Book | In Stitches by Dr Nick Edwards

In Stitches by Dr Nick Edwards
Published By: The Friday Project
Published On: June 12, 2009
Genre: Memoir, Comedy
Pages: 275
Format: eBook
Rating: 3

Dr Nick Edwards is an Accident and Emergency (A&E) doctor working in the UK and a passionate believer in the NHS. However the reforms, political correctness and the Anglo-Saxon culture of binge drinking and fighting and the resulting A&E visits are a strain on his sanity. So to keep up his morale, he began writing down his feelings - a form of literary cathartic therapy - the results of which make up this book.
So join Dr Nick Edwards as he describes the frustrations and joys of working in the NHS. The traumas and tragedies, the patients and colleagues and most of all the successes and humour that make up life at the frontline of medical care.

Nick Edwards, an A&E (Accident & Emergency) doctor with very strong opinions about the NHS, shares both rants and anecdotes in his book documenting some of his experiences within the fast paced world of A&E.

Again, I love the insight into a career I could never have. I made this point in my review of Further Confessions of a GP. I am fascinated with the medical profession. I watch countless medical TV shows but, of course, the majority are fictional and don’t give a very accurate insight. Books like this, however, document the highs and lows of this profession through real situations.

I love the anecdotes and patient interactions. My favourite parts of books like this are the stories of patients that the doctor has come into contact with. This book contains some heart warming anecdotes along with the funny ones and a few sad stories thrown in as well.

I now see A&E in a different light. Never again will I set off for A&E before being sure I have either an accident or an emergency. Never again will I complain at how long I have waited to be seen. Never again will I be annoyed if a member of staff is grumpy or tired. I have gained much more respect for the A&E staff through reading this book.

There is just too much ranting. It is mentioned at the start of the book that the he is only writing when he has something to say, and most of those times it is because he is angry. For that reason, I was expecting some moaning throughout the book. However, I was not prepared for a political rant, or just any kind of complaint, almost every chapter. It was beginning to get repetitive and quite annoying.

Overall, I thought this was an average book. I enjoy this type of book but have definitely read better. I would recommend this book if you would like an insight into the trials of working in A&E, but only if you like a lot of political ranting.

Book | Further Confessions of a GP by Benjamin Daniels

Further Confessions of a GP by Benjamin Daniels
Series: The Confessions Series
Published By: The Friday Project
Published On: December 19, 2013
Genre: Memoir, Comedy
Pages: 327
Format: eBook
Rating: 4

Benjamin Daniels is back. He may be older, wiser and more experienced, but his patients are no less outrageous. Drawing on his time working as a medical student, a locum, and a general practitioner, Dr Daniels would like to introduce you to …
The old age pensioner who can’t keep his hands to himself. The teenager convinced that he lost his virginity and caught HIV sometime between leaving a bar and waking up in a kebab shop. A female patient Dr Daniels recognises from his younger, bachelor years. The woman whose mobile phone turns up in an unexpected place. A Jack Russell with a bizarre foot fetish. Crackhead Kenny. Not to mention the super nurses, anxious parents, hypochondriacs, jumpy medical students and kaleidoscope of care workers that make up Dr Daniels’ daily shift. Further Confessions of a GP is the eagerly anticipated follow-up to the bestselling Confessions of a GP. With more eyebrow-raising stories from the world of general practice, Dr Daniels will once again amuse, shock and surprise. You’ll never feel the same about going to the doctor again…

Dr Benjamin Daniels, an English GP, shared many an amusing anecdote, with a few serious topics thrown in, of his first few years as a newly qualified doctor in his first book Confessions of a GP. Now a practice partner with a weekly A&E shift, Dr Daniels is back to share more of his experiences in his further confessions.

I love the insight into a career I could never have. I do not have the patience, qualifications, or tolerance of blood and needles to be in the medical profession. However, it is always something I have been extremely interested in. I admire those who work long days - like GPs - or unsociable shifts – like A&E doctors – to keep us healthy. I really enjoyed reading about the perks and downfalls of the job from someone in the profession and gaining the kind of insight I could not get no matter how many medical TV shows I watch.

It made me laugh out loud. The stories told throughout the book range from disgusting to slightly odd to downright hilarious. I will occasionally have a little giggle to myself when reading but very rarely do I find myself actually laughing out loud.

Dr Daniels seems like a genuinely nice guy. While this book is non-fiction and not one where a ‘character’ connection should be felt, I really started to like Dr Daniels while reading this book. People are always complaining about the GP, at least where I live, so it was nice to read about a GP who seems to really want the best for his patients.

There was a bit too much complaining for my liking. I understand that all jobs have their negatives and with the problems in the NHS there is plenty for doctors to complain about. I completely understand that in order to show a true idea of what it is like to be a GP, these things need to be addressed. However, I feel like a great balance between funny and serious was established in the first book while this one contained a lot more complaints.

Overall, I think this book gives a great insight into the life of a GP and has caused me to look at my GP surgery in a different light. The amusing stories make it a light, easy read while the more serious topics emphasise the problems with the NHS today. However, I do not think this lived up to the first book by Benjamin Daniels and therefore would suggest, if you only want to read one, go for his first book Confessions of a GP.