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Confessions of a GP
Benjamin Daniels is angry. He is frustrated, confused, baffled and, quite frequently, very funny. He is also a GP. These are his confessions.
A woman troubled by pornographic dreams about Tom Jones. An 80-year-old man who can't remember why he's come to see the doctor. A woman with a common cold demanding (but not receiving) antibiotics. A man with a sore knee. A young woman who has been trying to conceive for a while but now finds herself pregnant and isn't sure she wants to go through with it. A 7-year-old boy with 'tummy aches' that don't really exist.
These are his patients.
Confessions of a GP is a witty insight into the life of a family doctor. Funny and moving in equal measure it will change the way you look at your GP next time you pop in with the sniffles.
A woman troubled by pornographic dreams about Tom Jones. An 80-year-old man who can't remember why he's come to see the doctor. A woman with a common cold demanding (but not receiving) antibiotics. A man with a sore knee. A young woman who has been trying to conceive for a while but now finds herself pregnant and isn't sure she wants to go through with it. A 7-year-old boy with 'tummy aches' that don't really exist.
These are his patients.
Confessions of a GP is a witty insight into the life of a family doctor. Funny and moving in equal measure it will change the way you look at your GP next time you pop in with the sniffles.
327 pages, Kindle Edition
First published January 1, 2010
321 people are currently reading
2004 people want to read
About the author
Benjamin Daniels
5 books42 followersLove reading and love writing. Started off only writing for my own satisfaction. Never believed that I'd get published!
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 377 reviews
March 24, 2019
Why it was such a page turner or a five star is hard to define. It was about the routine of a young GP with a bit about his training, working in A&E and thoughts on the National Health Service. He's very firmly in favour of it. As am I.
There were several very interesting discussions apart from transgender (below, in spoilers). One of them was of the intractability of the pain of fibromyalgia. He said it was only diagnosed when no other cause for the pain could be found and that it rarely responded to anything much other than opiates. The author said it's cause was generally SLS - shit life syndrome. But that sufferers generally would not put their very real physical symptoms down to the awful things that had happened in their lives and wanted to separate the mental from the physical. That was interesting.
Another discussion was that of measles vaccinations. He said that not vaccinating children was a middle class phenomenon. People chose not to despite Wakefield's linking MMR to autism being proved fake. He is an absolute charlatan who had been paid to demonstrate the link and who had developed his own measles vaccination he wanted to sell. But that said, if Daniels is right there should be much more autism among the working classes and much less among the middle classes and strangely there isn't. There isn't any difference at all.
Anyway, back to measles. He said that there are children who cannot be vaccinated. Those with various diseases, ones that compromise the immune system, and children undergoing various forms of treatment including chemotherapy. He said they were never at risk because they were protected by everyone else being vaccinated. Now they weren't and measles is a fatal disease in a small number of children and a costly one for the health service to treat as there was no cure, they just had to be hospitalised until they got better.
There was an interesting point about near-euthanasia which is permissable in the UK and probably everywhere else as well. That is that a patient near death and in obvious pain even when unconscious could be given morphine. It would depress the breathing and likely hasten death. The doctor said he would not give the morphine if the family objected and it was their concern that he would take most into account. (He could be accused of wrongful killing, so he has to prioritise that over compassion). My grandma asked for her "special injection" when she could take no more and the family doctor gave it to her, she slipped into a coma and I was with her, holding her hand when she died about twelve hours later.
The style of writing meant the book was an entertaining and light read, but there was depth and much that was thought-provoking. I hope the author goes on to write many more books because his lightness of touch could well transform heavy medical subjects into ones that many more people than otherwise would read.
Transgender discussion to which most of the comments below refer. It was written as I read the book.
There were several very interesting discussions apart from transgender (below, in spoilers). One of them was of the intractability of the pain of fibromyalgia. He said it was only diagnosed when no other cause for the pain could be found and that it rarely responded to anything much other than opiates. The author said it's cause was generally SLS - shit life syndrome. But that sufferers generally would not put their very real physical symptoms down to the awful things that had happened in their lives and wanted to separate the mental from the physical. That was interesting.
Another discussion was that of measles vaccinations. He said that not vaccinating children was a middle class phenomenon. People chose not to despite Wakefield's linking MMR to autism being proved fake. He is an absolute charlatan who had been paid to demonstrate the link and who had developed his own measles vaccination he wanted to sell. But that said, if Daniels is right there should be much more autism among the working classes and much less among the middle classes and strangely there isn't. There isn't any difference at all.
Anyway, back to measles. He said that there are children who cannot be vaccinated. Those with various diseases, ones that compromise the immune system, and children undergoing various forms of treatment including chemotherapy. He said they were never at risk because they were protected by everyone else being vaccinated. Now they weren't and measles is a fatal disease in a small number of children and a costly one for the health service to treat as there was no cure, they just had to be hospitalised until they got better.
There was an interesting point about near-euthanasia which is permissable in the UK and probably everywhere else as well. That is that a patient near death and in obvious pain even when unconscious could be given morphine. It would depress the breathing and likely hasten death. The doctor said he would not give the morphine if the family objected and it was their concern that he would take most into account. (He could be accused of wrongful killing, so he has to prioritise that over compassion). My grandma asked for her "special injection" when she could take no more and the family doctor gave it to her, she slipped into a coma and I was with her, holding her hand when she died about twelve hours later.
