Jacobs' casting was chronicled in the documentary "Making It at Holby". She made appearances as Donna in both "Holby City" sister show "Casualty", and two crossover editions of the programmes, broadcast as "Casualty@Holby City". After seven years, Jacobs resigned from "Holby City" in order to pursue new projects. The character's reintroduction was announced in February 2017. Donna's relationship with her terminally ill father Derek (Clarke Peters) attracted praise from critics. Her affair with married consultant Michael Spence (Hari Dhillon) proved less popular, with several critics opining that Donna deserved better treatment. She was named "Best Emerging Talent" at the 2005 Screen Nation Awards for her portrayal of Donna, and was nominated for two further awards while part of the series.