..with two days training
on the floor.
The first six weeks of probationary
but I'll do my best by you.
Nights, you know,
they're generally OK.
I've switched my shifts
so I can be doing your induction,
so it's all joined up.
Right, uniform.
Me mum chose the colour.
Used to be hers, all this... OK.
I think it makes it look like you
work in a tuck shop
or on Play School or whatever shit
they watch these days,
I haven't got kids.
I'll let you get changed, then,
and when I come back,
give you the guided tour,
lay out a few don'ts and do's.
KNOCK ON DOOR
I need the phone... Oh, eh!
I need the phone... Yeah, yeah.
Yeah, you're OK.
HE DIALS
RINGING TONE
Er, police.
Hello, my name's Steve Frobisher.
I'm calling from
Bright Sky Care Home.
One of our residents
has gone missing.
His name is Tony Connell.
He's 47 years old.
He has young onset Alzheimer's.
Jeans and a blue jacket, I think.
Well, he hasn't been seen since tea.
Yeah, thank you. All right.
Well, someone will be here to answer
this number.
CLICKS FINGERS
OK, thank you. OK, thank you. Bye.
You with me now... But... Come on.
Ooh!
I know where he'll probably be -
he'll have gone to his mum's.
Have you got this?
Cos I need her with me.
Well, there's only two of us.
Are you kidding? We'll be quick.
My feet hurt.
Oh, that's because you've been
walking over my heart all day, pal.
Come on, let's have a sit-down.
You'll know her...
..by her foot
The smallest gamboge hand
Fingers where the toes should be
Would more affront the sand.
That's beautiful.
This is his route.
I can't watch for him, you can,
both windows.
You remember his face, right?
He's a bit young, isn't he,
for all this?
It happens more than you think,
you know.
Probably been ill for a while with
the Alzheimer's,
but his mum was masking it.
Anyway, she dies and he sets fire
to the back kitchen,
ends up walking down the
street half naked... Shit.
Police pick him up and he's like,
"Don't touch me, don't touch me!"
You know the sort of thing? No.
A few evaluations later and a brain
scan or two and he moves in with us.
He's a lovely fellow...
..but can't keep him still for
love nor money.
There.
There he is.
There... Good girl, good girl.
INDICATOR CLICKS
Tony, come on, mate.
Tony! Tony!
Come on... Going back to me ma.
Tony, come on, mate... Get your
fucking hands off me, will ya?!
Tony, come on. You're going
to get me into trouble
with the police again
like last time.
Who the fuck are you to talk
to me like that? Tony...
You're just confused, mate.
- -Do you want to go? Come on.
It's only Steve.
- -I was expecting a big hello here
and this is what you do.
One and a half sugars.
I've got to get back to me ma.
She needs me.
She worries about me
when I'm not there.
Why, were you a naughty boy at
school, was you?
Sometimes, yeah... Oh, she had a right
to worry, then, didn't she?
SHE CHUCKLES
Well, do you want to come back
to ours?
Me ma makes the best scouse
in the world.
Oh, I love scouse,
especially with a load of HP.
Can you tell me her recipe?
No, she'd rather die.
She is dead, isn't she?
HE SNIFFLES
I forgot me ma was dead.
We're going to take you home, Tony.
I'm going home... Somebody else
lives there now, Tony.
The council, they've given that to
someone else.
You have a bed in a home with us -
Bright Sky Homes, do you remember?
Bright Sky.
Poster on me wall.
Bruce Grobbelaar, Alan Kennedy...
..Phil Neal...
Mark Lawrenson, Alan Hansen,
Sammy Lee, Ronnie Whelan,
Craig Johnston...
..Ian Rush, Kenny Dalglish...
..Graeme Souness...
Fierce player, Souness, wasn't he?
- -Yeah.
He was me favourite.
HE EXHALES
Come on, Tony.
Hey, come and show me your poster.
Hmm?
ENGINE STARTS
You all right? Oh, hey.
So, we've got six breakfasts due,
and we're behind on feeds.
How did we get behind on feeds?
Needed a hand with the
meds order. We're behind.
Seniors are behind, we're behind.
Do you want to make a start
on Gloria's pad change?
Then lead on to Hercules' breakfast?
Oh, yeah, I get pads, do I?
What, you think she'll let me do it?
OK, time for downstairs.
I know.
Oh, I've got a joke
about that, actually.
About my bits? No!
But it is a bit naughty.
I like naughty... OK.
Now, there's this little boy called
Liam, and he goes downstairs
in the middle of the night and he
asks his dad for a cup of water...
Oh, they do that.
And his dad says,
"Jesus, Liam, that's the 15th one
"you've asked for tonight."
Oh, it's difficult
when they won't asleep.
And he says,
"I know it's the 15th, Dad,
"but me room's still on fire."
It's not a great joke.
Are you ready for me
to start downstairs now?
Will you tell me that joke again?
There's this little boy
called Liam... Yes.
And he goes downstairs
in the middle of the night,
and he asks his dad
for a cup of water.
HERCULES MUTTERS INDISTINCTLY
OK, Hercules.
I need you to pop your teeth in
before we do breakfast.
You don't like me doing it.
You bit me last time.