The style of writing meant the book was an entertaining and light read, but there was depth and much that was thought-provoking. I hope the author goes on to write many more books because his lightness of touch could well transform heavy medical subjects into ones that many more people than otherwise would read.
Transgender discussion to which most of the comments below refer. It was written as I read the book.
August 10, 2020
How do I accurately sum up how disappointed and downright disgusted I was reading this book?
The author of this book, in his narration, came across as a snobby, judgemental man with a hero complex. Seriously. I can’t believe he’s actually a doctor with the amount of patients he has clearly failed in this book it’s actually outstanding.
Here’s just SOME of the pompous things said in this book:
Telling a story of doing a house visit for a vulnerable man who rarely leaves his house. Describes it as a ‘sh*t hole’ (because it’s on a council estate) and makes several comments on the smell and how quickly he couldn’t wait to leave.
He had a victim of domestic abuse sitting right in front of him, showing him her body covered in bruises, and all he says is that she should leave him. (I have never seen such a useless or ignorant response).
This is an actual quote – “Mum Kerry is actually very likeable. She is a stereotypical council estate mum, only 25 and already has three kids with three different men who are nowhere to be seen.” ……. Is this supposed to be a joke? Because what part of this sentence is funny?
Describes two overweight patients as ‘waddling’ into the room, and when they are in the room he remarks that his room now feels ‘smaller’. Later on when discussing a different patient he uses phrases like “porker”, “big girl” and “special fatties list”.
One of the chapter titles is LITERALLY a transphobic slur. And in this wonderful chapter, he describes his patient (a woman who has had gender reassignment surgery) like this – “Kirsty looks like a rugby bloke who has been badly dressed up as a woman by his mates on a stag do”. The levels of ignorance and transphobia are disgusting. After this, he also says that Kirsty felt like if she didn’t have gender reassignment surgery she would’ve ended her life, so he describes her as a ‘drama queen’? Why is suicide being treated as a joke?
Another great classist quote – “They were the areas of council housing that the rest of the village tried to ignore”
MORE fatphobia towards his own patients! – “There was no way he would’ve fitted through the door he was f*cking enormous”
If the classism, fatphobia and transphobia weren’t enough to deter you, he also sprinkles in some racism. “Uzmas parents are from Pakistan.. maybe they’re forcing her into an arranged marriage?” and then a few sentences later he makes a joke about honour killings.
He only approves of women having home births if it’s a middle class woman not a council estate woman bringing a baby into an ‘unsterile’ environment.
Before you think there wasn’t, there WAS homophobia! This author/doctor has really hit the ignorance bingo today. He says that surgeons often “accuse each other of being gay” for a laugh and to rile each other up, as sexuality is a joke and being gay is something to be ashamed of.
To top this all off, we had some lovely misogyny. He said that if you want your doctor to pay attention to you, you should be attractive. He also said that being a stay at home mom is an excuse not to do anything else.
I can’t believe someone who is supposedly ‘professional’ and has a duty of care to several vulnerable people could both fail them so spectacularly and talk about them in such a haughty way it’s ridiculous. I’m annoyed he penned the book under a pseudonym because I’d love to know who this man is.
Whenever there’s an anecdote in this book that required a more delicate approach, for instance stories of literal babies dying, he was so callous in his writing and STILL made jokes within the text. Any semblance of tenderness and emotion was gone. I’m actually convinced this man doesn’t have a sympathetic bone in his body. I am actually concerned that this is a real doctor.
Anyway, don’t read this book.
The author of this book, in his narration, came across as a snobby, judgemental man with a hero complex. Seriously. I can’t believe he’s actually a doctor with the amount of patients he has clearly failed in this book it’s actually outstanding.
Here’s just SOME of the pompous things said in this book:
Telling a story of doing a house visit for a vulnerable man who rarely leaves his house. Describes it as a ‘sh*t hole’ (because it’s on a council estate) and makes several comments on the smell and how quickly he couldn’t wait to leave.
He had a victim of domestic abuse sitting right in front of him, showing him her body covered in bruises, and all he says is that she should leave him. (I have never seen such a useless or ignorant response).
This is an actual quote – “Mum Kerry is actually very likeable. She is a stereotypical council estate mum, only 25 and already has three kids with three different men who are nowhere to be seen.” ……. Is this supposed to be a joke? Because what part of this sentence is funny?
Describes two overweight patients as ‘waddling’ into the room, and when they are in the room he remarks that his room now feels ‘smaller’. Later on when discussing a different patient he uses phrases like “porker”, “big girl” and “special fatties list”.
One of the chapter titles is LITERALLY a transphobic slur. And in this wonderful chapter, he describes his patient (a woman who has had gender reassignment surgery) like this – “Kirsty looks like a rugby bloke who has been badly dressed up as a woman by his mates on a stag do”. The levels of ignorance and transphobia are disgusting. After this, he also says that Kirsty felt like if she didn’t have gender reassignment surgery she would’ve ended her life, so he describes her as a ‘drama queen’? Why is suicide being treated as a joke?
