Daily Mirror (Northern Ireland)
Britain’s got talented docs
AMANDA’S heart stopped for 40 seconds after she haemorrhaged following the birth of her second daughter Hollie in 2012.
The Britain’s Got Talent judge, 47, says: “My husband Chris thought he was standing in a bucket of water but it was my blood. The doctors told Chris I had a 50/50 chance of survival. “Thanks to the midwives and doctors, I pulled through. I’m so grateful to the hospital and anyone that donates blood. “I am indebted to the NHS, we need to look after them.”
optimistic, I lay there amazed at how they do it on a daily basis.”
On Monday, in front of an audience of Britain’s biggest stars, Paul will host The NHS Heroes Awards, brought to you by ITV and the Mirror to mark the 70th anniversary of the creation of the NHS.
In 2006, Paul opened the cardiac unit at William Harvey Hospital, in Ashford, Kent, near his home – then had his second heart attack and found himself back there as a patient a few weeks later.
Laughing, he recalls: “I had to sail past the plaque with my name on the wall, and I thought, ‘I might as well test it out while I’m here’.”
In 2013, Paul had a third heart attack and was rushed to St Thomas’.
He says: “Again, they were just amazing. They are so understaffed, but the care I received was incredible.
“My cardiologist is so patient and he also thinks I’m one of the un-dead. When I go for my check-up, he always says, ‘I don’t know how you do it’. My heart heals itself. I’m not scared any more, you become aware of your own mortality. You can’t live in fear.”
The NHS has been there to look after Paul ever since he was a boy, when was “in and out” of hospital for broken bones.
He says: “When I was a kid I broke everything. I was falling off the wall or the roof, or trees. Broken collarbone, nose, wrist, arm, leg, you name it. I was daft, I’d climb up on the roof and fall off it.”
Paul then went to work for the Royal Northern Hospital in London as a physiotherapy aide. He says: “We did 14 hours a day and I had 15 disabled kids I was
looking after who had everything from muscular dystrophy to asthma and eczema. You learned on the job.”
He insists we must never return to the bad old days of paying for medical care. He says: “Before the NHS if you went to a doctor you’d have to pay. I don’t ever want
to ring an ambulance and them I have your credit card number,
“What if you’re having a hear ‘Oh, hang on, let me get me wal
“We must fiercely protect t I’ll never forget those Irish was in a desperate state, men