The doctors want to accompany Loftus on his ward rounds in order to see the pretty new physiotherapists. Loftus humiliates them in front of the ladies. Duncan dates one of them, Emma, whom he sees as young and vulnerable and he is very protective of her. This gets too much for her and she strips off in public, denouncing him as dull before she chucks him.

When Professor Loftus goes on holiday, his replacement is Dick's uncle, Jeremy De Quincy, who is easy-going and initially seen as a breath of fresh air. However, eventually he gets on everybody's nerves as he is a lecherous scrounger, borrowing money from both patients and doctors. When Dick tells him he knows he is not qualified to be a chief surgeon, he leaves - but appoints Lawrence Bingham as his successor.