Another great classist quote – “They were the areas of council housing that the rest of the village tried to ignore”
MORE fatphobia towards his own patients! – “There was no way he would’ve fitted through the door he was f*cking enormous”
If the classism, fatphobia and transphobia weren’t enough to deter you, he also sprinkles in some racism. “Uzmas parents are from Pakistan.. maybe they’re forcing her into an arranged marriage?” and then a few sentences later he makes a joke about honour killings.
He only approves of women having home births if it’s a middle class woman not a council estate woman bringing a baby into an ‘unsterile’ environment.
Before you think there wasn’t, there WAS homophobia! This author/doctor has really hit the ignorance bingo today. He says that surgeons often “accuse each other of being gay” for a laugh and to rile each other up, as sexuality is a joke and being gay is something to be ashamed of.
To top this all off, we had some lovely misogyny. He said that if you want your doctor to pay attention to you, you should be attractive. He also said that being a stay at home mom is an excuse not to do anything else.
I can’t believe someone who is supposedly ‘professional’ and has a duty of care to several vulnerable people could both fail them so spectacularly and talk about them in such a haughty way it’s ridiculous. I’m annoyed he penned the book under a pseudonym because I’d love to know who this man is.
Whenever there’s an anecdote in this book that required a more delicate approach, for instance stories of literal babies dying, he was so callous in his writing and STILL made jokes within the text. Any semblance of tenderness and emotion was gone. I’m actually convinced this man doesn’t have a sympathetic bone in his body. I am actually concerned that this is a real doctor.
Anyway, don’t read this book.
August 22, 2022
Q: I think my vagina is haunted. (c) I'd love to see the doc's response to this. LOL!
A page turner about a young GP and the cooky stuff he sees day in and day out.
Q:
I’m not very good at being authoritative – ask my cat (c)
Q:
I actually think that my complete lack of physical presence is a great advantage in these situations. I look about as menacing as an anorexic kitten playing with some cotton wool and this seems to deter even the most threatening of would-be nose breakers. (c)
Q:
I am relieved to see that he isn’t buying a baseball bat and a book about serial killers. Instead, his basket holds a bunch of fair-trade bananas, some extra soft toilet paper and a Harry Potter book. (c)
Q:
‘So I was trying to save water by washing the vegetables while also taking a shower and then I slipped and what are the chances of landing on that courgette…’ (c)
A page turner about a young GP and the cooky stuff he sees day in and day out.
Q:
I’m not very good at being authoritative – ask my cat (c)
Q:
I actually think that my complete lack of physical presence is a great advantage in these situations. I look about as menacing as an anorexic kitten playing with some cotton wool and this seems to deter even the most threatening of would-be nose breakers. (c)
Q:
I am relieved to see that he isn’t buying a baseball bat and a book about serial killers. Instead, his basket holds a bunch of fair-trade bananas, some extra soft toilet paper and a Harry Potter book. (c)
Q:
‘So I was trying to save water by washing the vegetables while also taking a shower and then I slipped and what are the chances of landing on that courgette…’ (c)
July 5, 2024
Very interesting. Next time I'm in the doctors waiting room I'm going to be curious as to why other people are there.
Nice light read with a few giggles.
Three stars.
Nice light read with a few giggles.
Three stars.
September 3, 2011
I was struggling between rating this three and four stars, so it would be a 3.5 star rating.
I was eager to read this book as I worked as a Doctor’s Receptionist for several years; I thought it would be good to see it from the Doctors perspective. I think I should write a book from the receptionist’s point of view, I have many a tale there.....
Well this book is very amusing! I was sat on the train and had to stifle a few laughs. I thought the short chapters because it kept each section short and interesting.
In the book there was a couple of chapters about drugs reps, I found myself nodding my head in agreement as to how persistent they were. I remember fending off at least two a day, but I did marvel how the “pretty” ones seemed to get through. The Doctor’s at my practice were really nice to us and used to give us the bounty from the drugs reps, we came home with loads of stationery and mugs.
Overall I found this book had a nice easy feel to it, but, it did lose points as some of the chapters seemed a little disjointed. Would I recommend this book? Yes because I do think the stories are fun and entertaining.
I was eager to read this book as I worked as a Doctor’s Receptionist for several years; I thought it would be good to see it from the Doctors perspective. I think I should write a book from the receptionist’s point of view, I have many a tale there.....
Well this book is very amusing! I was sat on the train and had to stifle a few laughs. I thought the short chapters because it kept each section short and interesting.
In the book there was a couple of chapters about drugs reps, I found myself nodding my head in agreement as to how persistent they were. I remember fending off at least two a day, but I did marvel how the “pretty” ones seemed to get through. The Doctor’s at my practice were really nice to us and used to give us the bounty from the drugs reps, we came home with loads of stationery and mugs.
Overall I found this book had a nice easy feel to it, but, it did lose points as some of the chapters seemed a little disjointed. Would I recommend this book? Yes because I do think the stories are fun and entertaining.
