Casualty spoilers follow from Saturday’s episode, which is available to watch now on BBC iPlayer. This article contains storyline details that some viewers may prefer to avoid, as this episode hasn’t yet aired on TV.

Note: The following article contains discussion of themes including suicide.

Casualty aired an exit for Patrick Onley (Jamie Glover), in the show’s latest episode (June 8).

After a disastrous incident in the previous episode where Patrick put a patient’s life at risk and an investigation was launched, it was assumed that Patrick had left his role as Clinical Lead.

Dylan, who had been working to expose Patrick’s incompetence, was particularly pleased, even remarking to Siobhan that he had “lanced a boil”.

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However, he and Stevie were shocked to see Patrick return to the ED, telling them that until the board’s investigation was complete, he still works there and had non-clinical duties to attend to.

Meanwhile, Patrick was pleased that his hunt for the whistle-blower was over when Rash took the blame – though the real whistle-blower Rida later confessed, and the rest of the team stood in solidarity.

Dylan told Patrick that he had recommended to the executive that they put him on gardening leave, as he had lost the confidence of his staff.

But Patrick then revealed to Dylan his future plans, explaining that he had received an offer to develop a major trauma centre in Edinburgh, and would therefore be leaving.

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While Patrick showed no remorse for what he had done during his time in Holby, this all changed after he discovered that Rash had attempted to take his own life, and he looked stunned when he was brought into the ED.

In his final appearance, a conversation with Dylan, Patrick was shaken as he said that he never meant for this to happen, but Dylan reassured him that this wasn’t his fault and Rash didn’t make this decision for just one reason.

Dylan then said that the ED wasn’t the best place for him to be, to which Patrick agreed and said that his new job wanted him to start early anyway.

But that new role might be in jeopardy, as Dylan was later seen making a phone call, presumably to the trauma centre, where he wanted to discuss the recent appointment of one of their consultants.

As his career might now be in doubt, it is likely that Patrick’s exit from Casualty is a permanent one, but the door is presumably open for a future return.