Holby City (series 1) NHS." His only concern about the series was its continuation of patient storylines from "Casualty", writing: "if that happens too often, the new programme will soon lose its freshness and sparkle." "The Mirror" Charlie Catchpole wrote that he was "sick of the sensitive, hand–wringing, non–judgmental do–gooders who mope around the A&E department in "Casualty"", praising in comparison the "pushy, ambitious, cynical and generally thoroughly unpleasant surgeons" in "Holby City". Sam Wollaston of "The Guardian" received the series positively, writing: ""Holby City" has everything you want from a hospital drama: good–looking staff, a bit of love interest, a dishy doc, the
Holby City describing real nursing work in contrast as "very post-watershed". In November 2009, Antony Sumara, CEO of the Mid Staffordshire NHS Foundation Hospital Trust, wrote a column criticising "Holby City" for misrepresenting real hospital life. Tom Sutcliffe of "The Independent" reviewed a December 2009 episode poorly, finding it "astonishing" that any patients leave Holby General alive, as the staff are "so busy looking stricken or lovelorn at each other". In December 2003, "The Times" Libby Purves wrote a critical opinion piece, observing that "Holby City" medical staff are often depicted getting drunk in clubs, but afterwards are able to function properly