 Jacobs ' casting was chronicled in the documentary Making It at Holby . She made appearances as Donna in both Holby City 's 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 . 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 . 
