LoveReading Says
Michael Dixon’s Time to Heal: Tales of a Country Doctor is a timely, spirited call-to-action to restore “humanity to medicine”, and comes highly recommended for readers who like autobiographies with bite, and for those interested in discovering what it’s really like to be a present-day GP - warts and all. Moreover, one hopes that it might also serve as a wider wake-up call - “every society should be judged by what it does for its weakest. We are one of the world’s wealthiest nations,” is not a statement to be ignored.
The early chapters covering Dixon’s unusual route to becoming a doctor are wistfully witty - he made the move to medicine after reading Philosophy and Psychology at Oxford. On qualifying in 1984, he took up a GP post in Devon and embarked on a life-long learning journey. From these beginnings, and through his career, he sees that serving patients’ needs demands much more than merely prescribing medicine and programmes of treatment. Indeed, Dixon’s view that practicing medicine demands a holistic, human approach is at the core of his book: “above everything, we must value and refine our skills as healers over and above the pills and procedures that we may offer.” The importance of this becomes starkly clear when we consider that despite medical advances “life expectancy is no longer improving”, and Dixon firmly believes that the increasing epidemic of long-term diseases like depression, diabetes, dementia and cancer are “the result of our catastrophic failure to care for the environment, the planet, ourselves and each other.” These failures, he observes, have become even more pronounced during the COVID-19 pandemic, which has exposed the need for community connections and “the impact of social isolation”.
Always honest, thoughtful and wise, I came away moved, enlightened, and hoping desperately that we see the kinds of social, community-focussed changes Dixon suggests, which are, in essence, centred around “rediscovering a common humanity.”
Joanne Owen
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Time to Heal Synopsis
Time to Heal tells the story of the colourful life of a country doctor towards the end of his career. In turn shocking, sad and funny, they describe a doctor who feels poorly served by the conventional medicine of his time and finds new ways to relieve the suffering of his patients. This tale has a twist. Twenty-first century General Practice and its patients have been betrayed by top-heavy regulation, performance management and a blame culture. Young doctors no longer want to enter General Practice. The author explores why and how pandemics might provide the answers.
'A fascinating look into life as a village doctor, with observations so profound it seamlessly becomes a thesis on humanity as a species. The local GP, not only a potential lifesaver but also a constant and friend in these ever-changing, isolated times has never been more needed. A beautiful and moving book.' - Lady Sophie Windsor (nee Winkelman), Actress
'A wonderful book, full of fascinating, engaging and timely stories. Michael Dixon reminds us of the importance of human medicine and the way in which communities can create health. He concludes with a new vision for health which blends the best of the past with the latest technology and science - and which will help us cope better with future pandemics.' - Lord Nigel Crisp, Former Chief Executive and Permanent Secretary at the Department of Health
'Time to Heal describes very human stories - entertaining, thought provoking, and eminently readable, whilst woven through the text is the insight that general practice is the human face of medicine.' - Sir Denis Pereira Gray, Former Chair and President, Royal College of General Practitioners
About This Edition
| ISBN: |
9781911397762 |
| Publication date: |
31st July 2023 |
| Author: |
Michael Dixon |
| Publisher: |
Unicorn an imprint of Unicorn Publishing Group |
| Format: |
Paperback |
| Pagination: |
256 pages |
| Primary Genre |
Biographies & Autobiographies
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| Recommendations: |
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About Michael Dixon
Michael Dixon has been a country general practitioner in Cullompton, Devon for thirty-five years. His experiences during these years have taken him from being a conventional family doctor to having an increasing interest in complementary medicine and social prescribing, all influenced by his patients' colourful stories. He has written extensively on medicine and the health service and was previously President of the Guild of Health Writers and the health columnist for SHE magazine. Today, in his late 60s, he continues as a part-time GP and is Chair of the College of Medicine, Visiting Professor at University College London and Health Advisor to HRH The Prince of Wales.
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