Xmas gifts for NHS staff - advice please

[Robs20]

Hoping I haven’t posted this twice as my signal is terrible!

Dd1 was in hospital for 4 months after birth, including xmas 2017. Last xmas we collected gifts from family, friends and businesses (we got A LOT of donations) and put together 40 gift bags for families on the neonatal unit.

Dd1 died very unexpectedly at the start of this year. Her 2nd birthday was last week and I would like to mark it by doing something charitable for the hospital. They are now supporting me through a high risk twin pregnancy and couldn’t have been better so far.

For emotional reasons I don’t feel like I can do the nicu boxes again but have been thinking about what NHS staff might need/ appreciate. I was thinking maybe a good supply of hot chocolate/ biscuits etc but realise there might be obvious things I’m not thinking of. I think I can get a decent amount of donations/ ££ contributions to buy something.

I will ask the neonatal unit too, but do any hospital workers here have any suggestions?

Bloody phone: "of a Nespresso"

What a lovely idea. I'm so sorry for the loss of your precious Eliza,

My ds is a dr and quite often says he is dehydrated as he doesn't have time to grab water. So maybe mini water bottles would be nice and some boiled fruit sweets or protein type bars.

All the best with your twin pregnancy, when are you due?

So sorry

Some staff rooms have bought themselves coffee pod machines in which case they are a good idea, crackers are popular as not everyone loves sweet biscuits. I second the tea chest idea but they also love letters, a thank you is worth all the tea in China!

Boxes of black pens. NHS staff never have a pen.

Sorry for your loss

I’m a nurse and the best presents we get are a big bag full of tea bags, coffee, naice biscuits etc

And post it notes, not allowed to order them on the NHS anymore and everyone use/loves a post it note

Valentinoandme, that’s a shame! We have a Nespresso machine in my departmental kitchen (NHS trust) and it has been going strong for years!

Sorry for your loss hope all goes well with your twins.

I’m a nurse - echo the above responses - nice teas and coffees, fruit basket, clicky top black pens! Also we received a treat recently with hot chocolate sachets and cup a soups in that went down really well. It would be lovely if you wrote that card for the nurse who really helped you. I’m always touched to get a personal card and we can also use it for our revalidation to keep our professional competency.

Thank you for all the ideas and kind messages about Eliza. DTs are due in April.

Pens - this should be easy. I have some contacts through work and might be able to persuade them to donate the pens, post its etc. Are we talking about roller ball pens or biros?

Nice coffee/ tea/ hot choc and a variety of snacks is a great idea.

Hand cream - not sure this would work but happy to be told otherwise. The hygiene procedures are vvv strict (wash hands and sanitise on entering the unit, and sanitise again before entering the room, wash hands and sanitise before and after each baby interaction). No nail varnish or jewellery etc to avoid carrying infections. Would hand creams be ok?

Pens... see if you can check locally what they use but almost everyone I have ever worked with uses biro. I find rollerball looks lovely but smudges and takes a while to dry. Not good if you are busy. Very important to have black, not blue pens. As a PP said, clicky pens that you work one handed, not ones with a separate lid. Post it notes are brilliant.

Hand creams I was more thinking of ones they could take home or have in the staff room rather than ones they could have on the unit. That may not be feasible if you would have a lot of staff to buy for.

Pens and post its would be so lovely to receive though.

Tea, fruit and pens would be a win at our hospital! At our hospital we wouldn’t be able to accept a Nespresso machine - anything with a heating element isn’t allowed on the wards.

Also, I am so very sorry for your loss. There’s nothing that can make this any better, but it’s so thoughtful that you’re doing something so kind.