Ed Davey
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An unexpected illness led to an extraordinary set of experiences as the author became dependent upon the NHS for his care and well being. So shocked by the course of events, he was motivated into recording his journey throughout his poor health. As he became more and more affected by the truly disturbing reality which exists in our national health service he began forming opinions as to why the situation is so bad and what needs to happen to resolve the chaos which is the NHS. Sometimes hilarious, sometimes sad and often disturbing, this personal account of one man's first hand familiarity with the health service provides a concerning and consuming account for everyone who has, is or will depend upon the NHS. This passionate and frank story will be a must for all patients, NHS staff and all of those people with loved ones in hospital. It pitches the reader through the turmoil and fear one experiences when you lose control of your day to day life. When you have to lend the management of your well being to people whom you have to trust despite whatever their abilities one questions almost everything. It's a truly engaging and concerning insight into our health service and it's an absorbing read.
Born and bred in North Lincolnshire, Ed Davey has been a leading figure in the local farming community for twenty years. Educated at Harper Adams he returned home to help run the family farming business in 1986 and remained there until 2006. After various life changing experiences he set up as the National Farmer's Union Group Secretary for the Holderness region in East Yorkshire in July 2007. He is passionate about the farming industry and the countryside he lives and works in. One of the hardest working farmers in the region he would be usually found out on the farm every hour god sent applying himself to the perpetual battle against nature to produce vegetables and combineable crops on the 550 ha farm Throughout the last five years he has worked particulalrly hard, often without a day off in a year and working extremely long hours week in week out to achieve his goals. In his few hours of free time he has written various articles for the farming press and figured in the Farmer's Weekly Awards in 2006 where he was runner up in the Arable Farmer of the year category. 'He who shouts loudest' is his first book. Ed has been considering writing a novel for some time but it was his experience during a recent illness which inspired his literary desires and once pen went to paper he was always going to create his first piece about his extraordinary journey through the NHS. Ed lives still in North Lincolnshire and whilst still involved in the family farming business focuses most of his energy over the River Humber supporting the farmers of Holderness.
Everyone I speak to seems to be able to recount a tale about the NHS, often of dismay and disappointment, sometimes, but rarely, about their satisfaction, and of course inevitably about the life saving and intrinsic role it provides society in their hour of need. It is almost always with a passionate viewpoint of their experience. Very often they have had to shout very loud indeed to be heard despite whatever outcome they experienced. This is a story for everyone who has had a similar time whilst dependent upon the NHS for their care and well being. It’s a story particularly for anyone who has suffered inflammatory bowel disease or any similarly embarrassing conditions and struggled with the relative indignation. It’s a story for everyone with an interest in the NHS who hopes to learn something from it. Part of my inspiration to write this account was my dear grandfather who died in the same hospital I found myself in. He went in with emphysema and died of an infection a few weeks later. I will never forget the indignity that such a wonderful man suffered at the end of his life. He stood over 6 feet tall, was strong, handsome and proud. He fought and served through the entire Second World War in campaigns in France and Africa. He sailed with the BEF in 1939 as a captain in the Royal Artillery. He fought defensive actions back to the beaches. He rowed off the beach and led his men to safety after several days of bombardment on the dunes. He was a distinguished yet modest man who rarely spoke of his achievements. He was great fun and excelled at sports, particularly rugby and golf, which he played to scratch. He achieved all sorts of new ideas in business and was forward thinking. He loved his family and was very dear to all of his grand children. He was thought about in a very high regard by everyone who knew him. By the end he resembled a shell of the man we knew. He suffered dreadfully towards the end. Each time we went in to see him he complained about the food, the lack of cleaning, the lack of care and the lack of respect shown to him by the staff. At the time we thought he was making it up and that it couldn’t be that bad. We put it down to grumpy old man syndrome and the huge chasm that existed between contemporary values and those he had established through his own life. I have subsequently learnt he was right. I guess we didn’t shout loud enough for him.
At this point I will say little more. I have found that being too critical at such an early stage can be a risky business. Hospital staff can react quite badly to patient’s opinions and in being admitted for an in growing toe nail you can find yourself transferred to the critical list for orthopaedic surgery and then wake up with pins in your ankles. Seriously, I have heard so many nurses, doctors and managers defend their health service whether it be whilst I was in hospital, in newspapers or on talk shows. Jeremy Vine on Radio 2 recently had nurses calling to defend practices which were apparently sub standard according to other callers in meeting cleaning requirements in hospitals. The callers who were either ex patients or hospital visitors were claiming that the food industry had higher hygiene standards than the NHS. There is no smoke without fire and by my experience I would tend to agree. I know this is delicate territory but for those who wish to defend the NHS please read my story before deciding, as it is a true account. I know as well as anyone in the UK what a sterling job the NHS does day to day in maintaining and saving life in our country. I want to make sure that everyone benefits from the same high standard of care which enables these success stories to become reality. I am sure by the time you have finished reading my account that you will question what happened to me and others.
