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In Stitches


In Stitches cover
My name is Dr Nick Edwards and I am a doctor working in accident and emergency. I have worked in the NHS for the last 6 years in hospitals up and down the country. A few months ago I embarked on writing a book about life as an A&E doctor – to show what it really is like. As I wrote my mind became more focused on how things could be improved, especially in view of the major NHS review that is about to happen to coincide with the 60th anniversary of the NHS.

The book has human interest stories and in places I try to be humorous and look at issues in a slightly tongue in cheek style. However the most important aspect I am trying to get is to look at how management and politics pervade down to front line work. In this way I hope to increase the interest in the politics of the NHS and is part of the reason I am working with the NHS Support Federation.

Issues of concern which are highlighted include:
  1. Where the resources have been used, the wasteful use of PFI and how the fragmentation of the NHS interferes with every day practice. (Pages 2,78,31)
  2. Failed IT systems, where I still cannot get GP records of drugs a patient takes and how this poor IT system affects patient care (Page 10)
  3. The stress for staff, from the failed medical training application system, to the pressures of numbers of patients we have to see (Pages 13,18,20,25)
  4. The problems on the rise of alcohol and drug related problems coming to A&E (Pages 241,192,46)
  5. The political interference of targets interfering with clinicians making priorities on the ‘shop floor’.(Pages 39,54,225)
  6. Specific problems relating to A&E – i.e. lack of senior doctors on the ‘shop floor’ (Pages 202,166,51)
  7. The issue of hospital closures and why it may not be always in the best interest of patients.(Pages 7,198,208)
  8. Local management issues.(Pages 78,31,33)

I have also offered some solutions, which I hope policy makers may listen to. Although the book has not been written in collaboration with the NHS Support Federation, the ideas stem from a similar line.

Since publication on the 30th August the book has been featured in the Guardian, Daily Mail, Newsnight and Talk sport radio amongst others. It is catching the public eye and in only a week 7000 copies have been sold and the book has had to be reprinted.

The book hopefully puts the politics into the personal, raises real issues and will encourage others to talk about the NHS. I hope you enjoy reading it.

You can order a copy at a discount on the cover price, with profits going towards NHS Support Federation campaigns, by emailing olivia@nhscampaign.org. Click on Harper Collins for the publisher's website.