Do you remember?
Come on, Herc, before we...
TRAY CLATTERS
Fuck's sake...!
HE MUTTERS
SARAH EXHALES
What? What are you pointing at? Eh?
What? Me hair?
SARAH LAUGHS
What about it?
Eh?
My mind to me a kingdom is,
therein such present joys I find,
that it excels all other bliss
that Earth affords
or grows by kind.
Through much I want that
most do have,
yet still my mind forbids to crave.
No princely pomp, no wealthy store,
no force to win the victory,
no wily wit to salve a sore,
no shape to feed a loving eye.
To none of these I yield as thrall.
For why?
My mind doth serve for all.
I see how plenty surfeits oft,
and hasty climbers soon do fall.
I see those that are aloft,
mischanche may threaten most of all.
They get with toil,
they keep with fear.
Such cares my mind could never bear.
Content I live, this is my stay...
English teacher.
They always tell people
to take the Christmas shift.
Not only is the pay better,
but you actually have a good time.
Mm, it's nice.
And for some reason, at Christmas
less people shit themselves.
Thank Santa for that... Yeah.
Lo, thus I triumph like a king,
content with what
my mind doth bring.
That was beautiful, Polly.
What? I said, that
was beautiful, Pol.
That was a young
lady from Lancashire,
who succumbed to her lover's desire.
She said, "Oh, this is sin,
but now that it's in,
"can you page push it a
few inches higher?"
LAUGHTER AROUND ROOM
This is you and me when
we went to the beach.
Get away! Dad, it's OK.
Go on, go on...
Get away from me.
- -Dad, it's me, Joan. It's OK.
Go... Herc?
OK, calm down, mate.
- -Just get her away from me.
Please, Dad, it's OK.
You're all right. It's all right.
Take her away, take her away.
It's Joan, it's your girl...
Steal away, steal away...
SNACKS CRUNCHING
LAUGHTER FROM TV
GLORIA: She was out of
her mind with grief,
and guilt, Catholic guilt...
It was all weird. But I just
think she lived with the guilt.
No visitors?
Well, don't say that.
It's crowded enough in here
with just me, myself and I.
You off home?
In a bit.
Do you know how to play Shithead?
LAUGHING: What?
It's a simple game, really.
You deal three card blind,
three cards facing,
and you get three cards
in your hand.
Right, the aim of the game is to
get rid of all your cards.
Yeah? OK.
Highest card wins.
If you can't go higher,
then you pick up from the pile.
Only cards that'll do you
different is two - which means
you start again from two
- or seven.
If I play a seven,
you have to play lower then.
Or a ten, which is like a magic
card, a ten clears the whole pile.
Capishe?
- -How do you remember all of that?
It's all right.
Yeah, we'll pick up as we go along.
I never was a big fan of...
It'll come to me.
Christmas.
Well, why weren't you a fan?
Well, when my dad left,
it was just me and Aunt Trisha.
We had to look after me mum.
That was hard.
Some days it was really messy.
And then after that doctor gave her
her tablets, then...
..she never left the couch.
I remember one Christmas me Dad
didn't get me anything.
No presents.
He says, "I told her
"if she weren't a good girl,
she weren't going to get shit."
And were you?
Was you a good girl?
Well, I was in PRU at
the time, so...
Oh, it's a pupil referral unit.
It's... it's basically where
they put kids no school wants.
No! But I was 12!
Do you know what I mean? I was...
I think all 12-year-olds should
get presents. Don't you?
Yeah... Yeah, well, the worst thing
was me mum went along with it.
She's just as bad.
So you were a proper bad girl, then?
"Proper bad girl."
I did some damage.
Primary school,
I'd lost me bouncy ball,
and the teacher couldn't find it,
so I smashed every single light
in the classroom and got
suspended for two weeks.
Oh, school disco, Sonia Sherbet.
Well, she called me a slag
because I had boobs before her.
So I broke her nose.
TONY LAUGHS
Yeah. Got moved schools for that.
GCSE, Maths.
I turned up late and I told my
teacher I didn't have me...
..ne calculator, me ruler,
and me, erm...
Pen... Pen, yeah, yeah.
So, erm... So he said
to me I was too late
and he'd given them all out, so...
I knocked him out.
I didn't get no GCSE though.
- -Neither did I.
THEY LAUGH
Third school they found me,
I remember nicking the keys
off the caretaker,
and I let these mates of mine in...
..and they cleared out every
computer they could find.
Yeah. They didn't know it was me.
Otherwise I probably would've
been sent away... Yeah.
But I think the caretaker knew, but
he didn't say anything, because...
Well, I mean, me mate was
sucking him off at the time.
Fuck...! Yeah.
You win.
SARAH LAUGHS
Oh, I regret it all now.
What we playing?
Shithead.
Yeah.
A simple game, really.
You deal three cards blind,
then three cards facing,
then three cards in your hand.
Then the aim of the game is
to clear all your cards, yeah?
Yeah, I know.
KEYS JANGLE
You're home late.
Hey, you missed a good one.
There's loads still to
be cleaned there.
Your mam went to bed early.
Headache or something.
How were the old people?
Uh, really good.
Yeah.
I can smell them on you.
