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The Dark Side: Real Life Accounts of an NHS Paramedic the Good, the Bad and the Downright Ugly
Andy Thompson's true-to-life, graphic and gripping account of his work as an NHS paramedic in Britain's A&E emergency Ambulance Service will shock you, sadden you, entertain you, and perhaps inspire you. You'll smile at some of Andy's real patient encounters, while others will cause you to wipe a tear. Using official NHS documentation recorded at the time to give precise details of each incident, Andy has held firm to the real-life accounts, even in keeping the dialogue as close as his memory allows to what was really said at the time. It's as if you're there next to him, struggling with the effects of adrenaline and fighting to save life. This is a rare work of medical non-fiction delivered in a way that is factual, informative, but at the same time naturally entertaining and moving, written with candour and humour. And if you have ever thought what it takes to become a paramedic - or any other of the specialist vocations - and that you could never achieve it yourself, Andy's inspiring story of how he went from postman to frontline healthcare professional, fulfilling his dream, will make you think again that anything is possible if you have the desire. Andy says there are no heroics in the book and that he simply did his job, but we are sure The Dark Side will leave you convinced there are true heroes on our streets right here, right now. Saving lives every day, every night and often against all the odds. It might even change your whole perspective on life.
178 pages, Paperback
First published February 1, 2013
115 people are currently reading
262 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews
December 29, 2019
If you ever want to be a paramedic, this one is a must-read! In The Dark Side, the author Andy talks about why he chose to go into medicine, the experiences of attending emergency calls and what really takes place inside a hospital. It's a little upsetting in places and doesn't hold back on how horrific and brutal some of these call-outs can be. Out of all the medical memoirs I've read, this is one of the better ones!
September 21, 2015
Well, it was free on Kindle lending and it was sort of interesting. I'm only giving it two stars though due to the way dialogue was written - no need to drop letters and write things like 'alf instead of half etc etc. I find that annoying rather than immersive.
August 9, 2025
A good book that does paint the grim reality of what is faced by the emergency response personnel.
Perhaps the writing could do with some finesse, as some bits (such as the cannulation procedure) felt repetitive. I would have chosen to write more about emotions, painting a vivid scenery of how each call feels like. The little things you notice as you walk up to a house, to a patient. Your senses absorbing it all, but expelling that which is not medically relevant. The way muscle memory switches on to work hand in hand with your conscious thinking etc etc.
That said, it is a good book for those thinking about joining the ambulance service. It gives you a brief view of what the occasional job is like. Not all are trauma, adrenaline and grief. Most are boring, some give you PTSD.
Perhaps the writing could do with some finesse, as some bits (such as the cannulation procedure) felt repetitive. I would have chosen to write more about emotions, painting a vivid scenery of how each call feels like. The little things you notice as you walk up to a house, to a patient. Your senses absorbing it all, but expelling that which is not medically relevant. The way muscle memory switches on to work hand in hand with your conscious thinking etc etc.
That said, it is a good book for those thinking about joining the ambulance service. It gives you a brief view of what the occasional job is like. Not all are trauma, adrenaline and grief. Most are boring, some give you PTSD.
April 2, 2019
An informative and entertaining look behind the scenes of a challenging and often life-saving job. The tragic moments are interspersed with humour, though the latter didn't always quite work on me.
September 4, 2022
I’m a huge sucker for medical reads, so when I saw one based ofF NHS medics I was excited. I’m in the US so my experience is solely with American medics. I love hearing the differences in the medical experience in different countries.
The author does a great job telling his stories / experiences. There’s some personal information/ stories added in, but the basis are his unique experiences which I adore. I’ll be reading his second book too!
The author does a great job telling his stories / experiences. There’s some personal information/ stories added in, but the basis are his unique experiences which I adore. I’ll be reading his second book too!
October 27, 2020
Loved It!
April 27, 2019
The stories are fun, but the author is very convinced of his own intelligence, superiority to others and general awesome. The way many procedures are written, it feels a little like watching a Mary Sue who bosses everyone about, never makes any mistakes and knows better than everyone else including others more experienced and educated than him, while going about saving everyone’s life. He knows how to fight (even if the opponent is bigger and stronger), he knows how to calm the silly and universally stupid patients and relatives, he knows how to educate everyone around him...really the only reason he’s not wearing red pants and an “S” over his uniform is that he’s just SO down to earth.
