‘Doctor Doctor’, the TV Show
‘Doctor Doctor’ is an Australian television drama that first aired in September 2016. A second season is due to air next week. Such is the show’s popularity that it has been picked up by a pay TV broadcaster and is shown in Germany, Austria, Switzerland and the US where it has been retitled as ‘The Heart Guy’. But what is the show about and how true to life is it?
The synopsis
The main character of ‘Doctor Doctor’ is Hugh Knight, a gifted but hedonistic Sydney-based heart surgeon. After an incident involving drugs and alcohol, he is referred to the medical tribunal, loses his surgical licence and is sent to work for a year as a country GP in the fictional country town of Whyhope.
To salvage his career Dr Knight must work in a small-town hospital where only his supervisor knows the real reason for his being there. Ultimately Dr Knight soon realises that Whyhope is not the quiet backwater town he couldn’t wait to leave, but actually a thriving community.
True to life?
The series is filmed mostly in Mudgee, a town in the Central West of New South Wales which has a population of around 11,000 people. ‘Doctor Doctor’ received funding from Screen NSW which was established to assist and promote the film and television industry in NSW, and allocates funding from the NSW Government. One of the aims of the program was to move away from typical urban settings and show that country towns are no longer full of ‘country bumpkins’, there is diversity, and good food and wine.
A misdemeanour sees Dr Knight referred to the Impaired Registrants’ Program who make the decision to send him to work as a country GP in a medical clinic for a year, as well as have weekly drug tests. The Impaired Registrants Program does exist in reality and the Impaired Registrants Panel does have the power to impose conditions on a registrant’s registration.
In Whyhope, just as in many country towns, Dr Knight has to deal with erratic internet access, which he uses to consult Google, and a lack of resources in terms of equipment. He administers vaccinations, treats common ailments like flu and haemorrhoids but also attends emergencies like a tractor accidents and ectopic pregnancies.
The attraction to viewers is the dynamic between the characters, particularly the flawed hero Dr Knight and his estranged family, and this is a big component of the show along with humour. One reviewer said they would like to see more ambulance personnel shows as they play a large role in transferring patients in country areas and also have dual roles as nurses.
If you would like the opportunity to experience life as a country GP or nurse, HealthStaff Recruitment offer a range of jobs in hospitals, practices and centres throughout Australia so check out our job board today.