May 6, 2019
I really didn't like the writer. He came across as opinionated, defensive, snobby, judgemental, preachy and a bit holier than thou, in what is supposed to be a light-hearted, amusing look at some of the patients an average GP gets in his surgery in the UK. I did not enjoy being lectured on the state of the country, the class system and the National Health Service. I wonder who the intended audience is meant to be, as anyone who would care about his opinions on the state of things would probably be a doctor themselves, but I'm sure they'd find the book tedious reading as they do the same job.
February 14, 2017
I couldn't finish this book, I thought I would enjoy it but really it didn't do anything for me in terms of keeping me interested.
I might try again at some point, but I probably won't.
I might try again at some point, but I probably won't.
March 22, 2012
I loved the idea of reading Confessions of a GP. It screamed ‘funny’ and ‘interesting’ and it isn’t everyday you come across a book on this subject. When I picked up the book for a great price on the Kindle, I started to read it right away, I wanted to know what secrets the author was willing to divulge to me.
There are a few chapters that are real gems and they are sure to make you gasp, put your hand to your mouth in shock, make you want to read snippets aloud to anyone who will listen as well as causing a bit of a giggle.
Unfortunately once I had read the good chapters in the first half of the book, I started to feel like the author was being patronising instead of being funny. If you suffer from the illnesses he does tend to not take too seriously, I can see readers being easily offended. I also felt there was confusion with the chapters being all mixed up and in no particular order. As a reader this didn’t work for me because I was being taken in one direction and then suddenly another for no reason other than the chapter subjects are mixed.
I would recommend this book to people who are looking for something light hearted, funny and not serious. There are some great subjects but do not take this seriously. Despite feeling disappointed with the ending, Confessions of a GP does still deserve 2 stars.
There are a few chapters that are real gems and they are sure to make you gasp, put your hand to your mouth in shock, make you want to read snippets aloud to anyone who will listen as well as causing a bit of a giggle.
Unfortunately once I had read the good chapters in the first half of the book, I started to feel like the author was being patronising instead of being funny. If you suffer from the illnesses he does tend to not take too seriously, I can see readers being easily offended. I also felt there was confusion with the chapters being all mixed up and in no particular order. As a reader this didn’t work for me because I was being taken in one direction and then suddenly another for no reason other than the chapter subjects are mixed.
I would recommend this book to people who are looking for something light hearted, funny and not serious. There are some great subjects but do not take this seriously. Despite feeling disappointed with the ending, Confessions of a GP does still deserve 2 stars.
March 12, 2013
It was a fantastic read. I could relate to many thing stated here, though am not a GP associated with the British NHS. This collection of anectdotes from the life of a GP is written by a currently practicing GP under a pseudonym. All the stories were thought provoking, and most were funny, more the so because it was not intentionally evoked humor. I read this book within a day or so and would recommend this to all in the medical profession. Non medical persons may find it a bit difficult to comprehend the scenario.
June 12, 2016
Thank you, Dr. Daniels, for reminding me why I decided to become a hospital doctor and not a GP. My hat is down to you and all the GP doctors around the world who find the time to be psychotherapists, social workers and clerks for their patients.
Knjigu bih preporučio svakom tko ima ikakvog posla sa zdravstvenom službom. napisana je zanimljivo, duhovito, i iako iz perspektive liječnika opće prakse u UK, dovoljno je dodirnih točaka sa svim krajevima zapadnog svijeta.
Knjigu bih preporučio svakom tko ima ikakvog posla sa zdravstvenom službom. napisana je zanimljivo, duhovito, i iako iz perspektive liječnika opće prakse u UK, dovoljno je dodirnih točaka sa svim krajevima zapadnog svijeta.
January 14, 2016
3.5 stars for this one. I found it to be a humorous account of the life of a British GP. I suspect it would be fairly similar to the life of an Australian GP, although our Medicare system has distinct difference to the British NHS, but some of his issues ring true to me, as an allied health professional - patients failing to show up, having to say difficult things to patients that you know they don’t want to hear, then having them leave your room dissatisfied with the advice you’ve given even though you know the advice is evidence-based, feeling like a bad service provider because of this dissatisfaction, getting frustrated by companies and people who make wild health claims about a product which are unsubstantiated and which exploit vulnerable people.
I laughed at the list of complaints that some patients present with (my favourite was “When I eat a lot of rice cakes, it makes my wee smell of rice cakes”), I chuckled at patient, Elaine, who has pornographic dreams about Tom Jones and wants the GP to write Tom a letter explaining things (“I’m sure if you just explained everything he would see sense, I know he would”), I laughed at the rookie house officer at the hospital who answers his pager with an inflated sense of his own importance only to find his consultant on the line asking him to phone in a Chinese takeaway order as he, the consultant, was going to be stuck in theatre all evening, I laughed as later on that same evening when he attends a cardiac arrest and is given a turn on the defibrillator paddles (the experienced medical staff having decided that the patient is unable to be saved and the newbie should have a go for the experience) he manages to electrocute himself with his stethoscope!
I laughed at the possibly real-life errors made in patients’ notes (and wondered whether I’d written similar things in any of my reports to GPs…).