The medical details are very interesting, though many are repeated multiple times, which doesn’t help with the patronising tone.
Finally, a touch of comedy is added by way of the direct quotes from the author where he speaks in slang and sounds shockingly uneducated. Adding to that impression are the various grammatical mistakes throughout the entire book and the endless tangents.
Despite all that, the anecdotes are still pretty interesting and I admire any and all emergency workers, especially those dealing with the chronically underfunded NHS, while handling difficult patients, many having one of the worst days of their lives. Unless you are a fan of medical non-fiction though, I wouldn’t read this particular book. It is however interesting what Superman is doing these days. Clearly he is no longer a journalist in Metropolis, but a London EMT.
The medical details are very interesting, though many are repeated multiple times, which doesn’t help with the patronising tone.
Finally, a touch of comedy is added by way of the direct quotes from the author where he speaks in slang and sounds shockingly uneducated. Adding to that impression are the various grammatical mistakes throughout the entire book and the endless tangents.
Despite all that, the anecdotes are still pretty interesting and I admire any and all emergency workers, especially those dealing with the chronically underfunded NHS, while handling difficult patients, many having one of the worst days of their lives. Unless you are a fan of medical non-fiction though, I wouldn’t read this particular book. It is however interesting what Superman is doing these days. Clearly he is no longer a journalist in Metropolis, but a London EMT.
December 14, 2015
It took a bit to get used to the writing style (this author is the king of going off on tangents), but once I did, I enjoyed the read. As with other books written by paramedics from the UK, I find it interesting to note the similarities in the cases we see and our feelings about abuses to the system. Of note in this particular book is also the level of detail the author provides on the medicines and treatment modalities - I could see this as a possible tool to reinforce the learning for student paramedics (see the information in a different way)
January 8, 2018
This is the first of 3 books the author has out on life as a paramedic in the UK. To be honest, none of them are particularly large, so could easily be merged into one book, but, as they were all part of kindle unlimited, I'm not going to complain.
The story starts off with the author, working his way back through school, after a parade of jobs, to get the qualifications to become an Ambulance technician, before then working his way up to becoming a paramedic. I've got to admit, I didn't realise just how difficult it was to get into the ambulance trade, let alone become a full blown paramedic, and it says something for his grit and determination that he made it.
There's a lot of detail in there, most of which I'm assuming is not well known. We've seen paramedics working with people in ambulances or on the street, and I've often wondered why they don't just take them straight to hospital. Well now I know.
There's lots of little digressions, which makes this feel more like a conversation than a book. You can imagine sitting over a cup of coffee with the author and the stories, as written just flowing out of him.
It is a little harrowing. Strangely, and I think the author feels the same way, although the stories of car accidents etc are disturbing, it's the sudden death of a very young baby that hit me the worse. If you can read that story without feeling something, then there is something very wrong with you.
The story starts off with the author, working his way back through school, after a parade of jobs, to get the qualifications to become an Ambulance technician, before then working his way up to becoming a paramedic. I've got to admit, I didn't realise just how difficult it was to get into the ambulance trade, let alone become a full blown paramedic, and it says something for his grit and determination that he made it.
There's a lot of detail in there, most of which I'm assuming is not well known. We've seen paramedics working with people in ambulances or on the street, and I've often wondered why they don't just take them straight to hospital. Well now I know.
There's lots of little digressions, which makes this feel more like a conversation than a book. You can imagine sitting over a cup of coffee with the author and the stories, as written just flowing out of him.
It is a little harrowing. Strangely, and I think the author feels the same way, although the stories of car accidents etc are disturbing, it's the sudden death of a very young baby that hit me the worse. If you can read that story without feeling something, then there is something very wrong with you.
