AMANDA BROWN, THE COMPASSION DOCTOR

Amanda Brown, MD

“Icryalotandit’sembarrassing,butthedayIlose mycompassionisthedayIstopworking”[1]

That said, it is difficult and even unfair to write a summary paragraph about such a woman. Nevertheless, Amanda Brown is currently a general practitioner (GP) at the largest womenonly prison in Europe, His Majesty Prison Bronzefield (HMP Bronzefield) and the author of The Prison Doctor, the three-volumes book about her prison memoirs and her own journey as she morphs from a GP in a quiet, comfortable patch of England, her homeland, into a passionate advocate on behalf of prisoners.

Amanda’s father was also a GP. Having grown up watching her father’s devotion to his patients, the little girl always wanted to follow in his footsteps - and that became a reality. She was a regular National Health Service (NHS) GP for twenty years, until she gave up her practice because of a deep sense of dissatisfaction and disillusionment following a new GP contract that would force her to change her consultation style for bonus pay. Therefore she found no other option than to resign her job.

“Iwasnearly50,thatwasmypension,Ihadtwo kids and a mortgage, but it was my ‘sliding doors’ moment.” [1]

Amanda wrote a blistering piece for Pulse — the GP magazine – to show her displeasure with the erratic health policy-making at the time and it was as a result of the article that she was headhunted by a doctor looking to recruit for the prison service.

“I was intrigued because, as naive as it sounds, I never even considered that prisons had their own doctors.’” [2]

Amanda’s first step in her second career was in HMP Huntercombe, then a male prison for juveniles aged 15 to-18 – curiously her sons’ age at the time. Later, she worked at one of the oldest and most notorious prisons in the United Kingdom, HMP Wormwood Scrubs, as well as the already mentioned women’s prison, HMP Bronzefield, where she continues to work to this day.

Dr. Brown partook in the exhilaration and chaotic nature of prison life, while trying her utmost to make a positive difference and leave a lasting impact on the lives of those that society had turned its back on.

“They'vecommittedcrimesbuttheystillneedtobe caredfor”- so Amanda said in an interview with Sky News.

Dr. Brown recognises that these people with chaotic lives and too little experience of unconditional love, affection and recognition can also be brave, kind and funny. Amanda considers it part of her mission to bring such impressive stories to the light and that’s how she became the author of The Prison Doctor bestsellers.

These are books brimming with empathy, compassion and commitment. Books that might transport the reader into an unfamiliar yet deeply human world and reveal Dr. Brown’s audacity and strong-will, an unwavering drive to help others that sustained her through the transition from a typical community GP to a violence-filled, adrenaline-pumping job.

Throughout the books the reader understands that compassion, solidarity and the capacity of being a good listener are imperative tools to live in society and, specifically, to be a better health agent.

With Amanda’s life and books we become aware of how much courage is needed to transform guilt, shame and self-doubt into pride, empathy and strength. As such, Dr. Brown’s generosity and kindness is what this years’ AIMS Meeting has the honour to host.

References:

[1] Available from: https://www.theguardian.com/lifeandstyle/2019/jun/08/prison-doctor-amandabrown-compassion-medicine

[2] Available from: https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-7172755/How-did-middle-class-