Followers of hospital soaps will recognise the scene: the ambulance doors spring open, the trolley careers through the waiting rooms into the operating theatre, medical staff run, white coats flapping, knowing seconds make all the difference. If the operation’s successful, there are the usual tears of gratitude, brief sighs of relief and terse congratulations, and it’s on to the next one. And then what? TV doesn’t bother with recovery and recuperation, because it isn’t dramatic. That’s excusable in soaps, but you’d never think of dumping the patient like that in real life.