Careful of that.
Sodium powder and piss.
That's what me dad smells of.
I think I smell fine, Dad.
Do they need anyone else there?
Do they need anyone?
- -Oh, fuck off.
You need to be able to lift them.
You know, and with your back...
You know, the food banks...
..they gave Christmas crackers
this year.
Bloody proud of them they were, too.
"You like these crackers,
don't you?" "Nice."
HE SCOFFS
Merry Christmas to them.
FURNITURE CLATTERS
CAR RADIO:
This is BBC Radio 5 Live.
Good morning, it's 6:36,
it's Thursday, March 5.
A woman in her 70s has become
the first person in the UK
to die after testing positive
for coronavirus.
The Royal Berkshire Hospital,
in Redding,
said she had underlying
health issues.
The number of people infected in
the UK has jumped again to 116...
SARAH CHANGES RADIO STATION
SHE SINGS ALONG TO MUSIC
Now, the secret with sheep
is that they love easily,
and a way to make a sheep
love you is to feed it.
So, my colleague there, Susan,
she's coming round with some
feed to give you. So those of you
who are willing,
get ready to be loved.
I can see you are, fella.
You're chomping at the bit
like these are, aren't you?
Get ready. Three, two, one.
Go on! Spread some love.
That's it, straight in there.
That big one there, love, is Wonky.
Don't kiss him.
He knows where you've been.
I can feel her heart.
Can you?
Very calming.
Hmm.
You can tell her a poem,
if you like.
No, this is nice as it is.
Tickle him under his chin,
he loves that, like me.
We've had word from the hospital,
we're going to be taking on
a few more residents.
How many? Eight.
It's the virus thing.
They just need, you know,
to make space,
get rid of a few long termers.
Well, is it safe, like?
They're doctors, love.
What, and you think I don't
watch the news? I know.
This is us doing our bit.
Most of them should have
been out years ago,
they're just blocking up beds.
We're being useful.
It's good... OK.
This is Stan, he's 85 years old.
Hiya, Stan.
Where's your mask?
Uh, I didn't knew we needed
to wear them.
Who's your manager?
I'm the manager.
No masks unless you're around the
infection, that's what we were told.
He's been tested, right?
He's all clear?
It's above my station, that.
Shall we get him in?
I've got five others
to deliver today.
Yeah, let's get you somewhere
comfortable, shall we, Stan?
AMBULANCE RADIO CHATTER
RADIO BEEPS
Right, I need to talk to you all
about Covid-19 protocols.
We need more PPE... Let's not start
out all aggressively, shall we?
We've got a box of this
and a box of that
but mostly we've got a box
of eff all.
Look, I am trying. I drove around
every bloody chemist yesterday,
every one in the best part
of Merseyside.
I couldn't get masks, I couldn't get
alcohol wipes, couldn't get nothing.
And PHE don't give a shit... No,
it's rationing, pure and simple.
They want to protect the NHS
and care homes can just go to hell.
The guidance is face masks
should only be worn
when within two metres
of the infected
and we don't have any infected yet
so we don't need to wear them, OK?
Cleaning - when in doubt, scrub with
every disinfectant you can find.
And residents are to be fed in
their rooms exclusively from now on.
Where are we supposed to find time
for that? The priority has to be
keeping the residents apart,
so we have to do a lockdown
inside the home.
- -But we carry it between them.
Then we have to be dead careful
not to carry it between them.
As soon as we know there's a case,
barrier nursing, OK?
Washing hands, erm...
Happy Birthday twice, or two verses
of Ferry Cross The Mersey.
New masks, new aprons?
Oh, no, we can't do that, can we?
And I'm banning visits.
What? Just till we know.
Hold on, there's no advice on that.
No, that's me.
I'm saying it's happening,
for the sake of everyone here.
What about Bill? He sleeps in the
lounge. What am I supposed to do?
Tell him to sleep in his
own bloody bed for once.
One last thing, the laundry service
have said that they can only do half
of what they did before
so can we please
try and keep the sheets on the beds
a little bit longer.
Oh, Steve, come on. If people
are sick they need new sheets.
Do they not know that?
- -It's Covid protocol.
It's there to keep their
staff apart. It's...
I don't know. It's annoying.
It's all just annoying.
From midday we implement, OK?
And I will find you your PPE.
REPORTER: There have been
92 care homes
where an outbreak has been detected.
One of the things we want to do
is to extend the amount
of testing of people in care homes
and the ability to test...
Where have you been?
Out. Why? Looking to grass me up
are you?
You're not supposed to be going out.
You can cut the holier than thou
crap. You're going to work.
I'm supposed to be in work.
I'm needed in work.
Yeah, and they've all got it,
and you're bringing it here,
so what's the problem? Because your
divvy mates could infect you,
which could infect me, which
could then infect my residents.
It's such shit. I'm young. I need to
live my life - do something with it.
Yeah, you're really doing something
with your life, aren't you?
Hey, hey, hey.
You sound like your dad.
It's her, saying I can't go out.
If he infects me
and then I infect them.
Well, there's a solution to that,
isn't there?
Don't look at me like that.
We've coped without your wage
before, we can cope again.
Come on now... I like it, Mum.
