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Sick Notes: A Doctor's Tales from the Front Lines of Medicine
EVER wondered what your doctor really thinks about you? Or why you can’t get an appointment? Or what that funny buzzing noise in your ear is?Sick Notes – the real-life story of life in a doctor’s surgery – may help with some answers… 'We wanted to thank you for all you did for mum over the last 14 years,' said Mrs Cobham.Excitedly, I peered into the plastic bag. Inside was one small loaf of sliced bread.'Er...' I stammered. 'Well, that's lovely.'She nodded and smiled. 'It was the least we could do, doctor,' she said.Welcome to the bizarre world of Tony Copperfield, family doctor.He spends his days fending off anxious mums, elderly sex maniacs and hopeless hypochondriacs.The rest of his time is taken up sparring with colleagues, battling bureaucrats and banging his head against the brick wall of the NHS.If you've ever wondered what your GP is really thinking - and what's going on behind the scenes at your surgery - SICK NOTES is for you.'A wonderful book, funny and insightful in equal measure.' Dr Phil Hammond (Private Eye’s ‘MD’).'Copperfield is simply fantastic, unbelievably funny and improbably wise... everything he writes is truer than fact.' British Medical Journal.'Original, funny and an incredible read.' The Sun'A mix of the hilarious, the mundane and the poignant. Dr Copperfield reveals what goes on behind those surgery doors.' The Daily Mail
340 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 12, 2010
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews
December 1, 2013
It was okay. There was a similar book "confessions of a GP" - I enjoyed that one a lot more. I would hate to have this guy as a doctor!! I'm not in medicine, but I do deal with customers daily, in the past I've worked in a pharmacy. This guy is definitely lacking a bit of compassion. Yes, customers drive you nuts, but they are not all awful.
Some of it is funny, but a lot made me sad - like the diabetic teenager and the hypochondriac patient with cancer.
I may have enjoyed it more if it was more patients stories and less about the NHS and paperwork. Boring.
Some of it is funny, but a lot made me sad - like the diabetic teenager and the hypochondriac patient with cancer.
I may have enjoyed it more if it was more patients stories and less about the NHS and paperwork. Boring.
February 24, 2019
I like a laugh like any other person, after reading this book it really made me sick (Excuse the pun). If this is what doctors really think of their patients, I truly believe that they do. I feel really bad when I have to visit them again. If they really believe they dislike their patients so much, why become a doctor/nurse/carer. One should feel honoured, being able to look after ill people. I know that I did enjoy my job, I could walk in the sick person's shoes. If your incapable of doing that, do not do the job. As I am getting older it scares me that so many so called medical people in the UK, think like this guy does, one day he will be old. This book really disgusted me. I read it all, because that is why I read books. As my dear old Dad often told us ''Experience Teaches''. How right he was, my Dad was a wonderful man. I am so glad he thought me all the valuable qualities, about caring for those that are ill.
March 26, 2018
For once, I had some sympathy. (187)
I presume that Copperfield gets the job done as a GP, but I’m definitely left with the sense that he thinks 90 percent of his patients are malingering, incompetent idiots who exist only to make things harder for the two or three ‘worthy’ patients who manage to make it into the book. I’m sure Copperfield would say that I just don’t have a sense of humour, or don’t get his particular brand of English-doctor humour, but I cannot find it in me to have the slightest bit of sympathy—or patience, or basic respect—for a doctor who finds it appropriate to say of a patient that ‘She was straight out of the Fat Slags’ (241).
For somebody who complains to hate bureaucracy, he also spends a lot of time on it. Sick Notes ends up being something like 3:7 (medicine : bureaucracy)…or maybe 3:3:14 (medicine : day-to-day time-killing in the office : bureaucracy). That’s an awful lot of bureaucracy.
Bought this at the £1 bookshop. Wasn’t worth either the expense or the time spent reading it.
I presume that Copperfield gets the job done as a GP, but I’m definitely left with the sense that he thinks 90 percent of his patients are malingering, incompetent idiots who exist only to make things harder for the two or three ‘worthy’ patients who manage to make it into the book. I’m sure Copperfield would say that I just don’t have a sense of humour, or don’t get his particular brand of English-doctor humour, but I cannot find it in me to have the slightest bit of sympathy—or patience, or basic respect—for a doctor who finds it appropriate to say of a patient that ‘She was straight out of the Fat Slags’ (241).
For somebody who complains to hate bureaucracy, he also spends a lot of time on it. Sick Notes ends up being something like 3:7 (medicine : bureaucracy)…or maybe 3:3:14 (medicine : day-to-day time-killing in the office : bureaucracy). That’s an awful lot of bureaucracy.
Bought this at the £1 bookshop. Wasn’t worth either the expense or the time spent reading it.
February 1, 2013
I had to stop reading this as I just became so bored. Although there are some good humour notes now and again, its mainly just moaning that doesn't reinforce my faith in British Healthcare. Also, while I understand the need for name changes to protect identities, make sure the person you're referring too keeps the same name throughout the book.
