Rob Lake starts work at the Obstetrics and Gynaecology Department at the South Central Infirmary as a new registrar. There he encounters problems from the start including one woman who almost gets the wrong operation after a communication error. Later, things go from bad to worse after a woman dies when Rob has to perform an operation on her throat that he isn't trained to perform! Also, Dr Maria Orton approaches Rob about his supervisor Roger Hurley who she believes is incompetent and only got his job because of the amount of research he does. Karen Taylor is admitted to the ward. She is bleeding internally and requires an operation. Roger performers the operation but things go wrong. Karen is left brain damaged and her child ends up dead and the baby's father, Karen's husband, wants answers.

When another of Hurley's operations starts to go wrong, a desperate Rob persuades Whitman to intervene. But what will the consequences be of his betraying a fellow doctor?

As their relationship grows progressively more difficult, Rob tries to persuade Hurley to admit to his bungled operation. However, when Hurley goes to management, Rob is forced to attend a hearing about his own mistakes. Meanwhile, a drug mix-up leaves a patient in a coma and Rob's secret affair with Donna becomes more intense.

With Rob on suspension, Polly faces a terrible dilemma when Hurley's bid to meet hospital targets endangers the life of a mother and her baby. The Taylor case comes before hospital management, but will they succeed in getting compensation?

Rob and Dr Hurley must put aside their differences to save the life of a baby during the process of birth. Meanwhile, Dr Whitman makes a pass at Polly, and Maria Orton faces a psychiatric assessment due to her allegations against Hurley.

Rob reaches breaking point haunted by the fact that he killed a patient. Hurley bungles another woman's care, yet remains in line for a promotion. Whitman faces a charge of sexual harassment.