Actually, I'm good at it.
Steal away
Steal away
Steal away to Jesus
Steal away
Steal away home
I ain't got long...
Kenny, can you go back into
your room for me, please?
I'll get you fed as soon as I can.
- -I don't want to be fed.
I want to watch telly.
- -The lounge is closed.
I need to get all these dinners out.
Can we get you in here? I'll get
your tray and bring it in for you.
I need to come in.
You can't be here right now.
I'm not leaving my dad in there
knowing what's going on.
We'll sort something out, OK?
I need to see him now. Let us in.
Maybe you can talk to him
through the window.
It's for the best for everyone.
- -It's not for me, is it, Steve?
Why can't you come in?
We're just not allowed in.
They're not allowed to let us
near you... What do you mean?
It's not allowed... In case we catch
this silly Covid thing.
Let's open the window, yeah?
No, no, we can't...
We can't open the window.
- -Why can't we?
No, no, we can't.
Steal away
Steal away home...
KNOCKING Hello.
Can I go out today?
No, I'm afraid not, no.
I can't do this.
I've had it with being here.
I don't fucking want to be here.
WINDOW RATTLES Calm down, Tony.
You know what we do,
take a deep breath...
Tony! You take a fucking
deep breath, eh!
Tony, it's Sarah.
Everything OK here?
I'm your friend and I'm not
scared of you. Steve, go away.
Come on.
Come on.
Are you doing your exercises?
I can lift a bus, me.
Are you eating?
You're not my mother.
What does it bloody look like?
THEY LAUGH
Well, you've got half of it
down your top,
that's what I'm talking about.
You must be starving.
You cheeky get.
What's this?
I'm breathing in.
THEY LAUGH
He was fine.
He just needed calming.
Good news and bad news.
The good news is, my mate Rob the
builder has got us some dust masks.
Bad news?
Gloria's got a cough
and a temperature.
Tim is with her in her room.
- -Is she OK?
For now.
Steve, there isn't no-one
she hasn't been near.
The GP has said that there is no-one
available to send out right now.
When they do,
they'll just be on a screen.
RRAT have told us
there's nothing down for us.
We don't even get a nurse?
All rapid response nurses available
have been sent to local hospitals
or LA run care homes.
Did you know it would be like this?
How could I?
I followed all the advice.
We did more.
No-one told us.
No-one.
My mum was in here too.
As a resident? Yeah. It felt right.
But wrong.
I always made sure I was the one
who cleaned her up,
you know, gave her her dignity
with the other members of staff,
cos they were her employees
and they shouldn't be the ones
to have to wash her bottom.
I just wanted this place to...
I wanted it to be
a good place to be.
COUGHING
I've got some water. If you want
to have a sip, just let me know.
SEVERE COUGHING
I tell you what, you can
have just a little bit.
OK, OK...
COUGHING
How can I help you, Gloria?
I'm quite unwell.
You may have to fetch a doctor.
OK.
Hercules, come on, love.
There you go.
SPLUTTERING
There you go.
Come on. OK, OK, OK.
Are you doing your exercises? Yes.
MUFFLED CHATTER
Is she going to be OK?
You should be in your room.
Am I going to be OK?
I promise you will.
KNOCKING
Sarah? Are you in here?
Herc's tripped over.
Sarah?
TOILET FLUSHES
Oh, Herc.
Let's get you cleaned up, shall we?
Fuckin' hell.
I know I've used my five tests.
We've got it everywhere
and I don't know who to separate.
STEVE COUGHS
But you're PAT.
You're supposed to be supporting me.
COUGHING
SEVERE COUGHING
Don't put me on hold.
Don't you dare come in here
dressed like that again.
We haven't got none of that.
Not one of us.
You could give us your kit, eh?
Give us your kit, you rich gits.
Just a few pieces!
Give us your kit!
CAN HISSES
This programme contains scenes some
viewers may find distressing.
Joan hasn't turned up, Steve.
OVER PHONE: Let me call her.
- -No, I've called her.
She's not answering.
- -OK, you stay on an hour or two.
Well, I...
I don't have a choice, do I?
With you and Tim and everyone
else on the 14 days, I-I'm it.
Look, I wish I could come in
and help, but I'd infect them all.
HE COUGHS
COUGHING CONTINUES
Oh, all right -
don't be dramatic about it!
HE CHUCKLES
Don't make me laugh!
Oh, it hurts to buggery.
Is Tori, er...? Tori's phone's off.
You know what her fella's like
if she gets called in.
Is there nothing from the agencies?
I'll try.
CQC will kill the both of us
if it's just you there alone.
You do your best, and I'll do mine.
SHE POURS WATER
You got a poem for me, Pol?
Yeah, well,
I've got some pills for you.
Well, maybe I'll do a recital
while I give you them, eh?
"I wanna be rich
"And I want lots of money
"I don't care about clever
"I don't care about funny
"I want loads of clothes
"And I want fuckloads of diamonds
"Though I hear people die
while they're trying to find them
"And I'll take my clothes off
and it will be shameless
"You know, because everyone knows
that's how you get famous
"I'll look at The Sun
and I'll look in The Mirror
"I'm on the right track
"Yeah, I'm on to a winner."