June 10, 2014
Fairly interesting, but Tony Copperfield just seems to take the mick out of all of his patients and pretty much bad mouth everyone he comes into contact with. It's supposed to be funny but to me it comes across as arrogant and unnecessary.
October 13, 2013
Happy, sad and scary.. Real life in a book
November 4, 2015
I gather that there is really no such person as Tony Copperfield and that he was "created by two practising GPs to give readers a real taste of life in primary care today".
That said, Tony is portrayed as being a very real and very human character; albeit one that barely enjoys his profession and seems more likely to have changed careers during his mid-life crisis rather than still be in the profession. Actually, when I think about it - poor old non-existent Tony seems to be in the throes of such a crisis right now.
Consequently, what we get is a rant. A long and winding rant. A polite and quietly cultured rant; but nonetheless - a rant.
In truth Tony is a bit of whinger. He complains his way through all of the book - about patients, about his fellow staff, about his admin supports, about other health professions, about the NHS in general and, most of all, about the bureaucracy of health care delivery in the UK.
Some of it is quite amusing.
Some of it is rather educational.
But most of it is just sour and jaundiced, not to mention bitter, resentful, cynical, soured, distorted, disenchanted, disillusioned, disappointed, pessimistic, sceptical, distrustful, suspicious, misanthropic, jealous, narrow-minded, prejudiced and intolerant.
Still - it's a quick read, so I didn't suffer for too long.
That said, Tony is portrayed as being a very real and very human character; albeit one that barely enjoys his profession and seems more likely to have changed careers during his mid-life crisis rather than still be in the profession. Actually, when I think about it - poor old non-existent Tony seems to be in the throes of such a crisis right now.
Consequently, what we get is a rant. A long and winding rant. A polite and quietly cultured rant; but nonetheless - a rant.
In truth Tony is a bit of whinger. He complains his way through all of the book - about patients, about his fellow staff, about his admin supports, about other health professions, about the NHS in general and, most of all, about the bureaucracy of health care delivery in the UK.
Some of it is quite amusing.
Some of it is rather educational.
But most of it is just sour and jaundiced, not to mention bitter, resentful, cynical, soured, distorted, disenchanted, disillusioned, disappointed, pessimistic, sceptical, distrustful, suspicious, misanthropic, jealous, narrow-minded, prejudiced and intolerant.
Still - it's a quick read, so I didn't suffer for too long.
December 29, 2013
Another winner in these Doctor anecdotes books!
I had just read Benjamin Daniels' 'Confessions of a GP' and very much enjoyed it so I had a hunger to read more of this type of book. This fitted the bill really well. Here's another book split into short sections, each containing a story about some aspect of a Doctor's everyday working life. There's humour in here, serious issues, government targets which explain why the Doctor is always nagging you to lose weight/give up smoking/give up alcohol/lower your blood pressure-it's because it comes up in red on the computer and he HAS to mention it so he can tick it off on the computer-whether he wants to or not. You will be surprised to hear about the costs of some of these medicines which you just take for granted that you will get for next to nothing or free. One patient leaves her medication at a relative's, far away and asks the doctor to just give her some more of the said drugs, not realising that her medication, which she hadn't taken proper care of, amounted to about £90! So it's very insightful, enjoyable and I enjoyed it immensely.
I had just read Benjamin Daniels' 'Confessions of a GP' and very much enjoyed it so I had a hunger to read more of this type of book. This fitted the bill really well. Here's another book split into short sections, each containing a story about some aspect of a Doctor's everyday working life. There's humour in here, serious issues, government targets which explain why the Doctor is always nagging you to lose weight/give up smoking/give up alcohol/lower your blood pressure-it's because it comes up in red on the computer and he HAS to mention it so he can tick it off on the computer-whether he wants to or not. You will be surprised to hear about the costs of some of these medicines which you just take for granted that you will get for next to nothing or free. One patient leaves her medication at a relative's, far away and asks the doctor to just give her some more of the said drugs, not realising that her medication, which she hadn't taken proper care of, amounted to about £90! So it's very insightful, enjoyable and I enjoyed it immensely.
June 14, 2022
I’m still debating wether this is actually worth a star? But I guess I’ll leave it as I’m feeling generous. All I can say is perhaps I’m slightly biased against GP’s post pandemic, when they seem to be the only part of the NHS that’s decided it still won’t see patients!
This is a “poor me” book, in my opinion, “I work so hard and only get paid £70,000 +”. I would definitely hate to be his patient as he seems to have absolutely no patience with anyone, he’s rude and condescending!
Read this if you really want to get worked up and angry!!
This is a “poor me” book, in my opinion, “I work so hard and only get paid £70,000 +”. I would definitely hate to be his patient as he seems to have absolutely no patience with anyone, he’s rude and condescending!
Read this if you really want to get worked up and angry!!
May 2, 2013
Amusing inside story of what it's like to be a GP.
An easy read with recurring patients and some great characters (my favourite is the all-seeing reception manager Mrs Peggotty. (Nothing escapes her beady eyes).
