Set within a single week in a large British hospital, this novel explores the high-stakes environment of a medical institution facing the threat of closure. The story follows the intertwined lives of doctors, nurses, patients, and administrators as they grapple with life-or-death dilemmas and complex ethical decisions.
A central character is Kate Sayers, a dedicated surgeon whose intense commitment to her work often clashes with her personal life. The tension rises when her boyfriend, an investigative journalist, begins to publicize sensitive internal issues that the hospital management would desperately prefer to keep confidential.