August 28, 2021
A Healthcare Hero Shares Sad Tales
This was a fascinating account of some of the sadder moments in the life of a British paramedic. The author shares the story of how he chose to become a paramedic and the many obstacles he overcame to achieve his dream. He also explains terms and procedures in layman's terms that help explain how he responded to some of these calls. Very informative and a look into what can be a difficult profession. The author's caring and compassionate nature shows in these stories. I will be continuing on with book 2 in this series for the Dark side. The author has also written 2 books of the lighter side and I recommend those books as well. There are audio versions available as well. A thoughtful, seriously account of what a healthcare hero does.
This was a fascinating account of some of the sadder moments in the life of a British paramedic. The author shares the story of how he chose to become a paramedic and the many obstacles he overcame to achieve his dream. He also explains terms and procedures in layman's terms that help explain how he responded to some of these calls. Very informative and a look into what can be a difficult profession. The author's caring and compassionate nature shows in these stories. I will be continuing on with book 2 in this series for the Dark side. The author has also written 2 books of the lighter side and I recommend those books as well. There are audio versions available as well. A thoughtful, seriously account of what a healthcare hero does.
July 21, 2024
If your considering down this path this is an absolute must read.
I saw one review criticising the book as they read it like a story and had no intention of entering the paramedic field.
If you are thinking about this challenging and rewarding career, this book hits different as you put your self in his eyes and the question of how would I react, what would I do. How would I feel?
Frequently found myself taking a breather between chapters, applying the situations to my self and if I could handle that.
I read this in one night, it is simply written but also has enough medical Information to also feel like you are learning some basic knowledge.
I’m looking forward to the second one.
“Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it”
I saw one review criticising the book as they read it like a story and had no intention of entering the paramedic field.
If you are thinking about this challenging and rewarding career, this book hits different as you put your self in his eyes and the question of how would I react, what would I do. How would I feel?
Frequently found myself taking a breather between chapters, applying the situations to my self and if I could handle that.
I read this in one night, it is simply written but also has enough medical Information to also feel like you are learning some basic knowledge.
I’m looking forward to the second one.
“Be careful what you wish for, you just might get it”
April 1, 2018
OK
A short read with interesting cases, but too many grammatical errors for my liking. The book is written in a colloquial style which was a bit too amateurish for me to really be moved by the often upsetting cases detailed. There was also a smugness about the writing which I didn't appreciate, for example the author commented on the intelligence of some of the books subjects which didn't sit well with me. Overall i think this could be a moving and interesting insight into the work of a paramedic with a little bit of tidying up and removal of superfluous and repetitive words and phrases.
A short read with interesting cases, but too many grammatical errors for my liking. The book is written in a colloquial style which was a bit too amateurish for me to really be moved by the often upsetting cases detailed. There was also a smugness about the writing which I didn't appreciate, for example the author commented on the intelligence of some of the books subjects which didn't sit well with me. Overall i think this could be a moving and interesting insight into the work of a paramedic with a little bit of tidying up and removal of superfluous and repetitive words and phrases.
September 23, 2018
Interesting read
Welcome to the real life of a paramedic. An interesting read, as someone who works in the service I found it harder to read as it was very over descriptive. However I can admit that it would low the reader to fully understand what is going on. He uses a range of stories to show the plight of the real ambulance service, it is worrying to see that some of the practices from back in the old days may be coming back. I personally don’t think I will read more due to the level of description making it slow for me but would recommend all those considering the career to read the series! Know what you are really getting into guys!
Welcome to the real life of a paramedic. An interesting read, as someone who works in the service I found it harder to read as it was very over descriptive. However I can admit that it would low the reader to fully understand what is going on. He uses a range of stories to show the plight of the real ambulance service, it is worrying to see that some of the practices from back in the old days may be coming back. I personally don’t think I will read more due to the level of description making it slow for me but would recommend all those considering the career to read the series! Know what you are really getting into guys!
March 29, 2021
I love a medical memoir but this just didn’t do it for me. I’m not sure if it’s because I didn’t really like the guy, his insistence of calling his female colleagues ‘hun’ is nothing short of patronising and his style of writing is off putting to say the least. I guess he’s writing as he speaks but it is in no way endearing.