Will make you think twice before saying, 'I don't come to the doctors very often so I've brought a list of all my ailments'..., losing your prescription or convincing yourself that you've got some hideous, incurable disease because you've spent too long on a medical website.
An easy read with recurring patients and some great characters (my favourite is the all-seeing reception manager Mrs Peggotty. (Nothing escapes her beady eyes).
Will make you think twice before saying, 'I don't come to the doctors very often so I've brought a list of all my ailments'..., losing your prescription or convincing yourself that you've got some hideous, incurable disease because you've spent too long on a medical website.
October 15, 2013
Usually enjoy an insider's view of health services more. Perhaps too much about how awful patients were in this particular book, just felt a bit sad for the authors who didn't seem to gain any joy whatsoever from their jobs. Was a good laugh at times and good rants about NHS politics though.
July 5, 2016
Though I do understand a lot of the frustrations, the cynical tone did get to me in the end and I did not enjoy this account of the inner workings of the NHS and general practice in Britain as much because of that.
January 23, 2011
Funny 'notes from the field' pseuodonymous tale. Very funny critique of the NHS today. Very critical of management funk.
June 21, 2011
Really funny, easy to read.
December 29, 2011
Great book brilliantly told through the eyes of a doctor
November 25, 2012
Read it in one day. Very enlightening!
May 30, 2013
Really funny and entertaining stories from the life of a GP. Very good book for gloomy and dark evenings. It will definitely cheer you up.
July 15, 2014
Lots of useful info about what it's like to be GP. Too bad the author sounded like a huge asshole throughout.
March 13, 2022
Не твърде забавните и още по-малко интересните случки в живота на някакъв общопрактикуващ лекар в Англия, който си въобразява, че има чувство за хумор и смята, че трябва да ни измъчва с него.
February 15, 2019
many laugh out loud moments
i enjoyed reading this smart and funny book. it's a clever twist to amalgamate 2 real GPs into 1 Dr copperfield. it meant they didn't have to pussyfoot around, and we find out the truth about what our GP might really be thinking about us. good stuff. i would have relished more medical anecdotes though.
i enjoyed reading this smart and funny book. it's a clever twist to amalgamate 2 real GPs into 1 Dr copperfield. it meant they didn't have to pussyfoot around, and we find out the truth about what our GP might really be thinking about us. good stuff. i would have relished more medical anecdotes though.
November 29, 2012
Meh!....I don't know what else to say.
I was really looking forward to reading this book due to all the other reviews stating how funny it was, but I was left sorely disapointed. Bits of it were pretty humorous and had me smiling but most of it was just boring whining about the job and the NHS as a whole. Your'e on a 100+ grand a year...crack a smile!
The biscuit 'joke' got old very quickly and was really getting on my nerves.
I think other GP's would probably enjoy this book as they would understand all the bitching about NHS procedures, but for the layperson it just gets annoying in much the same way as when your other half talks shop and moans about his boss!
July 24, 2013
This is well worth a read to everyone in the country for the subject matter. I did find it a bit cutting and negative and would put me off going to the doctor at all knowing my GP felt like this one but it did help me to understand the impossible situation they are in, how the system works (or rather doesn't) and how much bureaucrasy there is. I certainly think every MP in the country ought to read this book..There is some humour in it and lots of interesting characters to laugh at.
October 1, 2024
look i love a good medical memoir but i don’t like the extreme level of complaint directed at patients themselves. i understand having challenges with the system, patients being difficult etc but there wasn’t any empathy in this for the people behind the sickness and that really detracted from the value of the book - at least to me.
September 19, 2011
A very interesting insight into life as a GP. Full of sarcasm, irony and plenty of information on the NHS under Labour, compare and contrast with Nick Edwards for a different perspective on some of the same issues...
January 12, 2012
I found this book quite amusing and interesting to see what it is like to be a GP. A very good insight into the NHS and what decisions are made by the GP and indeed the NHS computer system. Quite insightful at what ailments people have when they consult their GP.
March 2, 2014
After reading confessions of a gp I was looking for something pretty similar that told exactly how it is for modern day doctors to deal with the national health service that many praise and many condemn. Leaving feelings for the NHS aside this book is refreshingly clear and a good read. X
October 4, 2017
Not quite sure what I expected
Some entertaining characters but more information than I expected. If you are interested in the running of a GP practise then you will enjoyable of this book than I did but of course it's all about personal preference.
Some entertaining characters but more information than I expected. If you are interested in the running of a GP practise then you will enjoyable of this book than I did but of course it's all about personal preference.
March 4, 2011
Entertaining and enlightening account of a GP’s working life.
November 15, 2011
A great look at the world of General Practice through the eyes of a grumpy old GP. Really quite amusing, but occasionally a bit ranty.
March 4, 2012
- A humorous look into the NHS
- Gave me a new appreciation for the GP working in a managed health care system
- Gave me a new appreciation for the GP working in a managed health care system
Displaying 1 - 30 of 48 reviews