I felt sympathy for the GP as he dealt with the red tape of the NHS, as he came to grips with the fact that despite the free lunches that drug reps treat the doctors to, there really is no such thing as a "free" lunch.
The patient story that touched me the most was that of the single elderly lady with no children who was in hospital and not cooperative but just wanting to go home and get back to her cat - it was very poignant, and I could just see myself behaving like her in 40 years (if not less!).
I know a couple of friends have found the author’s attitude difficult to cope with (whinging about things and rude to the patients), but I haven’t found this. He whinged a little about the system (which I felt was understandable to a certain extent with any red tape), and he certainly recounts the most humorous or difficult or flabbergasting or gross aspects of his patients (for gross - the morbidly, morbidly, morbidly obese man with the maggots in the folds of his skin wins the prize!), but I can hear his compassion for his patients in his writing. And while he doesn’t always get it right - he admits that he finds it difficult to treat some people (for various reasons) with the same detachment that he extends to others, he is aware of these issues and resolves to make a greater effort next time he sees a similar patient.
All in all, an interesting and enjoyable read.
I laughed at the list of complaints that some patients present with (my favourite was “When I eat a lot of rice cakes, it makes my wee smell of rice cakes”), I chuckled at patient, Elaine, who has pornographic dreams about Tom Jones and wants the GP to write Tom a letter explaining things (“I’m sure if you just explained everything he would see sense, I know he would”), I laughed at the rookie house officer at the hospital who answers his pager with an inflated sense of his own importance only to find his consultant on the line asking him to phone in a Chinese takeaway order as he, the consultant, was going to be stuck in theatre all evening, I laughed as later on that same evening when he attends a cardiac arrest and is given a turn on the defibrillator paddles (the experienced medical staff having decided that the patient is unable to be saved and the newbie should have a go for the experience) he manages to electrocute himself with his stethoscope!
I laughed at the possibly real-life errors made in patients’ notes (and wondered whether I’d written similar things in any of my reports to GPs…).
I felt sympathy for the GP as he dealt with the red tape of the NHS, as he came to grips with the fact that despite the free lunches that drug reps treat the doctors to, there really is no such thing as a "free" lunch.
The patient story that touched me the most was that of the single elderly lady with no children who was in hospital and not cooperative but just wanting to go home and get back to her cat - it was very poignant, and I could just see myself behaving like her in 40 years (if not less!).
I know a couple of friends have found the author’s attitude difficult to cope with (whinging about things and rude to the patients), but I haven’t found this. He whinged a little about the system (which I felt was understandable to a certain extent with any red tape), and he certainly recounts the most humorous or difficult or flabbergasting or gross aspects of his patients (for gross - the morbidly, morbidly, morbidly obese man with the maggots in the folds of his skin wins the prize!), but I can hear his compassion for his patients in his writing. And while he doesn’t always get it right - he admits that he finds it difficult to treat some people (for various reasons) with the same detachment that he extends to others, he is aware of these issues and resolves to make a greater effort next time he sees a similar patient.
All in all, an interesting and enjoyable read.
August 22, 2011
I'm not sure what to say about this one really. I found some parts of the book really interesting in relation to some of the things that people go to see the Dr about, and it intrigued me that some go just to talk and then when their 10 mins is up they just get up and walk out. I did find him quite patronising in places though, especially when he mentioned something that I had been to the Dr's about and then laughed about the patient. The language is a bit strong in places and I don't know why but I found this strange coming from a Dr, although I realise they are human like the rest of us. I think it's because I put my Dr on a bit of a pedestal and hold him in high regard and it just seemed strange to hear a Dr use such strong language.
The book itself has made me wonder whether at times I should just suffer in silence and not bother my Dr, and I'm not sure if this is a good thing if other people feel the same too. It may put people off visiting their Dr.
Some things he mentioned were extremely amusing though and did make me laugh, but then I thought I am actually laughing at what some people think to them, is quite important. Although there are some things he mentions which I definately wouldn't bother a Dr about and am quite shocked that people do. One chapter related to what reasons people give to the Dr's to get a sick note for work. Some were unbelievable. As he says "When I hand out a sick note, I am basically signing that person a cheque made up of taxpayers' money". This was a valid point.
Read it if you want an insight into what a Dr does during his day and learn about how the NHS works in relation to Dr's.
The book itself has made me wonder whether at times I should just suffer in silence and not bother my Dr, and I'm not sure if this is a good thing if other people feel the same too. It may put people off visiting their Dr.
Some things he mentioned were extremely amusing though and did make me laugh, but then I thought I am actually laughing at what some people think to them, is quite important. Although there are some things he mentions which I definately wouldn't bother a Dr about and am quite shocked that people do. One chapter related to what reasons people give to the Dr's to get a sick note for work. Some were unbelievable. As he says "When I hand out a sick note, I am basically signing that person a cheque made up of taxpayers' money". This was a valid point.
Read it if you want an insight into what a Dr does during his day and learn about how the NHS works in relation to Dr's.
