To get my doctor a present?

[brilliantlybew1ldered]

My GP has been a massive support to me for the last year. I have been (and still am) quite hard work (MH stuff, including going missing and doing unsafe stuff with medication). She has had to put a lot of time into supporting me and doing stuff like writing letters to work/ crisis team/ psych team.

I know it's her job, but people can do their jobs well or not. I work in a public sector job (when I'm not signed off) that involves difficult people (teenagers!) and I know that some people do their jobs well/ less well, but everyone appreciates being thanked when they've gone the extra mile.

Ironically, I have a massive mistrust of almost all professionals except those in my profession, as very dysfunctional family had lots of social workers and MH people involved, and my child's disability has led to various medical/ council professionals' involvement, and it's all been kind of incompetent or budget-led. I am not great at pouring out my life story to strangers either.

All of that meant it has taken me a long time to trust/ talk to my doctor, but I have finally got there and she has helped loads. She is about to go on mat leave and I wanted to get her something to say thank you. Is that weird or nice?!

I'm a dentist and over the years have had various gifts but nothing expensive- I got a bottle of wine today as I saw a pt in my lunch hour.
Chocolates or something small for the baby- when I had DS one of my favourite patients crocheted a blanket. We still use it. Another gets him things like little books for Christmas.
The strangest was a Dentist Clown ornament- it was a bit scary.
My GP was brilliant helping me through infertility and loss and I sent her a baby thank you card with a pic of DS, she sent a congratulations card back.
Even a thank you card is massively appreciated :)

But now I have the dilemma of do I do a letter to practice as well as card. Maybe overthinking this...

We always share letters/cards in my practice, as we recognise that the whole team helps to look after the patients. A card to the GP that also thanks the practice as a whole is all you need. You will make their day

I alway report excellent treatment to the practice manager, on the phone and by email.
Practice manager is usually the port of call for complaints.
Thank you needs to be said more often I think.

DD2 (home for a couple of days) has just mentioned en passant that she had another Thank You card and some chocs last week-and she didn't actually deliver the baby, was just with the woman for the first few hours . So it obviously means a lot to her, or she would not have told me (she's quite newly qualified ) .I think it's a lovely thing to do. Will consider it myself in future . My GP has been so good this last year , as I've had two could-have-been major-but-thankfully-weren't health problems . Never made me feel a nuisance . We are sometimes so quick to criticise the NHS and its hard working staff..

I have had bad experiences with NHS staff and with educational/ council professionals. But I have also had good experiences. I never understand why people assume that their experience with one professional automatically means that everyone in that profession is the same. I do think that when people are exceptionally good at their jobs, they should be recognised though.