I’ve seen This is Going to Hurt by Adam Kay around a lot. I knew it was about life in the NHS and written by a doctor. I’d heard it was quite good. BUT WHY DID NOBODY TELL ME HOW GOOD?!
Seriously, I loved this book. It had me laughing out loud (and I’m not the kind of person who generally laughs out loud at books) within seconds of picking it. It is very, very funny. And a real eye opener on life inside the NHS. We all have our own experiences of the NHS, don’t we? We can probably all think of both good and bad experiences. We know that the NHS is under pressure, but reading this book makes you realise just how much pressure.
This is Going to Hurt is a series of real diary entries by Adam Kay, a junior doctor, over the course of six years of working in NHS hospitals, mainly in labour wards. Through the book we learn that, on night shifts, there is often only one doctor on duty in an entire hospital (apart from A&E, of course). So while the patients are theoretically safe and in good hands, if anything happens to them in the night – a heart attack or a fall, for example, there is only doctor to deal with it, who could be rushing from patient to patient and ward to ward on no sleep whatsoever, trying to save lives.
The book paints a picture of a life devoid of sleep and a social life, with relationships clinging on by a thread. Faced with the choice of saving a life or attending a family wedding, doctors will opt to save the life every time. The hours they work is quite ridiculous and the pay for junior doctors (which means any doctor who isn’t a consultant) is low, particularly taking into account the years they’ve studied for and the hours they work. Reading this book makes me wonder how anyone ever survives medical training and actually goes on to become a doctor, let alone a doctor with a relationship and a family.
But this is not a depressing book. That stuff is interesting and thought-provoking, but mainly this is a very funny book indeed. It’s not for the squeamish – there is an awful lot of bodily fluids sprayed and a lot of objects stuck up vaginas, but if you find that stuff funny, this book is definitely for you. I can’t tell you how much I loved it!
September 28, 2018
Oh this sounds great, I love an autobiographical book, just my sort of thing. I’m not surprised you hadn’t read it before, I can imagine it’s a bit of a deviation from what you usually read so high praise indeed that you loved it!
Nat.x
September 29, 2018
I really couldn’t praise it highly enough, it’s brilliant!
I do like to read a couple of biographies a year and I do generally like to read the books that everyone is talking about, with the exception of Fifty Shades of Grey! I just couldn’t bring myself to read that. x
September 28, 2018
Everyone I know who has read this has loved it, and so many have said it’s hilarious. Those poor junior doctors, they get such a rough ride! I am downloading this right now and reading it over the weekend.
September 29, 2018
Enjoy! I’m sure you’ll love it.
I know we hear on the news from time to time about the pay and conditions of junior doctors, but I’d never realised how bad it really was! It feels like they hide the worst of it, otherwise nobody would ever go into medicine.
October 1, 2018
I thoroughly enjoyed this too – read it on my holiday and found it entertaining and informative. Totally agree that it’s not depressing, he’s really got the balance right with it.
October 2, 2018
He certainly has! What a brilliant book. I will remember this one for a long time.
October 29, 2018
Love the sound of this. A different take on what you’d expect from the title! Thanks for sharing with #readwithme
October 29, 2018
It’s brilliant! Definitely well worth a read.
October 29, 2018
I’m adding this to my TBR list, I really want to read it after reading your review.
October 30, 2018
You will absolutely love it, I’m sure!
October 29, 2018
This sounds really interesting. A great Christmas present for a couple of family members I can think of.
#ReadWithMe
October 30, 2018
It would definitely make a good Christmas present. It’s well worth a read!
October 29, 2018
I’m half way through this, it is absolutely hilarious but also pretty shocking. #Readwithme
October 30, 2018
It is shocking. It makes me wonder how anyone actually becomes a doctor. It worries me a bit because my son would like a medical career.
October 29, 2018
It’s not my usual genre but I think I’d like to give it a try #readwithme
October 30, 2018
I don’t think it’s anyone’s genre particularly, but it is definitely worth a read!
October 30, 2018
This one is waiting on my shelf! I’ll get to it as soon as my library books are read and returned! Great review! #readwithme
October 31, 2018
Thanks very much! You will definitely enjoy it.