You're gonna be OK, Pol.
MAN COUGHING
HE WHEEZES
Kenny.
COUGHING CONTINUES
Jesus, Kenny, what's going on?!
Eh?
Gonna take your temperature,
OK, love?
OK.
Oh, you're burning up.
Try and take two of these...
..and then I'm gonna
call a doctor, OK?
HE WHEEZES
KEYPAD BEEPS
LINE RINGS
RECORDING: Hi.
- -Hello...
This emergency line
is no longer in operation.
Please try Swinson Street
practice for support.
KEYPAD BEEPS
LINE RINGS
RECORDING: Swinson Street practice
offices are now closed.
Our working
hours are from 8am to 6pm.
If your call is Covid related...
SHE SIGHS Bastard.
KEYPAD BEEPS
LINE RINGS
COUGHING ON LINE
Look, I tried a few people,
and then I fell asleep.
Steve, Kenny's not well,
and I can't get a doctor out.
Have you tried
the out of hours number?
Nothing.
Shite. You've no choice. 111.
HE COUGHS
You're just on hold forever.
Look, I'm here, OK? Er...
Just let me know.
OK...
OK.
KEYPAD BEEPS
LINE RINGS
RECORDING: Welcome to NHS 111.
NHS 111 are experiencing
an extremely high number of calls
at the moment, and may not be able
to answer immediately...
OK, Kenny.
Come here, love.
HE WHEEZES
What I need you to do, Kenny,
is to breathe deeply, OK?
That's it, deep breaths.
LOUD WHEEZING
OK.
OK. OK, love.
BEEP
That's it, Kenny, deep breaths.
RAPID BEEPING
Oh, fuck.
NHS 111 RECORDING: Please be aware
that a short pause may follow
as you are connected
to your local NHS service.
KEYPAD BEEPS
LINE RINGS
WOMAN ON PHONE: What service
do you require, please?
A-Ambulance, please.
MAN ON PHONE:
What's the address of the emergency?
Bright Sky Homes. L64 9SD.
My name's Sarah Berner
and I need urgent medical assistance
for a resident with Covid.
Hello? Is the patient breathing?
Yeah, his breathing's ragged,
and he's got a temperature of 39.2.
Is the patient alert?
He's delirious.
How old is he?
He's 77.
Does he have a history
of breathing problems?
No.
Is the patient coughing?
Continuously.
Look, I've given him paracetamol,
it isn't going to be enough.
Have you been able to
take his blood oxygen?
It's 84.
OK. That's low... Yeah. Yeah.
Yeah, I know! Look, no-one...
Nobody's picking up.
Not 111, not the GP,
nobody's helping me.
Unfortunately, all our ambulances
are busy right now,
but we will be there as soon
as possible... Mm.
What if I wasn't
calling from a care home?
Sorry? Care homes,
they don't matter.
They don't matter any more, do they?
Look, he needs you and he needs me,
and you're not interested.
We will be with you as soon as we
can. Let me talk to a clinician...
Yeah, and they're gonna tell you
we're not high priority.
Stay with him, make him comfortable
and monitor his breathing,
I'll get back to you
as fast as I can.
SHE SIGHS
NHS 111 RECORDING CONTINUES
KENNY WHEEZES
I'm sorry, Kenny.
I'm so sorry, no-one's coming.
No-one's coming.
Kenny, I've seen forums online,
and it tells me what I need to do.
It says what may help
is to move you over onto your front.
It's called proning, and it may
ease... it may ease your pipes.
Does that make sense to you?
HE COUGHS HEAVILY
Oh, OK. Deep breaths.
Come on.
OK.
OK.
NHS 111 RECORDING CONTINUES
Oh...
Oh, I'm sorry...
OK, Kenny.
OK.
Three, two, one...
HE WHEEZES AND COUGHS
I'm sorry, Kenny.
PHONE RINGS
Kenny, I'll be one minute.
RINGING CONTINUES
DISPENSER ACTIVATES
Hello?
MAN ON LINE: Sarah? Yeah.
It's Martin from ambulance control.
Yeah... I've spoken to a clinician.
Kenny is still a priority to us,
but unfortunately we cannot allocate
a vehicle right now.
We'll try and get one...
Fuck off!
NHS 111 RECORDING CONTINUES
DISPENSER ACTIVATES
Tony?
Tony, it's me.
HE GRUNTS
Tony, I'm sorry to wake you, love.
What? Tony, I needed to look at me.
What? Are you OK?
I need...
I need help with your friend Kenny.
Eh? But it could put you in danger.
Tony, look at me.
I need you to be able to consent
properly to that.
What time is it? Er...
It's 3:30... What, in the morning?
Tony, Tony, please, please,
please concentrate.
Yeah... Look at me.
I'm looking, I'm looking.
Will you help me
move Kenny onto his front?
What, is he a big lad, is he?
Well, he's your best friend.
Isn't he? That's right.
Tony, please, I need your help, OK?
I believe that you would give it...
..and whatever your state, I believe
that you would give it, OK?
So, will you help me? To do what?
OK, love, I need you to... I need
you to get out of bed... What for?
Because I need your help.
Kenny needs our help. OK?
