Tsk Tsk. Surely you should know by now that Dr Crippen is the only person in the entire NHS who is in any way competent or qualified to judge others. Don't you realise that he has dedicated his life to his patients and, having (claerly) lots of time spare (presumably because he is able to cure them all by the laying on of hands) he has been able review the training, expertise and morals of every other health care professional in the country and find them wanting.
Just because he routinely denigrates your profession and expertise, is that any reson not to like him.

:-) (I'm surprised you've put up with it this long - I have pretty much stopped reading Crippen as he is so biased, patronising and ungracious)

Don't worry, I stopped reading his blog ages ago for the same reason.

When he can tell me the correct up to date research on midwife led care safety, the accurate details on how one cares for a woman with GBS in labour or the statistics on morbidity and mortality with planned home births, and use them to back up his arguments, then I will give him credence. Till then I will see him as someone whose opinion, as so wilfully ill informed, is invalid.

What I find is that when people constantly complain that they're surrounded by idiots, in general the real reason that things are going wrong is that they're not too bright themselves

I noticed that with the ambulance/EEG thing a little while back, Crippen never admitted that he was wrong. If he'd done the test himself, the ambulance crew could have taken the patient to the right unit more quickly.

So what's he going to do next time? My guess: exactly the same, since everyone except him is an out-of-step idiot. And so, the patient is subjected to unnecessary risk.

"In this latest post he gets upset when someone mentions that a GP might have been less than perfect..."

Err, yeah, that might have been me... sorry about that.

I was just wondering why my traffic has gone through the roof today and now I know! Thanks for the link :o)

Mousie x

Let me explain who I am. I am a rather large gentleman, 6 foot nothing with long hair and a leather jacket. I have a crappy beard that makes me look slightly alcoholic, and I generally look like a problem and have been stopped accordingly when stumbling about at night after a student binge. (I love police though, and I'm generally a very nice guy, so it's all good).

I am hoping to start training as a nurse this year. If this prat ever called ME nursey... I'd introduce him to his own spleen in between his fucking holidays. MY GP hasn't been around to see me in seven fucking years, and whenever I've gone to the GP surgery, I get referred to someone else. I much prefer the walk in minor injuries and illness at St Georges.

I read that blog once, and was INSTANTLY turned off by it. It was condescending, arrogant and the fuckwit wouldn't stop talking about ambulance technicians in a demeaning way (the bit about ECGs annoyed me greatly). But nursing blogs are ace - will definitely check those out!

Ahem, at the risk of getting flamed, I would like to contribute a few words in defence of Dr Crippen.

His was the first blog I started reading (I found this one through him); I found it interesting and entertaining then, and I still do - even though he has got gradually more political and more Victor Meldrew-like (he did recently have a long break from blogging - maybe he'd got so demoralised he was finding it difficult to write about things without ranting). My doctor boyfriend discovered Dr C recently, and I came home last night to find him sitting at the computer chortling away and saying things like, "so true!".

I think what I mean is that blogs are more easily appreciated by people who've shared similar experiences to the author - Reynolds is an ex-nurse and an LAS worker, so perhaps nurses and ambulance workers are more likely to empathise with his viewpoints, and less likely to agree with Dr C, whilst other doctors might appreciate him more. Being outside medicine personally, I like to think I can take more of an overview...

Also, I do think Dr C quite often says things for effect and not altogether seriously - he just has his own style. And he has been unstinting in his support for and championing of junior doctors who've been screwed over by the MTAS system. As I'm living with someone who is soon to brave the MTAS-replacement system, I have to be with Dr C on that one.

I am not a nurse, or an LAS, or a Doctor, in fact I work in the arts. I love Tom's blog, it's one of the first I found and I read it all the time.

I read it and appreciate it because it is well-written, thoughtful and stimulating in that it often opens my eyes to issues I had not considered, or highlights nuances that I had not previously been aware of. I also appreciate it because it does not claim to be the ONLY truth, or the ONLY perspective on anything. It is passionate, but it is also objective.

I went to Dr C via this blog once or twice but found him biased, subjective and downright unreasonable. So that's why I don't bother reading him and applaud Tom's decision. I worry for the man's patients given his lack of patience.

SnaggleTT, that is almost exactly what I was going to say. I used to read Dr. Crippen's blog on a frequent basis, but I have found him to become increasingly arrogant and aggressive, especially when faced with an opinion that differs from his own.

Thank you for the extra blogs to consider as well, I have been reading Mental Nurse for some time but I shall give the others a look as well.

I have to admit I read Dr C's blog because, like a sore tooth, when I stop prodding it the pain eases. I regard him as well meaning in some of his rants but, his political views and his patronising and hectoring tone do belong to those old 'Doctor' movies from the 1950's. I removed him from my links some time ago but I do pop back from time to time.
My one concern is that he can reach a fairly wide audience who will believe his unsubstantiated rants and simplistic solutions to the problems in healthcare.

Ha. I gave up on Dr Crippen last year... he hates everyone in the healthcare arena (except of course, Mrs Crippen) & quite frankly, takes the piss out of nurses, paramedics, midwives, ODP's, HCA's etc etc ad infinitum.

I'm so glad you've knocked him off your blogroll!

You should put me on your blogroll, I know nothing whatsoever about the NHS, and recently I posted a picture of a marzipan octopus (marzipus).

:D

Wow! Is a 'Marzipus' exactly what it sounds like; an octopus made out of marzipan!? Me wants a look!!

