This is an extended preview episode, part one of two of this special which i have titled Searching for Hobday. Episode two is the interview itself, unabridged, unfettered and unmolested in its entirety. This preview episode is an introduction to  Dr Paul Hobday, a retired GP, and once upon a time, a true anchorman and mid-field general of primary care in Kent.  Although hibernating and taking some well-earned R&R since authoring a sensational zenith of healthcare literary-fiction, he is still a true force ten gale of the medical profession. Colleagues refer to him as a battle-royale-ready NHS loyalist and freedom fighter, some say the everyman's doctor, some say provocateur of health politics.

A die-hard advocate of the man on the street and those with no voice. I would describe him as the epitome of a dying breed of traditional GP who banged the drum of patient experience long before it became sexy and vogue. Paul nurtured a long and successful love affair with community medicine as a one-practice man notching up thirty plus years of  family medicine in mid-Kent on his bedpost. As he perceived threats to the wellbeing of our NHS, he swiftly phase-shifted and added his weight to the fledgling NHS Action party. As a follow up, he has recently written an enthralling but deeply thought-provoking novel titled The Deceit Syndrome, providing  the reader with a  360-degree observation-tower of a perversion of public sector services, including the an NHS  that was once and still is so dear to his heart. 

I speak with various NHS colleagues and friends including Dr Nicky Pulham, Dr Mike Heber and Dr Mark Reynolds MBE.

Did you know he was one of the original founders of one of the first GP out of hours cooperatives in England in 1990? This was  forged over a cup of tea with a few GPs who wanted to make a difference to patient care and GP quality of life,  long before large scale conglomerates ran out of hours care. I am confident it will be a fabulous tale and I do encourage listeners to listen it to part two  to capture this. There are just far too many further things to say and so little time…..