So I need you to get out of bed
as soon as you can.
And I need you to wash your hands,
please... All right, all right.
Wash your hands, please.
OK.
WATER RUNS
Tony, with soap, come on.
Bit more, yeah?
OK, that's enough.
OK, I need you to put
these on your hands.
That's it.
You need this on your face, OK?
OK.
So, are we robbing a bank?
No. I need you to keep them
on no matter what.
Promise me.
Do you understand what we're doing?
Well, I don't understand
why you're so upset.
I'm sorry, love. OK, follow me.
NHS 111 RECORDING CONTINUES
Do you understand what we're doing?
Yeah.
KENNY WHEEZES
Here are, Kenny... Kenny?
Kenny?
Kenny... Kenny?
Kenny's not very well.
He looks really bad.
He is really bad, but you know
what's gonna make him feel better
is us helping him.
Well, he can't breathe.
I know, love, and we need to roll
him over onto his front -
and guess what,
I need your strength for that.
Kenny?
I need one hand here...
..and one hand there.
Not too... Not too tight, Tony.
Nice and gentle.
Tony, we need to move quickly,
because you shouldn't be in here.
After three... Kenny...
One, two, three... OK.
Ken?
Kenny? That's it, love.
You're OK, Ken.
Let's make him nice and comfortable.
Kenny, it's OK.
There we go.
OK, love.
It's OK.
You're OK, Ken... OK, Kenny,
we'll be back in one moment.
Tony, I need you with me.
Come on, love.
Now, please.
It's OK, Ken.
We'll be back.
Tony, can you move a bit quicker?
I need you to wash your hands.
My hands are a bit raw...
No, you can wash them with me.
What did you say? No, no, no, no!
Don't touch your mask.
What? Do not touch your mask.
Tony, you know I'm not gonna
hurt you. Stand here, please.
OK? I need your concentration.
Look at me.
Pinch your glove...
That's right... and pull.
OK. Two fingers underneath,
and push.
And here, wash your hands.
Is Kenny gonna be OK?
I think so, yeah.
Come on, Tony, wash them properly.
Why are you shouting at me?
I'm not shouting.
And again.
Why are you shouting?
I'm just angry with myself,
that's all.
You're not angry at me, are you? No.
NHS 111 RECORDING CONTINUES
There we go.
Now we can take our masks off.
Look at me.
OK. You can take yours off,
and I'll...
..I'll swap mine.
OK, Tony, what I need you to do
now, right, is I need you to take
all your clothes off and I'm gonna
take them to be washed.
Yeah, but you'll see me naked,
though.
And then I need you to
get in the shower.
Be back in one minute... OK.
DISPENSER ACTIVATES
I'm gonna get you some
clean clothes, Tony.
You can turn that off now.
Can you get yourself dressed?
Yeah.
I've got you some new pyjamas there.
Thanks, love.
Well, get dry first, eh?
OK.
MUFFLED SOBS
What time is it?
Oh, it's 3:30.
I feel quite tired.
SHE LAUGHS WEAKLY
Yeah, me, too.
Thank you for tonight.
Well, I didn't do anything.
No, you're me hero.
Some days I feel OK, you know?
Some days I feel like I'm aware,
and what I should be.
And then some days
I don't know where the fuck I am!
But if I helped,
you know, that's nice.
Sorry.
Be back in a minute.
NHS 111 RECORDING CONTINUES
SHE SOBS
Oh...!
Oh...
available online through
the NHS website, 111.nhs.uk.
In cases where you think emergency
advice from a clinical expert
is not required,
you can find advice
on self treatment
on the NHS website.
You may also want to consider
getting advice
from your pharmacy or GP.
You can find advice online
on coronavirus and cold and flu...
SHE SOBS
Oh, fuck...
Please take into consideration
that most patients
suffering from coronavirus may only
display minor symptoms
and only require the same treatment
as the normal cold and flu symptoms.
However, if you are displaying
the symptoms,
you must also take measures
to self isolate and protect others.
For patients who have not been
specifically advised to seek advice,
you should only seek
further assistance
if your symptoms are significantly
limiting your capacity
to continue with
everyday activities.
If this is the case
and you still require consultation,
please continue to hold...
NHS 111 RECORDING CONTINUES
BEEP
SHE KNOCKS
Sarah.
Do you want to come outside?
We were on your own here last night?
Yeah.
Yeah, I ended up doing a double,
you know?
I need to get
the breakfast together.
Er, I'll do that.
You've just done a 20 hour shift.
Kenny's not well.
And... I can see that.
Why did you put him on his front?
Well, they said to make
and comfortable, and...
So you thought you'd go rogue.
I admire the balls.
No-one would come.
Yeah, it's like they've
forgot about us, innit?
No.
No, they haven't forgot.
No.
You're a good girl.
Whatever happened here last night,
you did well.
Get yourself home.
I'll do the breakfast.
RADIO: This is Today at seven
o'clock on Tuesday, 21st of April.
The body which represents
NHS trusts in England
has warned against advising
the public to wear masks,
saying it could jeopardise
supplies for health workers
during the coronavirus pandemic.
MUFFLED FOOTSTEPS
AND WALKING FRAME
ON PHONE: Hiya, Sarah, it's Tori.
