Quite a good book to read . Not to much on the gory side and to be honest we don't find our what happens to all the patients after repatriation. The author obviously thinks he's lucky have such a well travelled job but he certainly earns his air miles ! I 've looked on Amazon for other books by the same author and I was pleased to see there's one about working on a cruise ship .

What a fantastically enjoyable read! I never even knew that there were such people as repatriation doctors or nurses. I’d never even really thought about how people who are injured or who are taken ill whilst abroad actually make it home, but of course now it makes perfect sense. In many cases someone trained has to go out to retrieve them and care for them en route. This book tells of some of the scenarios these competent and caring health professionals have to face – and they certainly face some challenging situations. I’m pretty sure they don’t face back-to-back crises as are portrayed here – at least, I hope not! – but a bit of poetic licence doesn’t go amiss and I was gripped throughout. If ever I get injured abroad I hope I get sent someone as capable as the doctor portrayed here, anyway. And I just know I won’t be able to help myself if I see someone ill or injured at an airport – I will just have to sneak a peek ( ever so discreetly of course) to see who they have with them. An absolutely compelling short book, great fun to read, and a timely reminder to perhaps take a bit of extra care when travelling.

Holiday SOS is a diary written as a book, covering a year of the authors life. He jumps on planes, sometimes at short notice to repatriate those who have been taken ill abroad. It is an enjoyable and insightful tale which gives an interesting look at what goes on in his personal and professional life. You would certainly be in good hands if Ben was your repatriation doctor. I really enjoyed this book and would highly recommend it, particularly to anyone who has enjoyed Imogen Edwards Jones 'Babylon' series.

Thank you Net Gallery and Thistle Publishing for a digital copy of Holiday SOS by Ben MacFarlane.

All these stories are told in a years time. Some are funny, some are scary, and some people I wanted to slap. Ben MacFarlane takes us into his medical job as a traveling flying doctor from Britain. There is a story in between the medical stories just to give us something to follow in his personal life. I shelved this under suspense because these stories are suspenseful. Just read the first story, I was on the edge of my seat with that one. Some stories I did cringe but couldn't stop. It's amazing how Dr MacFarlane could help these people for one on an airplane and two without a hospital setting with all the life saving tools but he did it. The people I wanted to slap were the woman and her kids, gosh have some respect and their language. Poor Doc. I enjoyed this book and hope if anything happens to myself or family overseas that Dr MacFarlane shows up. I recommend this witty, intense, interesting read.

I loved this flying doctor memoir and read it in one sitting.
It’s fast-paced, well-written and lots of fun as well as shedding light oh what really happens when you need to be repatriated from abroad because of medical emergency..
My favourite story involved plunging a grandmother’s head into iced water on the journey home!

This is a memoir that reads like a novel. From the first page, I found myself pulled into the life and travels of the traveling doctor. His stories are at times funny, and at times poignant, but always engaging and entertaining, while sharing a glimpse of how repatriation works and the patients that require it.

I have to confess that before stumbling upon this book, I never really gave a thought to how repatriation worked when someone became ill or injured when far from home.....and that's after a career in health care. Also, I don't think I'll ever again travel overseas without buying travel insurance.

I devoured this book in one sitting and highly recommend it. While those interested in the subject will love this book, a casual reader will also enjoy it . Put this one at the top of your TBR list and be very careful in your travels.

Holiday SOS: The Life-Saving Adventures of a Travelling Doctor by Ben MacFarlane and Neil Simpson
I must thank two people for this brilliant and refreshing read. Obviously, one is Doctor Ben MacFarlane. His job is to bring people back to Britain after holiday disasters, miscellaneous other scary incidents, and all the other things that can go wrong when we travel overseas. Holiday SOS is his story - a year in the life of a British flying doctor repatriating the sick, injured, mentally unwell, and the druggies (not counting the grandma who accidentally took one of her grand-daughter’s Ecstasy tabs) from all corners of the world.
The other is Neil Simpson who was the person who wrote the book confirmed in the author’s note from Dr. MacFarlane at the back of the book. I’m surprised Simpson doesn’t get a credit in the Amazon product listing
The tales veer from the serious, to funny, and the downright ridiculous all told in a style that’s so easy to read. The authors and the doctor deal with some frightening crises; some at 35,000 feet altitude in cramped conditions.
What truly comes over to the reader is the doctor’s humanity, his empathy to others, and of course his medical skills. He seems like the kind of guy I’d love to have a beer with, never mind treat me if he attends on me in a medical capacity.
It’s a fascinating, refreshing read and highly recommended.
I thank the authors and publisher, Thistle Publishing, for a free digital copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

MacFarlane's experiences as a repatriation doctor fills a gap in the area of medical biographies. The author provides detailed descriptions of some of his patients and illnesses and what can go wrong high up in the air. From a patient vomiting up mass amounts of blood en route to the airport , to having to cut open a patient's leg stitches in the air to save her foot (while also saving a baby in crisis) this is a fast paced glimpse into the reality of doctors who work for insurance companies, and who retrive ill patients from abroad, and safely return them home. An interesting story-- must read for fans of medical bios with a side of humour/ flight attendant travelogues.

This is the true medical memoire of a doctor whose job it is repatriating UK residents’ home when they are taken ill whilst travelling abroad be it on holiday or at work. He’s a real life flying doctor jetting off around the world at the drop of a hat to rescue and help UK citizens on their homebound flights when they need to get home urgently having fallen ill whilst away. It sounds very exciting but these repatriations are not always smooth going and the passengers are not always very grateful either. Ben MacFarlane tells a series of short stories collected together in chapters and I can assure you that you will have a unique and varied read, telling stories of disasters, accidents, embarrassments and more. You’ll laugh out loud, be shocked, you’ll feel empathy but you’ll also wonder at the predicaments Ben writes about in this book.
I received a complimentary copy of this memoire from Thistle Publishing through my membership of NetGalley. Thank you for my copy sent in return for an honest and unbiased review. This book is a light-hearted, amusing read and will keep you entertained, wondering whatever can possibly happen next. It’s a very well deserved 9.5/10 review from me.