The Doctor Will See You Now by Dr Amir Khan

 

60 hours a week

240 patients

10 minutes to make a diagnosis

Welcome to the surgery.

Charting his 15 years working as a GP, from rookie to becoming a partner in one of the UK's busiest surgeries, Dr Amir Khan's stories are as much about community and care as they are about blood tests and bodily fluids.

Along the way, he introduces us to the patients that have taught him about love, loss and family - from the regulars to the rarities - giving him the most unbelievable highs and crushing lows, and often in just 10 minutes. There is the unsuspecting pregnant woman about to give birth at the surgery; the man offering to drop his trousers and take a urine sample there and then; the family who needs support through bereavement, the vulnerable child who will need continuing care for a long-term health condition; and, of course, the onset of COVID-19 that tested the surgery at every twist and turn. But, it's all in a day's work for Amir.

The Doctor Will See You Now is a powerful story of hope, love and compassion, but it's also a rare insider account of what really goes on behind those surgery doors. 

'The Doctor Will See You Now: The highs and lows of my life as an NHS GP' is an account of Dr Amir Khan, a doctor who featured on the popular Channel 5 programme, GP's Behind Doors. 

I watched GP Behind Closed Doors and I must admit, Dr Amir Khan was my favourite GP. He looked to have a very calming demeanor and took time to listen to and explain things to his patients, caring about them and their family. This is again reflected in this book as he talks about how he goes above and beyond for his patients. As I read the book I could hear Amir's voice coming out of the page and I devoured the book very quickly. It is a really well written book and I would love to read another book my Dr Amir Khan to hear more tales of his life in the inner city practice,

There are many great patients included in this book, of course names have been changed, but it really shows how varied the life of a GP really is.  Some of the characters pop up more than once in the book. As it is a book about a GP, there is of course a wide variety of emotions and I found myself empathising and was close to tears on a number of occasions but then found myself laughing out loud in the following chapter. It does show how varied and unusual the life of a GP really is.

There are great stories about Amir's career in General Practice including his first day as a fully fledged GP and not only did he have to tell an unexpected patient that they were pregnant, but also that she was in labour and the birth was imminent. 

The final chapter of the book reflects on the current Coronavirus pandemic and is a heartfelt account of life as a GP during this very difficult time and pays tribute to the NHS and medical profession which I found very poignant.

Thank you to Ebury Publishing for sending me a copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Maybe I’m scared to be happy…

Meet Hannah – she’s been her mum’s sole carer since she was eighteen. Now alone after Martha’s sudden death, Hannah feels lost in the only place she’s known as home, Hope Street. Coming up to a milestone birthday, she’s wondering what her purpose in life is.

Meet Doug – a workaholic, he’s in the office from dusk ’til dawn, and when he has a heart attack. Now on the mend, he needs to de-stress his life and focus on living it, to make sure it doesn’t happen again.

Doug moves to Hope Street, number 35. Hannah lives at number 34, directly opposite. From the moment they meet, there’s a spark.

But there are secrets too. Hannah’s mum has been keeping something from her, her sister left over twenty years ago, and there can’t be such a simple reason why Doug has moved to Somerley. Can there?

The Man Across the Street is the first of a new series by bestselling author, Marcie Steele. It features a host of characters living on Hope Street in the market town of Somerley, also featured in The Somerley Series. Each character will have their own standalone story in books to follow.

'The Man Across the Street' is the first book in a new series of books set in Hope Street in Somerley, a market town in England. 

I love books which are part of a series, based in a village or, as this one, a street. I enjoy meeting the characters and having the opputunity to learn more about the residents, their back stories and watching them following their dreams or relationships developing or falling part. I am looking forward to returning to Hope Street again in future books.

The book is an easy read and is relatable to real life, I can picture Hope Street and Hannah and Doug are both characters who could easily live next door to its reader. Marcie Steele has created a fantastic setting and cast of characters.

Marcie Steel is actually Mel Sharratt, a fantastic crime author, who has written a number of gritty crime novels. It is difficult to imagine that this cosy read has written by the same person but they are and I enjoy both sides of Mel's writing!

Thank you to the publisher and to Sarah Hardy of Books on the Bright Side Publicity and PR for inviting me to take part in the blog tour and for a copy of the book in return for an honest review.