The Prison Doctor: My time inside Britain’s most notorious jails. THE HONEST, UNBELIEVABLE TRUE STORY AND A SUNDAY TIMES BEST SELLING AUTOBIOGRAPHY

Beautifully written & sensitively navigates some truly awful topics. Strangely life affirming and heartwarming, but definitely not for the faint hearted!

Dr Amanda Brown becomes disillusioned with working as a GP in a village (due to government policy) and quits her surgery and one night, whilst feeling frustrated, writes an article that is sent to a GP specific publication to get her feelings off her chest. This is spotted by another doctor who is recruiting doctors to work in prisons. Dr Brown decides to take a job working in prisons and this book relates stories and anecdotes from her time working in these prisons (Huntercombe, Bronzefield & Wormwood Scrubs) This book is very easy to read although the subject matter can be sad with some of the stories that Dr Brown describes from the prisoners as heartbreaking. I found Dr Brown's decision to leave her surgery to be very soft though. She'd worked in a surgery that she built up for years and decided due to new government legislation and a comment from one of her colleagues that she was going to quit!! I'm not a GP but I think most working people would be a little more resilient. And on top of that decides to go to work in a prison! But it's not a criticism of Dr Brown, she deserves credit for going to work in a place that most people would give a wide berth to and tries to change her patients lives for the better. Dr Brown doesn't really offer any opinions on the state of prisons or the prisoners. She doesn't judge and this unfortunately makes the book somewhat 'beige' because I expect most readers will have opinions on crime and prison (and I expect Dr Brown is no different but she has chosen not to express them) but what you get is a book that is a doctors day to day work in a prison with some of the more varied situations added. It was interesting to note however how Dr Brown's attitude to life changes as she spends more time in prison. Her own 'middle class' values seem to become more irrelevant when faced with people who struggle just to survive and end up getting themselves put in prison due to poor (and sometimes unavoidable) life choices. But, like I said, there are many debates to be had about this topic. This book will not provide any answers but it may open some eyes and get people thinking and looking for more information and opinion on the matter. Overall, a good book worth reading.

This book is described as eye opening and inspirational. I have spent some time working inside male and female prisons so I don't expect to find out much that I haven't come across. I am also already inspired by a doctor choosing to work inside the prisons doing what they can to help those who appear to be beyond help. The author starts with some background and tells us how she came to the prison role then we are straight into her experiences. Through her patients the author tells of conditions in UK prisons today. She is compassion but has the ability to remove herself from the crimes that her patients have committed. In the same way that she never judges her patients she also does not criticise the prison system which is a welcome relief from the continual complaints fired at it from all sides. Actually she highlights some of the amazing people that work in the system which is a joy to read. The writing is straight forward and clearly describes life without dumbing down or sensationalising. A doctor sees everyone from the governor to the lowliest prisoner so it's great that she is having her say. Aside from all the things that she sees she is able to explain about the passion for the environment that many employees have, how it "gets into your bones" and effects the rest of your life. On a personal level I was interested in how the authors value system changes with some parts of her life now seeming to be very trivial. I've experienced this to a lesser degree and it is an odd feeling when you're really not interested in the social chitchat around you, preferring to talk about a violent offender and the conditions in which he is being kept. This is also a reminder that the prison system should not be considered as a single entity - it is made up of many individuals working hard and many more individuals passing through its care, all with different backgrounds and reason for being there. She never lets us forget that even these tough, and sometimes violent, people are human with mothers and fathers (maybe partners and children too). The reader is encouraged to take time to think about the individuals as she sees tiny snapshots of their broken lives. I know many who would not want to read this book but I would encourage anyone to (even if it then gives me a chance to talk more about prisons!!).

I Felt she spoke so down to earth and honest of her true experiences. Couldn't fault it and would recommend it to anyone.

Couldnt,put this down,horrifying facts of life behind bars.But it was so heartbreaking how people live there lives . put this down

I thought it was interesting enough. It had me gripped at the start but towards the end of the book it fizzled a little bit. Decent enough read though.

This is the second book by Doctor Brown, you don't need to have read the first to read this one. Doc Brown recounts some of the situations she has encountered in her time working in the prisons and many of the people she has treated or came across. I think it is so easy to judge folk, people in prison, people with habits - often a combination of both. I think what this does is helps you get past potential prejudices, realise in many cases it really is before the grace of God go I. We get brief glimpses of some of the women she has met, treated and been affected by. A stark realisation of what prison life can be like for these poor woman. After reading this I started looking into donations for women's prisons charities and hopefully once you read this book you may be a bit more understanding or less judgmental of people (not just women) behind bars. A look at the medical issues these women present with, the difference between care readily available at the call of a cab or your gp. If you haven't read the first book it is really interesting so please check it out. I hope she writes more about her experiences, I think these books are so important for your "average joe". In a world where we need more understanding and kindness, I think these books give a bit of insight into other peoples hardships. 4.5/5 for me this time - recommend for sure and like I say I hope she writes more.

This is a truly inspiring story. It is a very readable insight into the reality of life in prison and shows how a caring person can make a real difference to individual lives. Amanda Brown was a respected GP who got fed up with the time and financial limitations of modern practice that interfered with looking after patients, so she threw it all in. Since then she has worked in prisons - looking after young offenders in HMP Huntercombe, before moving to the notorious Wormwood Scrubs for Category B prisoners and finally to the modern HMP Bronzefield, the largest high-security female prison in Europe. This book is packed with fascinating anecdotes, sometimes shocking, sometimes moving, that illustrate the cases she was confronted with over the years. Whilst there are stories of self-harm and instability, the one light that shines brightly throughout is Doctor Brown's humanity. Through her determination to help prisoners, without judging them, she is able to extend a lifeline of hope to people in very dark places. As a result of this colourful journey she obtains terrific job satisfaction and sense of purpose, working in an environment where she is really needed. Because she really cares and refuses to believe that anyone is beyond hope she is an inspirational example.

The book follows Dr. Amanda Brown after she leaves her GP practice following the 2006 reforms. From there, by chance, after her article was published, she becomes a prison doctor. She tells the story of her experience working in young offenders units, to some of the UK’s most dangerous prisons. There are rare some incredible, and powerful stories told throughout this book. Some completely heartbreaking. One thing that remains totally obvious throughout, is how much Brown genuinely cares about her patients. Each and every one of them. No matter what they have done/been accused of. Her compassion and love to help people are extraordinary! I really enjoyed this book, it was a super fast – eye-opening- read (triggers of drugs, abuse, etc). I admire her strong passion for being there for the offenders no matter what wrongs they have done no matter there crime. She strongly believed in everybody need just one person to care for them to change their lives around. She hopes that everything she had done had some sort of impact on them to make them want to do better in life.

I loved the variety of stories and the humanity this book has. I highly recommend this book to anyone who likes biographies

Very interesting and funny and intense

Well written book told with compassion and empathy. Looking forward to more by this author/doctor.

No tiene una trama. Me ha decepcionado un poco. Me gusta la literatura médica y este no es de mis favoritos.