I thought that you should know
that Kenny passed five minutes ago.
OK, then.
OK. Er...
Have you called his lad?
- -No. That's Steve's job.
Well, Steve's sick,
and, you know, I was with him, so...
Yeah, I've got, erm... his mobile.
Have you got a pen?
You OK?
Just need to make a call.
Can I get you some breakfast?
No. Can you leave me alone?
See you've laid out the bunting,
then... Oh, you're back.
Oh, I'm back, baby.
I've got some fine-looking PPE.
Proper aprons, good masks,
great gloves.
All delivered from China to my door,
say no more.
You both look shattered.
Is this the point where
I say thank you?
It feels like this should
be that point.
You were sick.
So, what needs doing?
We're behind on meds.
Then show me the way to Mandalay.
I've come to take charge now.
Been doing a lot of thinking.
I've come to take charge.
We need a rotation on the use
of outside space... Good idea.
And inside. They can't be
in their rooms all day... Good idea.
We need the system for visits.
I think with some simple
rigging in the car park, we'll be...
HE LAUGHS
All right, bright spark, let me get
my feet under the table, will you?
I've got it now.
AMBIENT OUTSIDE NOISE
HE MUTTERS UNDER BREATH
ALARM BLARES
Ah!
Stop, stop, stop, stop, stop.
KNOCKS AT DOOR
Morning.
I've come to change your bedding.
And then let's get you some
breakfast, shall we?
Tony?
What's Tony on?
What do you mean? What the
fuck have you put Tony on?
It's a new regime.
It's prescribed... Yeah, but why?
Sarah, I know you're still
quite new to this
and you've had a very hard time...
No, fuck off back home
if you're just going to drug him!
He tried to escape again.
He's a constant flight risk,
so we spoke with Dr McCavitt
and devised a new patient plan for
Tony... We just need to watch him.
We've always watched him before.
His brain is still good, Steve.
Can't be doing this.
- -I've seen this before.
Over-associating with patients.
They're not patients,
they are residents.
And they're mostly fucking dead.
Right?
You are slowing him down
when he needs his wits about him.
He's got a good head on him,
Steve. You just leave him be.
You've been doing this,
what, five months.
I've been pushing this rock up
a hill for a little bit longer,
so watch out till you...
Please, take him off the drugs,
no more needs to be said.
Why does he matter
so much to you, eh?
Because he is a good man.
Which is really fucking rare.
And I'm a bad man, am I? I believe
you care about them, Steve.
I really do.
And none of this is your fault.
But you do this, and you are just
like the rest of them.
You're exhausted.
Yeah, I am, actually.
And the home can cope without
you for a week or two, so go home,
have a rest, have a good think about
whether this is what you want.
Sacking me? No, I'm simply letting
you know that we don't have any
hours for you next we
ek.
With a reduced number of residents,
we have reduced income.
They are reduced cos they died,
Steve.
Yeah, and I'm trying to keep
this fucking place
going for the ones that are left,
Sarah!
Finish your shift
and then give me a call
when you had a little bit of think
about the situation, will you?
Yeah... Put your mask back on.
CLATTERING
TROLLEY ROLLS ALONG
KNOCKS DOOR
Only me, Paul.
Tim?
Tim?
I'm not leaving you in here.
Hey.
Come on, love.
DOOR OPENS
OK.
Come on.
DISTANT CONVERSATION
Come on, Tony.
Wait there, Tony.
DOOR CLATTERS
Where are we going?
Your mum's.
ALARM BLARES
SHE LAUGHS
Woo!
Be careful, Tone.
It's really slippy.
Come on.
It's gorgeous, isn't it?
Ah!
Are you sure I didn't learn anything
in school, eh?
Tony!
Tone! Come on.
Can you hear the birds? Yeah.
My name is high
Low
Jack-alo
Low
High...
No.
Jack-alo
High...
High!
High... No, it's crap.
It's crap, you soft tomato.
I've got a better one.
Oh, when the Reds
Go marching in...
That's not a clap routine!
Oh, when the Reds go marching in!
I want to be in their number
Oh, when the Reds go marching in
Oh, when the Reds
Go marching in... ... Shush!
Shush!
- - When the Reds go marching in...
Look at that.
There's your paradise.
It's not so bad, is it?
You only asked today.
All right. No-one likes
a know-it-all, you know?
BIRDS CAWING
SHE SIGHS
SHE SIGHS
Tony!
Tony! Tone!
Tony!
Tone!
Oi, you.
Hey.
Oi! I've got to get back to me ma.
But, Tony, it's me... No, it's me ma.
Look, she needs me.
She worries about me
when I'm not there.
Well, she's this way.
Hey, you're a little bit lost.
Come on now. She's this way.
Hey.
You'll make the colour run
on me top like that.
That will stop you smelling like an
elephant. Quiet your noise.
SHE SIGHS
RADIO: Good afternoon and welcome
to Downing Street for the daily
coronavirus briefing.
I want to tell you what we've
been doing to protect
people in care homes throughout
the crisis.
Right from the start it's been clear
that this horrible virus
affects older people most. So, right
from the start we've tried to
throw a protective ring around
our care homes.
