Holby ED’s newest recruit, Indie Jankowski (Naomi Wakszlak), has faced her fair share of pressure since qualifying as a paramedic — but nothing could have prepared her for the day that unfolds in the seventh instalment of Casualty’s tense 12-parter Supply and Demand.

The episode begins with Indie in good spirits, ready to throw herself into another shift and prove her worth alongside her colleagues. But as the hours tick by, a series of difficult events — both professional and personal — threaten to break the bright young medic’s spirit. And by the time the day ends, tragedy will have cast a long shadow over her life in Holby.

A tough callout turns dangerous

The turning point comes mid-shift when Indie and her crewmate respond to the chemical leak at Holby Leisure Centre. The chaotic scene is packed with frightened civilians, emergency responders in hazmat suits, and an urgent need for fast, decisive action.

Indie, determined to do her part, throws herself into triaging patients. One of them is Sandra Evans (Siobhan Redmond), a gentle but anxious woman struggling to breathe in the aftermath of the leak. Despite the confusion, Indie’s calm bedside manner and quick thinking help stabilise Sandra — earning the gratitude of both the patient and lifeguard Alex Crowther (Jack Weise), who has been working tirelessly to help evacuees.

Alex is impressed by Indie’s compassion and skill, and the two quickly form an unspoken bond as they work side by side. But as the minutes pass, the incident begins to take a darker turn.

When instincts aren’t enough

As the emergency unfolds, Indie spots a teenager wandering dazed near the cordon — eyes red, skin pale, struggling to breathe. Instinctively, she rushes to help, calling for oxygen. But in the chaos, the teen suddenly collapses. Indie and Alex begin CPR, working furiously to bring him back, but despite their best efforts, the patient’s condition worsens rapidly.

When the resus team finally takes over, Indie is left standing on the edge of the poolside scene, adrenaline pumping, hands trembling. She’s done everything right, but sometimes that just isn’t enough. Alex offers a few words of comfort — “You did everything you could” — but the look in Indie’s eyes makes it clear she’s far from convinced.

The weight of the job

For Indie, the loss stings even more because it’s not just about the patient. This is a day when other cracks in her professional armour are already starting to show. Earlier in the shift, she’d had to treat patients alongside Cam Mickelthwaite (Barney Walsh) as he faced serious — and unfounded — accusations of sexual misconduct. The tension in the ED was palpable, and the uncertainty made every interaction feel like walking a tightrope.

She’d also overheard heated words between other colleagues, the kind of behind-the-scenes friction that leaves a newly qualified paramedic feeling like she’s been thrown into a battlefield without a map.

Through it all, Alex had been a steady presence — quietly stepping in to back her up with patients, handling the heavy lifting without complaint, and making sure she had a moment to catch her breath when things threatened to overwhelm her.