Blog 103 A Doctor’s Lucky Day
December 29, 2025Paul was travelling south on the train, sitting gloomily by the window, every mile taking him closer to London and the rigors of the examination. If he was successful, he would become a fellow of the Royal College of Surgeons, a vital step on the road to a career as a surgeon. He reflected on […] Read more
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Blog 102 Christmas Day in Hospital in days gone by
December 8, 2025For those of us who lived or worked in hospital in the 60s and 70s Christmas Day was a memorable experience thanks to the great efforts made by the staff to create a cheerful atmosphere for those unfortunate enough to be ill and away from home at this special time. On Christmas morning the hospital […] Read more
Blog 101 The Unsung Hero of the NHS
November 12, 2025Erm… Please pardon me for interrupting….Just thought I’d say “Hello” See it’s your turn again! At least they’ll see me at my best today, not wishy-washy like when Dr Dishwasher makes it. HE hasn’t got a clue. I just can’t do my job properly when he’s around; HE always leaves me weak, unable […] Read more
Blog 100 Marilyn – every hospital has one
October 1, 2025How well I remember my first sight of Marilyn, wearing her pristine pink overall as she bent over the deep ward kitchen sink; arms and elbows deep in soap suds. Never was the phrase ‘they have a face as if they are chewing a wasp’ more appropriate; indeed she looked as if she had not only chewed the […] Read more
Blog 99 Ingarsby Lane
September 2, 2025Ingarsby Lane is a common walk for dogs and their owners, a post lunch stroll for conscientious professionals walking off the calories and for young lovers wanting to get out of parental homes. It’s a place for sharing secrets, quarrels, making-up, breaking-up, coming to terms with loss, thinking about new arrivals, new places and empty […] Read more
Blog 98 Is he really dead?
August 17, 2025Within a few days of qualifying as a doctor in the 60s, I found myself working overnight in the Casualty Department of a large city hospital. These were the days before emergency medicine emerged as a specialty and had permanent medical staff. The initial management of the most acutely ill patients was initiated by […] Read more
Blog 97 Embarrassment for a medical student
May 23, 2025I am certain that many folk reading this (well certainly the older ones amongst you) will remember the book written by Richard Gordon entitled Doctor in the House. Richard Gordon was a doctor; his name in real life being Gordon Ostler. He worked for a time as an anaesthetist at St Bartholomew’s Hospital where he […] Read more
Blog 96 My time as a volunteer nurse in the 1960s
April 15, 2025The year was 1969 and I was keen to train as a nurse. My two children, a boy and a girl, were now of an age and growing up, allowing me time and energy to plan a career. I was living in Perth at the time and an advert in the local paper just fell […] Read more
Blog 95 My ‘1980s experience as a student nurse’
March 11, 2025I started my nurse training at Park Hospital, Davyhulme in August 1985. It was not quite the days of Matron, aprons, starched hats and silver belt buckles – although the latter two were holding out in some quarters. It was still very hierarchical but informality was beginning to replace the rigid structure of old. It […] Read more
Blog 94 In desperate need of contraceptive advice
February 6, 2025Dr Julie Smith was coming to the end of a busy family planning clinic. During a long and tiring day, she had discussed the merits of contraceptive pills, caps, condoms, coils, implants and surgery over and over again. She feared the disenchantment she felt might become apparent to her patients, or clients, as her boss […] Read more
