Life support | jim down

Deeply affecting - a personal memoir that grips, harrows, inspires and, ultimately, uplifts with its vein of deep humanity Philippe Sands An extraordinarily frank book laced with humour and self-deprecation The Times As a doctor on the intensive care unit at one of Londons top hospitals, Jim Down has spent his life working as healthcares last resort, where each day reveals a new challenge.

But nothing could prepare Jim and his colleagues for the events of spring 2020, when the Covid-19 pandemic put them on the frontline of a global health crisis.

In Life Support, Jim tells the extraordinary month-by-month story of how, as the world came to a standstill, he and his co-workers faced down the biggest challenge in the history of the NHS.

Full of warmth, honesty and humour, this book is a gripping and moving testament to the everyday heroism of the NHS staff in a global emergency, and an unforgettable insight into what was really happening on the wards as we clapped on our doorsteps.