May 1, 2021
This book of GP Confessions looks pretty truthful and honest. As I listen to this audiobook on Audible, I could see the doctor working in his room. We all forget that doctors are humans too, and it must be to receive an extra patient on a fully booked appointment schedule. Patients are people too, people without medical background and how often they perceive a doctor to be some magician who can fix their lives. Patients with different backgrounds are different, and it is clearly illustrated how they present to their GP, aka Dr Daniels, with their problems. This book narrates the time of 1998, and it is fair to mention that a lot of changes have been made by NHS to fox mentioned problems in this book, such as electronic system. However, I can relate to patients who never change.
Some spoilers might give a clue how this doctor talks and perceives other European born citizens. He says that the Chech woman never hesitates to drop their closes in front of doctors, that Belorussian men are nothing that drinkers, Lithuanian men are even worse. Probably such accusations shape the UK people opinion about the nations, mainly from Eastern Europe.
Some spoilers might give a clue how this doctor talks and perceives other European born citizens. He says that the Chech woman never hesitates to drop their closes in front of doctors, that Belorussian men are nothing that drinkers, Lithuanian men are even worse. Probably such accusations shape the UK people opinion about the nations, mainly from Eastern Europe.
July 19, 2012
I did not like this book. My main issue was that it's really terribly written. I didn't expect award-winning prose, but the writing is choppy and inconsistent, the attempts at humour all fall flat and there is literally no theme, recurrent storyline or even an ATTEMPT to sort the jumbled mess of stories. Secondly, I don't like the writer as a person. He comes off as arrogant and bigoted, and that's not what I want to read from a GP -- or at all, really. So, I don't think this was worth the read at all.
January 3, 2011
This book allows you to get into the head of a GP to find what he really thinks of being a doctor and it seems he gives a very unadulterated account of how it is.
Yes he comes across as opinionated, if he didn't there would be no basis of this book.
It is easy to read and requires no great concentration but it does give you an interesting view into the head of a doctor.
Funny at times, truthful but perhaps hard to swallow at other times.
Yes he comes across as opinionated, if he didn't there would be no basis of this book.
It is easy to read and requires no great concentration but it does give you an interesting view into the head of a doctor.
Funny at times, truthful but perhaps hard to swallow at other times.
January 19, 2020
A laugh out loud account of being a doctor in general practice in the UK. The subtitle tells it perfectly. Amid the hillarious anecdotes are some quite serious ones. When it is more about life and death, less about earwax.
The book is hillariously funny with genuine insights, moral dilemmas and a really grave case that keeps haunting me and I wish I could unread it (who would expect it in an entertaining book? Then again, this is what life is like.). Sometimes you just have to have the stomach even to read his stories and he(?) experienced them! It is much more lighthearted at the beginning and is getting more and more serious towards the end.
Sometimes it’s shocking to witness him saying “oh well it’s somebody else’s problem now”. How he gives up the fight with (for) a patient. However, he always tries at least and maybe he sees his limits realistically. The problem with grown-ups is you can’t help them if they don’t want you to. Sometimes I feel he gives up too easily, doesn’t fight enough. But maybe it’s me who fights too much.
The descriptions are hillarious: “Her face looks like a pitbull slowly chewing a wasp.” (p.72) "He was only in his early forties but hadn’t left his bungalow for nine years. The medical notes seemed to suggest that this was due to a history of agoraphobia, but more obvious on meeting him was that there would be no way Mr Hogden would have fitted through the door. He was fucking enormous.” (p.85) “His back aches because, like him, it is 90 years old.” (p.119) “He’s not particularly blessed in the brains department and has a very high TTT score. TTT stands for tattoo to teeth.” (p.263)
And some genuine insights: “Regardless of the country it is practised in, most of hospital medicine is painting over the cracks rather than fixing the wall.” (p.76) “As a parent myself, I do realise that it is hugely anxiety-provoking to have this small person for whom you are solely responsible and whom you love overwhelmingly and unconditionally.” (p.104)
If I were to show you all my favourite quotes, I would quote the whole book. His opinion about being a parent, ageing, weight problems, racism, vaccines, home births, being a doctor in a wonderfully entertaining, and at the same time thought-provoking book. It is absolutely worth reading.
The book is hillariously funny with genuine insights, moral dilemmas and a really grave case that keeps haunting me and I wish I could unread it (who would expect it in an entertaining book? Then again, this is what life is like.). Sometimes you just have to have the stomach even to read his stories and he(?) experienced them! It is much more lighthearted at the beginning and is getting more and more serious towards the end.
Sometimes it’s shocking to witness him saying “oh well it’s somebody else’s problem now”. How he gives up the fight with (for) a patient. However, he always tries at least and maybe he sees his limits realistically. The problem with grown-ups is you can’t help them if they don’t want you to. Sometimes I feel he gives up too easily, doesn’t fight enough. But maybe it’s me who fights too much.
The descriptions are hillarious: “Her face looks like a pitbull slowly chewing a wasp.” (p.72) "He was only in his early forties but hadn’t left his bungalow for nine years. The medical notes seemed to suggest that this was due to a history of agoraphobia, but more obvious on meeting him was that there would be no way Mr Hogden would have fitted through the door. He was fucking enormous.” (p.85) “His back aches because, like him, it is 90 years old.” (p.119) “He’s not particularly blessed in the brains department and has a very high TTT score. TTT stands for tattoo to teeth.” (p.263)
And some genuine insights: “Regardless of the country it is practised in, most of hospital medicine is painting over the cracks rather than fixing the wall.” (p.76) “As a parent myself, I do realise that it is hugely anxiety-provoking to have this small person for whom you are solely responsible and whom you love overwhelmingly and unconditionally.” (p.104)
If I were to show you all my favourite quotes, I would quote the whole book. His opinion about being a parent, ageing, weight problems, racism, vaccines, home births, being a doctor in a wonderfully entertaining, and at the same time thought-provoking book. It is absolutely worth reading.
September 3, 2013
Last week I posted a review of Hospital Babylon, the story of one day in an English A&E Department, which I really enjoyed. Because I enjoyed it so much I went through my books on search for something similar, and stumbled across Confessions of a GP, which I picked up a couple of years ago. I was interested in reading a book from the perspective of a General Practitioner, because it promised to be more intimate and perhaps more focused on specific patients and scenarios.
However, Confessions of a GP is more a series of vignettes across the career of Benjamin Daniels, both as a GP and as a doctor in training in a hospital setting. Several of the stories were sad, others almost funny, but the vast majority came across to me as being rather condescending.
I'm sure that as a GP, Benjamin Daniels has more than his fair share of frustrations with people - from those that treat their doctor like a get-out-of-work-free card, or take up their time with seemingly inane problems with unrealistic expectations of what their GP can do for them. But as a book, it's rather disappointing, and his overall attitude comes across as knowing more than the average person, which in some cases is perhaps true, but left me more than a little disappointed.
The only character that consistently appears throughout the book is Benjamin himself, and as he is a locum GP, rather than having a permanent practice, there's not even the relief of having a receptionist or nurse play any type of recurring role. And seeing as I liked him less and less as the book progressed, my enthusiasm for his stories lessened too.
Perhaps I'm being a little unfair because I'm comparing Confessions to an almost similar book, but surely writing about real people with a little more compassion isn't such a big ask. There were a handful of patients that I was interested in their outcomes, but Daniels was so negative that it also started to rub off on me and I just stopped caring.
I really can't recommend this book to anyone, even if you are interested in medical non-fiction. It was just one man's whinging rant, and I just didn't buy into it at all.
However, Confessions of a GP is more a series of vignettes across the career of Benjamin Daniels, both as a GP and as a doctor in training in a hospital setting. Several of the stories were sad, others almost funny, but the vast majority came across to me as being rather condescending.
I'm sure that as a GP, Benjamin Daniels has more than his fair share of frustrations with people - from those that treat their doctor like a get-out-of-work-free card, or take up their time with seemingly inane problems with unrealistic expectations of what their GP can do for them. But as a book, it's rather disappointing, and his overall attitude comes across as knowing more than the average person, which in some cases is perhaps true, but left me more than a little disappointed.
The only character that consistently appears throughout the book is Benjamin himself, and as he is a locum GP, rather than having a permanent practice, there's not even the relief of having a receptionist or nurse play any type of recurring role. And seeing as I liked him less and less as the book progressed, my enthusiasm for his stories lessened too.
Perhaps I'm being a little unfair because I'm comparing Confessions to an almost similar book, but surely writing about real people with a little more compassion isn't such a big ask. There were a handful of patients that I was interested in their outcomes, but Daniels was so negative that it also started to rub off on me and I just stopped caring.
I really can't recommend this book to anyone, even if you are interested in medical non-fiction. It was just one man's whinging rant, and I just didn't buy into it at all.
January 8, 2021
This was a very honest and entertaining look into the everyday life of GP.
I loved the mix of funny and serious stories in this book. Some of the stories were crazy and some were incredibly upsetting.
The writing style is not going to be to everyone's cup of tea. Its incredibly sarcastic and may come across a bit cold at times.
Some of what he says may be regarded as offensive to some people. However, this book is about his confessions, therefore, I like the brutal honesty.
The cases covered included range from the very serious and difficult aspects of being a GP to the more mundane and funny aspects.
This book gave me a lot more insight into the inner workings of GP surgeries e.g with targets etc. Which I didn't know before hand
I would love to see a more up to date version of this book give it is now nearly 10 years out of date.
Overall I do recommend if you like medical memoirs
TW: real life accounts of illness, death, suicide references, still birth and abortion
I loved the mix of funny and serious stories in this book. Some of the stories were crazy and some were incredibly upsetting.
The writing style is not going to be to everyone's cup of tea. Its incredibly sarcastic and may come across a bit cold at times.
Some of what he says may be regarded as offensive to some people. However, this book is about his confessions, therefore, I like the brutal honesty.
The cases covered included range from the very serious and difficult aspects of being a GP to the more mundane and funny aspects.
This book gave me a lot more insight into the inner workings of GP surgeries e.g with targets etc. Which I didn't know before hand
I would love to see a more up to date version of this book give it is now nearly 10 years out of date.
Overall I do recommend if you like medical memoirs
TW: real life accounts of illness, death, suicide references, still birth and abortion
June 4, 2020
Very entertaining - well written, easy to read. Illuminating insights into the working life of a modern British GP. The short chapters - effectively, individual case studies - make it easy to dip in and out.
