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Handle with Care

True Confessions of an NHS Health Visitor

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About this listen

Health visiting is one of those professions that most people think is a bit of a non-job. 'You just sit on sofas and drink tea, don't you? It's not like you're a real nurse, in hospital.'

Well, health visitors are real nurses, with at least three years' training, and they are out there, on their own. No back-up team or support structures to call for help if they're in a dicey situation. No warm lights, tea breaks spent chatting in the canteen, nobody else to ask, 'is this okay, what do you think?'

Over 40 years working in the NHS, Rachael Hearson has been chased down an isolated stairwell by crack-fuelled drug-addicted pimps, threatened by a knife-wielding wife-beater in a hostel, unwittingly visited a brothel.... And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

©2020 Rachael Hearson (P)2020 W F Howes Medicine & Health Care Industry Social Sciences Health Health Care

Critic reviews

"[It] manages to be funny, moving, activist, and challenging." (Harriet Minter, TalkRadio)

"I loved this book - I thought it was really interesting." (Jane Garvey, BBC Radio 4 Woman's Hour)
All stars
Most relevant
Nothing to dislike. Easy to pick up when interrupted. Read beautifully by the author, enjoyable

Lovely narration and very enjoyable

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Loved every minute of this and was hooked from the opening sentence.

Loved the way Rachel told her own story which made it so personable but also gives her so much clout as a wonderful health visitor.

Rachel and those like her are the ones who need to be in the new year’s honors list. Real people taking real care of others.

Health visitor extraordinaire

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Great to hear some success stories and the impact a health visitor has on the community. How important the role is. Fantastic to hear your story…

Thought-provoking

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I enjoyed this book. It was a good read and interesting to know the ins and outs of a health visitor.

Enjoyed it.

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This was a nice story to listen to but not as much about her time as a health visitor as I expected.

A nice memoir

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