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New boss’ campaign of terror

Nelson and Sophia are the first to be shot down by ER chief Frank

Iron-fisted Frank Campion has the new staff quaking with fear, on All Saints, and he’ll get rid of anyone who challenges his authority.

When the former Ward 17 team is transferred to the Emergency Department in coming weeks, they’re horrified to be under the control of Frank (John Howard). The bully has a particular way of running things—his way or no way at all!

Nurses Sophia (Adrienne Pickering), Von (Judith mcGrath), Nelson (Paul Tassone) and Sterlo (Henry Nixon), and doctors Charlotte (Tammy McIntosh) and Vincent (Christopher Gabardi) line up on their first day in emergency so Frank can set out the rules.

“You may have heard bad things about me,” Frank barks. “Well, let me tell you, they’re all true!”

The team quickly discovers their professional environment has changed from the days of working under Terri (Georgie Parker), who’s in another ward recovering from heart surgery.

Frank’s violent temper is unleashed when Sophia becomes incensed by the death of a man on hospital grounds. Deciding to initiate a new workplace strategy, she goes above her new boss to discuss her ideas.

When he discovers what Sophia has done, Frank is furious and immediately targets her as a troublemaker. He yells at Nelson, who’s responsible for the nursing staff, “Do something about her before I’m forced to.”

When Nelson warns Sophia to watch her back, it seems the Emergency chief is already on the warpath and determined to make an example of the young medic.

Charlotte, who isn’t afraid of Frank, corners him and demands he soften his attack on her sister. Fran says that to back down would undermine his authority.

Determined to deal with the problem at its core, the new top dog assumes Sophia has been directed by her former boss Terri to challenge him.

He charges into the recovering Head Nurse’s hospital room and lays down the law, accusing her of trying to use Sophia to threaten his position.

When Terri protests that she had nothing to do with Sophia’s behaviour, Frank threatens to ruin her future at the hospital. Leaning in close, he snarls, “Have I made myself perfectly clear?”

With the battle lines drawn between the two hospital chiefs, life at All Saints is about to change.

By John Burfitt
March 2004
TV Week