to send consultant a thank you card?

[Rockmehardplace]

i recently underwent surgery which i was very anxious about. the anaesthetist who had dealt with me on a previous surgery went - i feel - above and beyond to help me, coming in in her day off to meet with me to reassure me, changing her lists to make sure she dealt with my op,and coming to see me several times afterwards.
would it be weird to send her a thank you card? is that the done thing for hospital doctors or would i just look like a crazy stalker? i just feel she went out of her way to help me and want to let her know i appreciate it very much.

I think you should! It’s a really nice thought. I only ever regret not following through on these things. And it’s just a card in the post - hard to be offended by that.

i have always so appreciated when someone has reached out to say thank you. It’s lovely.

I’m sure it would be very much appreciated, and helpful for appraisal!

I definitely would. I still have the cards that people sent me from when I helped them during the course of my job, I was really touched that people went to the effort of doing that.

Hope your surgery went well 🌹

Of course you should, I wrote to thank my mums consultant after she died as he had been unfailingly kind and went the extra mile for us. Everyone likes to know they've been appreciated.

It is the done thing.

Do it , it's a lovely thought.

Not weird at all to send a thank you card! I sent one to the surgeon after my last operation. I'm sure it'll be very much appreciated.

I would 👍🏿☘️ And indeed did after last NHS treatment

Plesae do it. I have never regretted sending a thank you card.

I would, and have done so! I'm sure they'd be delighted to know they've made such a difference to you.

Do it! And if you want to make sure their superiors know you can also write to pals - they aren't just a complaints service!

Yes do it.

I had an incredibly high risk pregnancy and was under the care of the head of the high risk team here.

I sent him a thank you card when my babies arrived. When I was waiting for my last appointment for him to discharge me he came out on his coffee break to personally thank me. It was very touching but sad that so little people reach out like that that he deemed a special gesture was needed.

My partner is a consultant and has kept every card and thank you note he has ever been given. They really do mean a lot.

Definitely send!
I am a doc, I keep every card and read them after a bad day!
Anaesthetists are wonderful people and they get thanked a lot less than surgeons!
Definitely do it!

Thanks all, I just wondered if it was a bit weird as she’s a hospital doctor so not someone you are likely to have a ‘relationship’ with as such, like a GP. I’ll definitely send one now as she really was exceptionally helpful.

She’s an anaesthetist. A thank you card is not going to be considered in her appraisal!

but yes op - she’s a human being first and foremost and who doesn’t like to be thanked!

Thank you cards - are very much a part of appraisal - complaints and compliments is one of the mandatory sections that needs to be completed every year - and actually, one of the ones that is completely out of your hands as a doctor.

For me, thankyou cards are like gold dust - hugely appreciated, and invaluable.

Lovely thing to do - always appreciated

AND could even go a step further (if you can be bothered?) - as they came in on day off and really did go ‘above and beyond’ you could email PALS with a message to pass on compliment/thanks to her line manager. Hospital staff and PALS get lots of complaints (obviously) but rarely positive feedback. Then it will WILL come up in their appraisal too

Ive done this a couple of times - and it encourages the whole team

I had some lady stuff done and the consultant nurse and her team were amazing, so compassionate and helpful and reassuring. I messaged the NHS trust via their website and got a reply back from the trust saying thank you. Then a few weeks later when I got my summary letter of my treatment, the consultant nurse mentioned the feedback and thanked me and said it was wonderful for her another team to get that.

So yes do it but also mention to the trust too. I think the NHS staff need all the morale boosts they can get at the moment.

Definitely,send a card,and message on hospital PALS site, naming her.

How does that work in practise? So easy to write yourself a thank you card! Does the consultant bring it to their appraisal? I’d be rather embarrassed to save a thank you card in front of my senior!

Lovely thing to do and will go nicely in her annual appraisal and will make her smile and may just make a rubbish day in the NHS a little bit better

Google the hospital and compliments/complaints, there'll probably be a feedback form that you could put your comments on.

Doctor here. Please do this. It is always very much appreciated

You keep the card with all your stuff and ready to show the appraiser if they really want to see it