A FORMER senior nurse at Burton’s Queen’s Hospital has written a book about his 30-year career in the NHS.

Patrick Poon, who was operational manager in the hospital’s surgical unit for 10 years from 1987, claims the work is the first about his ex-profession by a male nurse in the UK.

Entitled ‘Tales From A Male Nurse’, the book details his experiences as he rose through the ranks after beginning his career at Newmarket General Hospital in 1969 after migrating from his native Hong Kong when only 19.

Among the book’s more unusual recollections is the story of a surgeon who was caught stealing a chicken from a supermarket or another about a young man prohibited from eating or drinking for four months.

“Every nurse has some stories to tell in her nursing life,” said Mr Poon. “I am no exception – as a male nurse.”

Mr Poon has always been interested in writing, having penned articles about health, movies and children’s stories in English and Chinese for Siyu, the Chinese Times, for four years.

The former assistant director of nursing services at Burton General Hospital has also kept a diary for almost 50 years.

What finally spurred him into writing his book was the lack of any perspective by a male nurse and the television series ‘Call The Midwife’.

Mr Poon wrote his book in Cornwall, finding that the ‘stories flowed well in his mind’. He appears pleased with the outcome.

“At worst, this book is for Shauna, my granddaughter, to read when she is older,” he said.

“Mind you, my four children do not know much of my tales either.

“It has been a relief to offload my mind to paper. At times it was a painful pleasure to have remembered these tales – and I have never written so many words in my life.”

His book is available from www.pkspoon.co.uk for £2.99 as an ebook and £9.99 in paperback, or from Waterstone’s in Burton’s Coopers Square shopping centre, for £8.