The way he goes off on a tangent through the chapters is also off putting, if you’re telling me about a specific incident, then stick to that incident and don’t confuse it with tales of other incidents. Overall I’d give it a generous 2 out of 5.
The way he goes off on a tangent through the chapters is also off putting, if you’re telling me about a specific incident, then stick to that incident and don’t confuse it with tales of other incidents. Overall I’d give it a generous 2 out of 5.
August 24, 2021
I love a medical memoir but this really didn’t do it for me. The stories are interesting, but it’s the way it’s written that let it down. It’s written in his accent, so here is ‘ere etc. I found it difficult to follow at times as the author went off on tangents during stories. Also he explained in more depth than is needed the treatment he gave. An ok read and a good length of only 170 pages. But not the best medical memoir I’ve read by a long way.
March 18, 2023
In my point of view, the book has given me great insight into all aspects of life as a paramedic. I especially liked how the author wrote true events that had happened to him during his outstanding career. I would absolutely recommend this book if you are wanting to go down the same path that Andy Thompson did or if you have an interest in the medical field. Personally, I would love to see more incredible stories like this in the future.
December 25, 2022
As a paramedic, I was reading this from a different view point to most. I found it challenging the constant repetitiveness of things well known to myself however completely understand why this is needed in the book. It gives a very realistic view point and good understanding of both attending patients and the camaraderie of the ambulance service and I overall enjoyed the read.
November 14, 2016
A great book for anyone interested in what a paramedic has to do. Loved finding out about the decisions they have to make and the calm way they go through the process of assessing each patient. So good I bought the next book in the series ...
May 18, 2020
I thought this was an ok book - short and quite interesting. The author is a bit intense and self-important, but the stories about real-life paramedic stuff are good, if sometimes a bit grim. Will definitely read his other books.
June 2, 2020
Great read
Very good, entertaining, funny, sad, and very true. As someone who is just starting out in this field it good to see real terms used and read about things I am currently seeing and things which could be faced with
Very good, entertaining, funny, sad, and very true. As someone who is just starting out in this field it good to see real terms used and read about things I am currently seeing and things which could be faced with
November 10, 2023
Such a good insight into a paramedics world.
Very in-depth and precise as to each step he takes with his assessments and treatments and even follow ups if he finds them out.
Definitely not for the light hearted as a lot of gruesome detail and some very sad experiences too.
Very in-depth and precise as to each step he takes with his assessments and treatments and even follow ups if he finds them out.
Definitely not for the light hearted as a lot of gruesome detail and some very sad experiences too.
February 6, 2024
Brilliant Insight
Fantastic insight into the lives of Paramedics and Ambulance Technicians (EMT’s?)
Studying to become a Paramedic myself and I found this book truly valuable to my learning. Can’t wait to read Part II.
Fantastic insight into the lives of Paramedics and Ambulance Technicians (EMT’s?)
Studying to become a Paramedic myself and I found this book truly valuable to my learning. Can’t wait to read Part II.
May 10, 2017
This book is absolutely brilliant, found it hard to put it down
June 15, 2017
A bit full of unnecessary tangents and inconsistent accents but a good read once it got going.
September 16, 2018
Great read!
Very much enjoyed this book. Full of great stories brought to life by the brilliant style of the author and I can't wait to read the next one
Very much enjoyed this book. Full of great stories brought to life by the brilliant style of the author and I can't wait to read the next one
January 21, 2020
An amazing book, already downloaded the 2nd one!
April 19, 2020
Very interesting! A great insight into the world of a paramedic
May 18, 2020
Brilliant
Can't wait to get into the next book my daughter is looking at going to be a paramedic and the information you get out of this book will help
Can't wait to get into the next book my daughter is looking at going to be a paramedic and the information you get out of this book will help
June 18, 2020
Easy and fast read. Made me feel like I was on scene with the paramedics. As someone interested in the profession, it was a great read - very interesting and eye opening.
August 18, 2021
3.5 stars
Great case studies, just some unnecessary repetition with its wording and explanations
Great case studies, just some unnecessary repetition with its wording and explanations
Displaying 1 - 30 of 40 reviews