For my tastes, I'd prefer the balance of content to be a little bit more 'medical' and a bit less admin / organisation / political. The best segments are always about the patients' conditions and treatments - while the ongoing debates about how the NHS is organised and funded, and how GP's are recompensed / incentivised tend to drag (especially if you've read any other doctors' memoirs, which cover much the same ground).
If you don't know anything about how doctors' surgeries work, this will certainly give you an insight! Might also explain why your GP can't always offer a solution to your particular medical complaint...
8/10
For my tastes, I'd prefer the balance of content to be a little bit more 'medical' and a bit less admin / organisation / political. The best segments are always about the patients' conditions and treatments - while the ongoing debates about how the NHS is organised and funded, and how GP's are recompensed / incentivised tend to drag (especially if you've read any other doctors' memoirs, which cover much the same ground).
If you don't know anything about how doctors' surgeries work, this will certainly give you an insight! Might also explain why your GP can't always offer a solution to your particular medical complaint...
8/10
June 23, 2018
Such an easy and refreshing book. I admit I laughed, cried and reflected upon a number of things. It was also a good break from epic fantasies, thrillers and murder mysteries.
April 17, 2020
An interesting read about life as a GP in the NHS. Surprisingly relatable and quite humorous too. Would reccomend.
March 4, 2019
Well written. Short sharp chapters. Great stories witty content, with a few poignant chapters used to educate the readers
October 18, 2025
Loved this book. Makes a change from thrillers etc
Will read the others in the series
Will read the others in the series
November 19, 2011
As a nurse who has a good supply of humorous work-stories, I downloaded this book onto my Kindle in order to see the medic's side of life. "Confessions of a GP" are presented in short case studies; some comic, some political, and some where you feel the author is warning the reader against bothering doctors too much. To be honest, I was a little disappointed as I had expected more of a GP equivalent of a James Herriot type of book.
At about half-way through, I began to get a little bored with all the case stories: there were so many! However, I persevered, and I'm glad I did or I would have missed out on some "gems".
The thing that put me off most was the language. I know many people will think I am a prude but I really don't want to be reading the F-word. I know it is commonly used nowadays, but I personally hate it and, although doctors are human, I expected the use of some English words to be a little more tasteful. I had thought of recommending this book to my brother-in-law, who is an anaesthetist, but I know he would not appreciate the language in parts. It's not bad, but not necessary. But that's just a personal opinion.
On the whole it's a good little book which is easy to read. The comic stories really are good, my favourite being the chapter entitled "Tom Jones." Enjoy.
At about half-way through, I began to get a little bored with all the case stories: there were so many! However, I persevered, and I'm glad I did or I would have missed out on some "gems".
The thing that put me off most was the language. I know many people will think I am a prude but I really don't want to be reading the F-word. I know it is commonly used nowadays, but I personally hate it and, although doctors are human, I expected the use of some English words to be a little more tasteful. I had thought of recommending this book to my brother-in-law, who is an anaesthetist, but I know he would not appreciate the language in parts. It's not bad, but not necessary. But that's just a personal opinion.
On the whole it's a good little book which is easy to read. The comic stories really are good, my favourite being the chapter entitled "Tom Jones." Enjoy.
October 20, 2022
This book was a collection of very brief chapters, each about a separate incident or patient or line of thought about being a doctor. It did not come together as a cohesive narrative. It was interesting to read about British medicine, where a doctor might offer a patient a cup of tea or do a house call. It seems rather quaint. In most of the chapters, the author didn't do anything substantive, or even worthwhile, for his patients. He also was judgmental, transphobic, and tolerant of a fair amount of creepiness. It was apparently written to be funny in a self-deprecating way. Not a fun read.
May 10, 2021
Some interesting stories, but this is ruined by instances of transphobia, homophobia and fatphobia throughout, as well as what comes across as an attitude of misogyny (for example: women doctors being referred to as 'fluffy' and stating that patients need to be attractive to get better attention from doctors) and the numerous instances of the author thinking in working class stereotypes.
October 3, 2021
He mocks a patient with fibromyalgia, dedicating a whole chapter to her, and calls it 'Shit Life Syndrome' and boasts about refusing to prescribe appropriate pain relief. Having often been told we must be exaggerating the disdain doctors hold for people with chronic illnesses, I guess it's useful to have this very clear confirmation, but it's worrying how few people have an issue with it.
April 1, 2017
I don't see why the author felt it was necessary to include transphobic and misogynistic language throughout this book. I stopped reading about 2/3 of the way through because I was fed up of it.
April 26, 2019
Terrible book - it could have been heartwarming and funny and while he is like able enough he is extremely sanctimonious in places
September 19, 2022
It was a really enjoyable read for many reasons. Firstly the entertainment factor was high as it had me laughing countless times. But it was also very political, not in a sense where the author goes into politics, but where he really does point out the value of the NHS and free healthcare, how many lives it has saved and how there are many underfunded services. It also talks about moments and patients in very sad situations and makes me as a reader feel for all of them, regardless if it's physical or mental health. If you want a good read that makes you feel both up and down, but overall just entertained, this is a great book!
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