TV doc Amir Khan says nominating a health hero in The Sun’s Who Cares Wins awards will give NHS staff a boost

WE have been inundated with nominations for our Who Cares Wins awards. But there is still time to nominate your health hero.

As a hard-working GP, Dr Amir Khan, from Channel 5’s GPs: Behind Closed Doors, says the awards will give NHS staff a boost.

Dr Khan, who is backing our gongs, has racked up more than 40,000 Twitter followers, thanks to funny stories on things that could only ever happen to a GP.

He said: “I’m proud to work for the NHS and wouldn’t want to do anything else.”

Here, he shares with Emma Pietras a diary of a typical work week at his surgery in Bradford – and proves that being NHS staff is anything but ordinary.

DAY ONE: Arriving at 7am, I find there is already a queue at the door.

My first patient is a young boy with severe learning difficulties and autism. He is fearful of unfamiliar people and places so cannot come into the surgery.

So his mum shows him pictures of me and practice Nurse Debbie Harris and we consult him in the back of her car, in the car park.

And it’s good Mum brought him in because he has a serious chest infection and needs antibiotics.

Due to his underlying health conditions, if he isn’t treated early he can suffer seizures and end up in intensive care.

DAY TWO: I have a medical student with me and show them how to examine a child with a rash and temperature.

Strangely, the student whispers: “Dr Khan, I am allergic to cats.”

He repeats it and, as I turn to ask why he is telling me this, he collapses on the floor. At the same time, two cats that have been sleeping under the child’s pram shoot out.

I ask the mum: “Have you brought your cats?” and she replies: “Yes, but they are usually really well behaved.”

DAY THREE: When one of our Nurse Practitioners rushed into my room to say her patient was feeling very unwell, with chest pains, I didn’t hesitate to drop what I was doing.

And it’s lucky I did as – just as I entered the room, the man had a cardiac arrest and collapsed.

We immediately started cardiopulmonary resuscitation, called an ambulance and were able to bring him back. As the ambulance arrived, the patient was coming round – and his first question was: “Have one of you got my false teeth?”

They were under the desk, after shooting out of his mouth during chest compressions.

DAY FOUR: I’m teaching today and have my trusty dolly sidekick, Monica, strapped into the car.

So, cue funny looks from drivers and comments such as: “Who’s your wife?” Though we can change her lower parts, depending on the scenario, in which case she becomes Michael.

At the petrol station, the lady behind the till says: “You look like Dr Khan off the telly.” I tell her, “Yes that’s me.”

She replies: “Really? Wow, can you look at this mole on my neck?” I duly obliged. Although no discount on my fuel.

DAY FIVE: An elderly gentleman is complaining of problems with his “waterworks”. I asked if he would give me a urine sample to test.

I hand him a sample bottle and this chap drops his trousers in the room, takes aim and starts urinating into the bottle.

Slightly alarmed, I ask: “Do you want me to show you where the toilets are?”

He replies: “Sir, I was in the Army and when the doctor asks you for a sample, you drop your trousers and give them one.” I was pleased I hadn’t asked for a stool sample.

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