Jan Jenning

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Jan Jenning
Familial information
Spouse	Ffion (wife)
Children	Ross West
Professional information
Occupation	Operational Duty Manager (2018-)
Place of work	Holby Ambulance Service (2018-)
Appearance information
Portrayed by	Di Botcher

Jan Jenning is a senior paramedic who works for the Holby Ambulance Service. She joined the service in May 2018 and assumed the role of Operational Duty Manager, a position that had been vacant since Kathleen "Dixie" Dixon's departure in January 2016.

Biography

Early life

In August 1989, Jan gave birth to her only son Ross. When Ross was young, Jan's husband walked out on them. She struggled to cope with Ross' behaviour and eventually left to start a new family with her new wife Ffion. (CAS: Series 33, Episode 22)

Joining the Holby Ambulance Service

In May 2018, Jan joined the Holby Ambulance Service as the new operations manager. She initially clashed with Iain Dean and Sam Nicholls when she disapproved of their playful work ethic and tendencies to cross professional boundaries. Later, after a patient's sister threatened to expose that Iain and Sam amputated their leg without their consent if they didn't give her money for heroin, Jan decided to deal with the situation personally. After warning the sister of the legal ramifications of her actions and offering her help to deal with her addiction, the girl told her mother the truth about the accident. At the end of the shift, Jan offered her colleagues pastries as a sign of goodwill. (CAS: Series 32, Episode 35)

In July, new paramedic Ruby Spark gave Jan her letter of resignation after a difficult first shift. She tore it up and bluntly remind her of the reality of her job. She also assured Ruby that her colleagues wouldn't hold her mistakes against her. (CAS: Series 32, Episode 41)

Later that month, Sam was killed by shrapnel from an exploding fuel tanker. (CAS: Series 33, Episode 1) Iain admitted to Jan that he had omitted Mia Bellis' warning of self-harm from her clinical record; she told him that he could be fired. Not wanting the team to fall apart, she urged him not to mention it in his statement. However, he later took responsibility and handed her a statement that mentioned Mia's threat. After she suspended him, she and Ruby helped him wash Sam's blood out of the ambulance. (CAS: Series 33, Episode 2)

In September, Jan pulled Iain away from Dylan Keogh after he punched him in the face during a confrontation. He told her that he was done with the ED and decided not to attend his tribunal. However, after he helped to save a young boy's life, he changed his mind and fought for his job. (CAS: Series 33, Episode 4) In October, Jan reprimanded Iain for breaking an ambulance window and damaging a response vehicle, but Ruby defended him and criticised her lack of compassion. (CAS: Series 33, Episode 8)

Learning the truth about Ross

Jan confronting Ross after receiving confirmation that he was a drug dealer. (CAS: Series 33, Episode 22)

In December, Ross repeatedly called Jan and asked her for money, but she refused to give him any. However, she later capitulated and sent him £600. (CAS: Series 33, Episode 15) The following month, she was shocked to find Ross unconscious in Alasdair "Base" Newman's flat. On their way to the ED, Iain tried to tell her the truth about her son, but she told him to shut up. Once Ross was taken into resus and stabilised, Ross told Jan that Iain had been harassing Base and claimed that Iain had attacked him. After calling the police, Jan confronted Iain, and, when he realised that she believed Ross' version of events, he stormed into resus and demanded Ross to tell the truth. Jan stood up for her son, and Iain was removed from the hospital and subsequently arrested. In the staff room, Charlie Fairhead talked to Jan and suggested taking Ross' claims with a pinch of salt, but, having witnessed Iain's irresponsible actions over the months, she reaffirmed her trust in her son. She later helped Ross go to the toilet, but, as he returned, he found her searching through his bag. He emptied the bag and insisted that he was nothing like his father. Jan went to comfort him, and he collapsed in her arms. He was taken back into resus, and, despite Jan's objections, Elle Gardner decided to treat his symptoms as those of a heroin overdose. When Ross reacted to the naloxone, she was left in disbelief. However, Charlie told her that he didn't believe that Ross was an addict and showed her an X-ray which showed several bags of heroin in Ross' stomach. She told Ross to be honest for once in his life and asked him how Base died. When he tried to pass the blame onto her not being there for him, Jan left him. In the morning, she bailed Iain out of prison and took him home. (CAS: Series 33, Episode 22)

Iain's suicide attempt

In March, Ruby noticed that Iain had left his entire uniform in his locker and removed all of his photographs. Jan dismissed her concerns, but Ruby decided to go to his house regardless. Later, Jan and Elle were sent to the scene of a car crash, but, as they were leaving the ED, Ruby arrived with an unresponsive Iain. It later transpired that Iain had attempted suicide. That afternoon, Jan told Ruby that he was stable. Despite telling Ruby that she saved his life, Jan comforted her as she broke down in her arms. (CAS: Series 33, Episode 26) Following Iain's suicide attempt, Jan chose to remain jovial, but, when Ruby started to become emotionally invested in the plight of young carer Dani Mallison, she told her that it was not her job. Ruby suggested that, by her logic, it wasn't their job to help Iain, Jan asserted that, as his boss, she was responsible for what he did. (CAS: Series 33, Episode 27)

In April, Iain was discharged from hospital, and Jan assessed him to see if he was fit to return to work as a paramedic. He insisted that he was coping, but Gem rebuked him, citing his loss of appetite and lack of sleep. Afterwards, Jan told Iain that he needed to see a therapist, and he reluctantly agreed to spend a few weeks with ambulance control. (CAS: Series 33, Episode 30)

On 11 May, Iain returned to work, and Jan decided to accompany him and Ruby on the road. At a shout, she took exception when he promised a young patient that he would have him treated at the ED as quickly as possible. Later, after Iain exacerbated a family feud, Jan forced him to hand in his radio and told him that he was done for the day. However, he soon went to the scene of an accident without supervision, and Jan scolded him for his recklessness. Iain accused Ruby of "telling tales" to her, and Jan berated him for being inconsiderate of her feelings as she was the one who saved his life. She told him that his suicide attempt affected them as well and that they were not over it yet. (CAS: Series 33, Episode 34)

Iain offers to accompany Jan to Ross' trial. (CAS: Series 33, Episode 37)

On 1 June, the day of Ross' trial, Jan insisted on working. Outside the ED, she explained to Iain that she was "getting drawn into it all again", but he reminded her that Ross was her son. In the locker room, Iain offered to accompany her to the trial as emotional support, but she declined, asserting that she needed to go alone. Upon her return, she accepted his offer of a drink at The Hope & Anchor, and they enthusiastically agreed to help Will teach Ethan how to play poker. (CAS: Series 33, Episode 37)

The following week, Jan was furious at Ruby after learning of Dani's attempt at performing a tracheotomy on an eldery patient and reported Dani to the police. Ruby asked her what was going to happen to her professionally, but Jan had not decided. Later, after Ruby managed to convince Dani to receive treatment following a car crash, Jan concluded that Ruby needed support as opposed to punishment. (CAS: Series 33, Episode 38)

Trivia

• Jan's phone number is 07700 900332. (CAS: Series 33, Episode 42)

Behind the scenes

Di Botcher has portrayed Jan on Casualty since May 2018, making her one of the show's more prominent guest stars.