We set out our first
advice in February
and as the virus grew,
we strengthened it throughout.
We made sure that care homes
have the resources
they need to control the spread
of infection.
Social care is a devolved matter...
It's lovely, that.
I've always said you can't beat
bread and butter.
Yeah.
Dad, you can get out of here.
Now, don't get dramatic... Nah, I mean
it. I mean it, Dad, just go.
You're quite the cover girl, do you
know that? What?
Well, front page of the Echo you
were last week. "Covid on the run."
You think you're the one who's going
to fuck it up for me?
I remembered Nana took you
caravanning round here once.
What did you...? Did you break into
the vans? Please. Please go away.
Always with the fucking drama!
These are people's holidays,
people's dreams.
Where is he?
We've done ten days.
We only need to do four more... What?
We just need to get to 14 days
and then I'll make them put him
somewhere different.
This is quarantine?
Well, for 14 days, that's all that
matters, isn't it?
That's what they say.
You know, they'll know he doesn't
have it, then, and I think...
I'm sure he will be allowed to go...
He'll be allowed to go
somewhere different.
You're a mad cow.
You always say that.
Because you fucking are!
We had 20 residents when
this started.
Got given eight more.
We lost nine.
12 more had the bug.
They've been dying off,
one by one, Dad.
No.
The thought of leaving him
like that...
What do you need?
Money.
No... Uh, food. Just normal food.
Fucking hell.
Steady, all right?
What's going on? Right foot. Ooh!
There you go.
Left foot down. Next step. Perfect.
Don't get your hopes up, all right?
But it's something, do you know
what I mean?
Where are you taking me? To
the firing squad or something?
Sit down.
What's going on?
Just wait, will you?
Woohoo-hoo!
Ta-da!
What is it you did?
The cards.
That'll be telling.
Now...
Do you know how to play shitter?
HE CHUCKLES
Is this me surprise?
Yeah. Do you like it? Yeah.
Do you know? I've never done much of
this before.
To think the world we know
and it's all over. Walking.
Seeing. Shift-free for one thing.
We went on holiday when I was a kid.
Oh. Where did you go?
Donegal.
Oh, Donegal... Donegal. Yeah.
Yeah, me ma had a cousin.
Left us some money when she died
and she just went, "Fuck it.
"We're going to Donegal." To this
day, I don't know
why it was Donegal.
Were you there with Trish? Yeah.
You look like her a little
bit, actually.
Softness.
Can always tell when someone's
a bit soft.
I'm not soft. I'm not soft!
I'm saying you are, Sarah.
You're soft... Oh, right.
Hang on a minute.
MUSIC: The Fields of Athenry
I like this one... Me, too.
This is Sarah's song.
Yeah, I know... Yeah.
Yeah, you're a blue, though.
You're Everton. You're Everton.
- -Nah! Yes, blue nose. "Meh!"
You're a blue nose.
You are a blue nose.
- -Yeah, I am... Yeah.
And what? How did you know that?
How did you know that?
- -Because I can smell it.
I thought I had you... No, you didn't.
Hasn't put me off you, though.
I love you, actually.
I love you, too.
Our love was on the wing
We had dreams and songs to sing
It's so lonely round the fields
of Athenry
By a lonely prison wall
I heard a young man calling...
Shit. Tony, go inside.
Why? Go inside.
Look, can you just...?
Just wait for one minute.
Come on now, love. Come here... No!
No! No, you don't. No, you don't.
Where are you taking her? You're
going to come with me for a minute.
I don't want to go with you.
I want to go with Sarah.
You do not have to say anything.
Tony! Sarah!
Tony!
Harm your defence if you do not
mention when questioned something
you later rely on in court. Anything
you do say may be given in evidence.
Do you understand me? Please don't
take him back there.
You don't understand... Sarah, you're
in enough trouble as it is,
love... Please.
Tony!
Tony, are you OK?
Come here, mate!
Calm down, love... Calm down.
Come on, Sarah.
Calm down! Leave him alone.
MUFFLED: Sarah. No, I'm going
with Sarah.
SHE SNIFFS
Was it me dad who told you?
No, some walkers saw you.
Do-gooders, you know.
Do-gooders... Well, they did good.
Caught you.
I need your help. Listen to me. He's
done 12 days. He's nearly safe... No.
No, I quarantined him, I did... No.
Just radio in and tell them not
to take him back there.
Take him somewhere else, please.
Please! Are you listening to me?
Are you listening to me?
Please... It's not my
department, love.
No. No. No, it never is, is it? Eh?
No, never... Never is. Never is.
It's always someone else.
It's the way this country works now.
You know, keep our eyes
down to the rest of it.
You know, cos if we see people
queueing up for food banks
and if we see people lying...
Lying on the streets,
if we see disabled people being left
to die, we'll feel sorry.
We can't cope. We can't cope with
Tory. Not us.
Not any more. Underlying health
conditions. What's in them?
When did our lives stop being
worth the same, eh?
Eh?!
Come on, Tony.
Come on, mate.
Welcome home.
Where's Sarah?
You don't need to worry about
her right now.
Come on. Let's just get you in.
Have a nice cup of tea.