[Urgent piano, bass and percussion] [COMPANY] CLINICAL DIRECTOR! CLINICAL DIRECTOR! Tell us what you're gonna do! Tell us how you're getting through! CLINICAL DIRECTOR! [CLINICAL DIRECTOR] You think I've got the answers? You think I make the rules? You think they gave me power When they gave me this job title? I've got consultants knocking, I've got clinics overflowing, I've got vacancies unfilled And nowhere left to go! [COMPANY] CLINICAL DIRECTOR! What about the staff? [CD] I ASKED FOR MORE STAFF! [COMPANY] What did they say? [CD] They've formed a working group. [Beat] [COMPANY] Oh. [Music kicks back in] [CD] I asked them for another nurse, They asked me for a case. I sent them twenty pages— They sent it back: [MANAGEMENT] “Please clarify The strategic workforce space.” [CD] I asked them for a doctor, They asked, “What's the demand?” I showed them all the numbers— They said— [MANAGEMENT] “We need to understand.” [CD] UNDERSTAND? The patients are in Casualty! The clinics have no room! The consultants are drowning And you want another Zoom? [COMPANY] CLINICAL DIRECTOR! [CD] I KNOW! [COMPANY] CLINICAL DIRECTOR! [CD] I KNOW! [CD] I've learned the sacred language. I can speak it if I must: “Pathways!” “Metrics!” “Governance!” “Transformation!” “Trust!” “Capacity!” “Delivery!” “Workforce trajectory!” I can say “strategic alignment” Without laughing— [Pause] Usually. [COMPANY] CLINICAL DIRECTOR! Have you got a business plan? [CD] Seven! [COMPANY] Have they read them? [CD] Not one! [COMPANY] What happened? [CD] They redesigned the form. [COMPANY] Ohhhh! [Music builds] [CD] My consultants tell me, “We cannot carry on. The lists are getting longer. The staff we had are gone.” I take it to the meeting. I show them every figure— [MANAGEMENT – calmly] “Could existing staff Work differently?” [CD] THEY'RE ALREADY WORKING DIFFERENTLY! They're working late! They're missing lunch! They're squeezing patients in! You cannot solve a staffing gap With coloured boxes on a screen! [COMPANY] CLINICAL DIRECTOR! Why'd you take the job? [CD] GOOD QUESTION! [COMPANY] Was it for the power? [CD] WHAT POWER? [COMPANY] Was it for the meetings? [CD] I'd rather have A root canal. [Beat] Wrong specialty. [Music crashes back] [CD] I took it 'cause somebody Had to stand inside that room And say what every clinician Has been saying all along: You cannot run a service On goodwill and caffeine! You cannot treat a patient With a dashboard coloured green! A target isn't treatment! A metric isn't care! And saying “patient flow” Won't put another doctor there! [COMPANY] CLINICAL DIRECTOR! [CD] I'm trying! [COMPANY] CLINICAL DIRECTOR! [CD] I'm fighting! [COMPANY] Will you give up? [CD] NO! [Music
