Dr Ben Bravery on putting the heart back into healthcare in 'The Patient Doctor'

At the age of twenty-eight Ben Bravery found himself facing the terrifying spectre of stage three colorectal cancer. As a scientist, Ben understood the seriousness of the condition but what he didn't expect was how being a patient would make him feel. After difficult and complicated surgery and months of chemotherapy he decided he needed a change – and to make change. The intense medical training he then pursued to qualify as a doctor gave him a new perspective into a healthcare system under pressure and the challenges doctors face every day. 'The Patient Doctor' is an open and honest account of his experience as both a patient and a doctor and what we need to do to ensure that both are treated with care and compassion. In this episode Gregory Dobbs chats to Dr Ben Bravery about the harsh physical reality of colorectal cancer, how better communication could improve the experience of diagnosis, treatment and recovery, the surprising place he found the care he needed, and how the whole experience led him to the study of psychiatry and a pathway to a better understanding of both sides of the healthcare system.