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Are You Really the Doctor?: My Life as a Black Doctor in the NHS
"Are you really the doctor?"
As a black doctor working on the frontline of the NHS, Matt Hutchinson hears these words all too often. In this book, he offers a compelling glimpse into the unvarnished reality of working in healthcare as a member of an ethnic minority.
Tracing his journey from medical school through to working at some of the country's most chaotic hospitals, Matt shows how the community of immigrant healthcare workers are the true backbone of the NHS and offers an honest insight into the unique challenges that non-white patients face when navigating the healthcare system.
From workplace drama to fighting life-threatening diseases, join Matt Hutchinson in the trenches of our healthcare system as he offers a candid and often hilarious insight into the messy life of a Black British doctor.
This audiobook includes an exclusive Q&A between Matt Hutchinson and Benji Waterhouse, author of You Don't Have to Be Mad to Work Here.
As a black doctor working on the frontline of the NHS, Matt Hutchinson hears these words all too often. In this book, he offers a compelling glimpse into the unvarnished reality of working in healthcare as a member of an ethnic minority.
Tracing his journey from medical school through to working at some of the country's most chaotic hospitals, Matt shows how the community of immigrant healthcare workers are the true backbone of the NHS and offers an honest insight into the unique challenges that non-white patients face when navigating the healthcare system.
From workplace drama to fighting life-threatening diseases, join Matt Hutchinson in the trenches of our healthcare system as he offers a candid and often hilarious insight into the messy life of a Black British doctor.
This audiobook includes an exclusive Q&A between Matt Hutchinson and Benji Waterhouse, author of You Don't Have to Be Mad to Work Here.
- GenresEbooks
Audible Audio
Published September 4, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
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October 7, 2025The attention to health inequalities and inequities in health and care outcomes is absolutely brilliant and spot on! Matthew seems the NHS doctor anyone from a racialised minority would love to go to.
Massive congratulations!
Massive congratulations!
January 9, 2026
DNF on page 311 of 430. I couldn't face the last hundred or so pages. Overall it was dull and plodding and not remotely funny as claimed on the cover quotes.
June 1, 2026
This was a really interesting and important read, and I’m glad I picked it up. The sections on rheumatology, COVID-19, and racism within the NHS were particularly engaging, and I learned a lot from the author’s experiences. It’s the kind of book that shines a light on issues that aren’t talked about enough, and I think its an important read because of that
My main struggle was with the writing style. At times it felt quite jumpy, moving between topics and experiences so quickly that I found it hard to stay grounded in the narrative. There were also a few points that felt repetitive. That may well have been intentional, to show the repetition of ongoing racism and issues within the NHS, but as a reader I occasionally found myself getting a bit lost.
Even so, I think this is a needed book. While the writing didn’t completely work for me, the stories, insights, and conversations it raises absolutely did, and I’m glad I read it.
My main struggle was with the writing style. At times it felt quite jumpy, moving between topics and experiences so quickly that I found it hard to stay grounded in the narrative. There were also a few points that felt repetitive. That may well have been intentional, to show the repetition of ongoing racism and issues within the NHS, but as a reader I occasionally found myself getting a bit lost.
Even so, I think this is a needed book. While the writing didn’t completely work for me, the stories, insights, and conversations it raises absolutely did, and I’m glad I read it.
February 22, 2026
Really good story telling. Enjoyed hearing about his life as a student doctor and experiences as a mixed race man in England in current times. Amazing to hear about his route into Rhuematology and details of Lupus, it symptoms and effects and how he was able to help around the pandemic. As a sufferer of lupus it was surprising to see someone refer to it and gave me the kick I needed for a check up and why. I do recall President Trump causing panic with the supply of lupus medication as it was believed to be a cure. A lovely and at times funny look at how doctors and patients co-exsist and how we deal with the failing we have when it comes to our health. Love NHS for what it tries to do.
April 6, 2026
2.75 stars
Similar to other reviews for this book, the content was nothing groundbreaking but it continued to lay out the facts of how both black and non-white patients and doctors are treated by the system. It is likely i couldnt relate as much due to being a white female. I did not like the non-linear timeline of the book, jumping from the authors time an as doctor, to a child, to a doctor to a student, as it felt less 'flowly'. I liked the patient stories the most
Similar to other reviews for this book, the content was nothing groundbreaking but it continued to lay out the facts of how both black and non-white patients and doctors are treated by the system. It is likely i couldnt relate as much due to being a white female. I did not like the non-linear timeline of the book, jumping from the authors time an as doctor, to a child, to a doctor to a student, as it felt less 'flowly'. I liked the patient stories the most
October 30, 2025
A scary read about what it is like to work in the NHS - which seems to be ten times harder if you are a black doctor!
It was informative and well written and made me appreciate the hard working NHS staff even more than I already did. Don't read immediately before going to an NHS hospital!
My index k247
It was informative and well written and made me appreciate the hard working NHS staff even more than I already did. Don't read immediately before going to an NHS hospital!
My index k247
January 16, 2026
I’ve read a lot of medical non fiction and as the running joke seems to be: is there a doctor out there that hasn’t written a book? Well although it’s become a popular genre, it is mainly a white male voice, that doesn’t encapsulate the true workforce, identity, mind or culture of the NHS.
This book fills some of that gap, by providing a new side to the story, from fighting the prejudice, racism and archaicness of being able to study medicine in the UK today, to how they are treated by their patients, how they have to fight for promotion, how they face higher risk of disciplinary and how he witnesses patients of ethnicity are treated by his colleagues, their symptoms ignored, pain threshold questioned and treated worse than their white counterparts.
Matthew splits between his personal life, growing up in London, holidaying in Jamaica and how he faced racism from a young age to his life in medicine. It was an interesting read, that definitely needs more a viewership/listenership that the Adam Kay’s. No hate to Adam Kay and his story, just feel there’s enough room for more voices
This book fills some of that gap, by providing a new side to the story, from fighting the prejudice, racism and archaicness of being able to study medicine in the UK today, to how they are treated by their patients, how they have to fight for promotion, how they face higher risk of disciplinary and how he witnesses patients of ethnicity are treated by his colleagues, their symptoms ignored, pain threshold questioned and treated worse than their white counterparts.
Matthew splits between his personal life, growing up in London, holidaying in Jamaica and how he faced racism from a young age to his life in medicine. It was an interesting read, that definitely needs more a viewership/listenership that the Adam Kay’s. No hate to Adam Kay and his story, just feel there’s enough room for more voices
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Did Not Finish
March 1, 2026dnf at 5%
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews