What Seems To Be The Problem? by Laura Marshall-AndrewsMy rating: 4 of 5 stars
Time taken to read - 1 day
Pages - 272
Publisher - HQ Stories
Source - Bought (Waterstones)
Blurb from Goodreads
In this powerful and deeply personal memoir, award-winning GP Dr Laura Marshall-Andrews introduces us to the patients who have shaped her radical approach to medicine.
Over the course of a decade spent on the frontline of the NHS, Dr Laura witnessed lives being adversely affected by one-size-fits-all treatments. Determined to create change, she began to envisage a new way to care that prioritised the lived experience of her patients.
Created with the help of doctors, artists and complementary health practitioners, Dr Laura’s pioneering holistic approach was revelatory. From those whose lives were changed by ‘ineffective’ drugs, to those for whom alternative therapies, kindness and trust proved transformative, her patients began to flourish.
What Seems To Be The Problem? is a heartfelt story of hope, and an urgent call for change in our NHS at a time when it is most in need.
My Review
I do like these true stories and reading about other peoples work stories, NHS ones I have been reading/buying as a go. This one is a wee bit different, Doctor Laura Marshall-Andrews gives us an insight into her journey as a doctor.
As I said I have read lots of NHS stories from different professionals and enjoy reading the patients and doctors experiences. This one is different as we get to see the normal doctor approach but Marshall-Andrews takes a more holistic approach and once she gets her own gp surgery we see what it is like to work with other professionals in a holistic manner and how it can affect and impact the patients.
I fist punched the air when she fought for a patient to stay on X drug because it had a huge positive impact on her life yet the higher ups wanted her switched to a drug that was not effective because of the cost. They argued about no evidence yet here is this human being gone from a miserable existence to being happier, healthier and managing to contribute to society. The doc also examines this, the cost of her health issues if she went on the ineffective drug, hospital admission costs, appointments, benefits etc huge costs which would be more than the medication. However the people who overview medication prescribing, costs to the surgery/budget wanted this lady on the cheaper, not effective or working for her because studies show, 1 person experience doesn't not provide conclusive evidence. I am so so glad she put the foot down but it shouldn't have to be like this. When it comes to patient care cost should not be a factor, I shudder at the healthcare systems in other countries but some of this stuff in this book also highlights it isn't just other countries.
It is a shorter book than some of those available and I feel this one offered a bit more of a different perspective on treatments, their practice being evaluated (I hadn't read any accounts of that from the stories I have read so far) and as always the patients - it is always interesting to hear patient stories, they are are so very different! 4/5 for me this time, I would read more by this doc.
