Stitched Up

Stitched Up

Stories of life and death from a prison doctor

Summary

Brought to you by Penguin.

Dr Shahed Yousaf is a prison doctor dedicated to caring for people on the margins of society. An outsider on the inside, in Stitched Up he introduces us to a cast of unforgettable characters, including killers, con men and auto-cannibals. To Dr Yousaf, they are patients first and prisoners second - because any one of us could end up on the wrong side of the law. He tells us honestly and compassionately what it's like to be their doctor in a system that's chronically overcrowded, drastically under-resourced and all too easy to ignore.

Dr Yousaf spends his time running between emergencies - from overdoses to assaults, from cell fires to suicides - with one hand perpetually hovering over the panic button. It's not a job for the faint-hearted. But while the system is failing, he and his colleagues are doing their very best to prop it up.

In stories that are frequently harrowing, sometimes humorous and always hard-hitting, we discover how difficult life is for those behind bars - but that there is still hope for all those who dare to care.

© Dr Shahed Yousaf 2022 (P) Penguin Audio 2022

Reviews

  • A raw and honest glimpse into the frightening but rewarding life of a prison GP. Stories that will curl your toes, make you laugh out loud and break your heart all at the same time. Dr Y is everything we would ever want in our own GP - caring, pragmatic, self-effacing and hugely competent. What a tour-de-force!
    Professor Dame Sue Black

About the author

Dr Shahed Yousaf

Dr Shahed Yousaf is a GP who works in prisons, substance misuse and with the homeless community. He was shortlisted for the Bath Flash Fiction Prize 2016 and commended for the Faber & Faber FAB Prize 2017. Shahed won a place on to the Writing West Midlands Room 204 Mentoring scheme and the Middle Way Mentoring Project in 2019.
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