Hot Spots and Hot Seats: An Experience of Practice in Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery

John Bradley takes us on his journey from the Hot Spots of the bombing of second world war to the Hot Seat as Chairman of a Health Trust in Lancashire. The journey is not always smooth. There is confrontation around every corner, with Managers, Politicians, Plastic Surgeons and even Royalty. All are overcome; an arrogant General Surgeon meets his match in the last chapter. But there is also camaraderie, cooperation, innovation, friendship and humour. John’s story is a part of the history of the development of the speciality of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery in the second half of the twentieth century in England. Not so many years ago but in many respects a different era when trainees were almost permanently on call and a Consultant could pick up the telephone and speak to the Minister of Health. This is a part of how Oral Surgery used to be and how it got to where it is now.