Yes! That *is* exactly what it is!
It's bloody brilliant.

http://pinklefish.wordpress.com/

(Sorry Tom! Blame the Marzipus for dragging the comments off topic...)

wow just seen it !! I want one! It is soooooo cool!! I feel so hungry now :D

Noooo you cannot eat the marzipus! It's too cute! I for one could not bite his little head off. Well, not unless I was really, really hungry. But I'd have to be starvi...nom nom nom

That's soooooo bad!!

Hilarious, but right out of order.

Poor Marzipus...

Thanks for the link Reynolds. On your recommendation, I've added Inspector Gadget to my RSS feed. Mouse Thinks is already on there.


As regards His Holiness Dr Crippen, since I just don't get it, don't have any insight, clearly don't care etc etc...I think I shall also try to avoid feeding the troll from now on.

Which is a bit of a shame, because Dr Crippen can and does make valid points about the problems in health and social care. It's just that it's getting to the stage where I'm simply losing the inclination to listen.


Bourbon biscuit anyone?

Yes please!! Dammit you've just reminded me of one of the things I really really miss by not living in the UK...

Yep, He's really got up my nose recently with some of his inflammtaory, ill-researched, and downright abusive posts. I will continue to read him however, just so that I can check my fledgling blog doesn't develop into the same kind of stream of consciousness rant.

ps need some traffic - pay me a visit - in the true spirit of nursing - all constructive critique welcomed. In the spirit of Crippen - all criticism ignored.

FLMN, I added your blog to my RSS feed a few days ago. I haven't commented on it, but I do read and enjoy it.

thank you

So have I.

And I commented. But you ignored me so I'm not coming back ;oP

oops sorry, still learning the etiquette. I shall remedy this immediately.

I stopped reading Crippen some months ago, due to his condescending, sarcastic attitude towards anyone who isn't a Mighty All-knowing Doctor. The man's an arrogant arsehole.

I have to say, though, that he's not typical. There are good doctors and not-so-good doctors, but I have only met one so far with his kind of attitude. The flip side, which gives me a warm glowy feeling, is the kind of doctor that I encountered at A&E today after alerting in with an 80-something male who had CCP radiating into his left arm, a Hx of 4 AMIs and an ECG showing LBBB: "Hi, I'm Dan, nice to meet you" said Dr Dan, extending his hand towards a stunned EMT (me) who took a few seconds before he realised that he was meant to be shaking it. Dr Dan then listened very attentively to my handover, before thanking me for my help. I felt slightly faint for a few moments, but eventually convinced myself that I hadn't imagined it. Several of my colleagues reassuring me that Dr Dan is a Thoroughly Good Bloke helped me to recover.

Gadget and Mousie are very good blogs, read regularly by yours truly. I've not read Mental Nurse yet, but will give it a go.

Oooh I think I might be in love with Dr Dan.

Blinkin' heck! So am I! Shame he obviously doesn't work at our place :o(

Thanks for the big-up, Donkey!

Tom,why did it take you so long to kick this clearly all-knowing,all-seeing,nihilistic,overzealous,arrogant waste of time and his vitriolic spew to the kerb????.

donkey-we have an A&E Doc just like yours......funny his names Dr Dan as well(must be something in the name).We also have an excellent head consultant who has been known to tell junior doctors to shut up and listen to the handover and then proceeds to ask them questions to see if they where listening........he loves ambo staff : )

Siren voices is quite good. Not as good as you though of course!

Dr. Crippen only say's that sort of thing because he knows that only he can run the NHS single-handley and obviously doesnt need nurses, ECP's, Para's, EMT's, just his big ego.


Anyone notice the sarcasm?

I too stopped reading Crippen's blog some time ago (and removed him from my blogroll a couple of months back). I used to like the blog for the weekly diaries, but they got less attention from him and so I too got turned off. That and the fact he always used my name whenever referring to a cantankerous old lady!!

How on earth does he have the time to write all those blog posts, and format them? It's not just a dashed off note! That and the fact that many of his blog posts have been followed up by extensive comment from him.

p.s. I just venture over there and his latest Crippen diary involves one case and is just another political rant.

Particularly since his long absence, Dr Crippen seems more worried with a political agenda and writing to cause a caffufle than he seems bothered about blogging about interesting topics. I also used to enjoy his weekly diaries but they've all but stopped in favour of inflammatory shite.

Mousie is an excellent replacement on your blogroll :)

Sounds like Dr Crippen, is a burnt out wreck of a bloke, do you think he was ever like Dr Dan?

(How many ‘E’s’ are there in purple marzipan, I think I need some)

I also gave up on Dr C last year, I read one or too and then decided it was best to stop altogether, the only times I have been back is when you have commented on a post of his.

I have been reading inspector gadgets blog for ages, absolutely brilliant I might add, a must read for everyone... (I have to say it is on par with yours Tom, but obviously you pip it to the post!)

I too have given up reading Crippen's rants. He sounds more and more like the doctor up the road, who tells people to 'pull yourself together' when genuinely depressed, prescribes beta blockers to asthmatics and shouts at you if you dare to challenge his superior knowledge. Awful man, who is well known for being nasty to his wife. I wonder if he is actually Dr Crippen?

I have been reading Inspector Gadget for some time, and a damn good read it is, too.

I whole heartedly agree with the actions of Tom....I,m dropping Crippen from my blogroll today!

Although I originally agreed with some of his opinions and view points, it soon became obvious to me that the man is the personification of a GP dinosaur. A throw back to the days when the doctors word was stronger than that of Gods!

Through out all his comments/posts/rants/observations etc the underlying theme is always...."I,ve been to medical school, you have not, therefore I am superior in knowledge, wisdom, skills and will not bring myself to accept the contributions to good patient care from others....as I am brillaint! Because I,ve been to medical school!