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.

Yes they are very valuable to HCPs
I’m a junior doctor and can say they are very useful at appraisal time as evidence but aside from that it is very lovely to receive and know that you are appreciated.
I have kept all cards, letters and even little notes in a folder and look at it periodically. Particularly when I’m doubting myself and thinking about leaving medicine.

At our trust, we scan the thank you cards with identifiers blanked out and attach to appraisal online form

again - surely you could just write yourself one or get a family member to.

and we are talking about very highly qualified and senior people here.

Send the card because it’s lovely gesture
but the idea it will be used in this anaesthetist’s appraisal is… daft

What an absolute waste of nhs time

Do it! I sent the neurosurgeon who did my op a card and a photo of me back on my horse. When I went for a follow up he had it on a pinboard in his office and said that's why he does the job

My husband is a consultant he appreciates all his thank you cards and puts them on his notice board 😊

I would encourage anyone who receives above and beyond care from any health professional to write and tell them, or even better, email and copy in their line manager. As health professionals we have to keep evidence of our continued professional development and having some plaudits to add to that is really helpful.
It is also lovely to be appreciated as it is hard work in the NHS!!

I scan mine into a PDF document, and write a reflection on why a particular patient may have been sufficiently pleased with their care to write a card.

The whole appraisal system is BS anyway, people potentially 'forging' thankyou cards is probably the least problematic thing about it.

Definitely not unreasonable, I sent the maternity ward a gift basket, I felt they deserved recognition and appreciation for all their hard work, I included everyone on the card, the cleaners, the ladies bringing you tea, the ladies changing the bedlinen, not just the midwives.

Youve got half a dozen doctors on here telling you how useful it is, but you insist on 'correcting' us all.

Please let us know if you're an NHS doctor, or appraiser?

I agree it's a waste of time, but the assertion that these cards aren't appreciated or valuable to us is just plain wrong.

Apologies to the OP btw for derailing the thread somewhat.

How does that work in practise? So easy to write yourself a thank you card! Does the consultant bring it to their appraisal?
ive seen them on notice boards in staff areas

Yes, lovely.

but that’s not what I’m referring to.

my father was a ENT surgeon. He received loads of thank you cards.
and idea of him having his forma appraisal and carefully laying out his thank you cards for the very senior hospital consultant appraising him - 😂

Thanks all - hadn’t even considered contacting PALS/the trust but will send a wee email, as like someone said, feedback doesn’t have to just be negative.

The appraisal system for a junior doctor / nurse / fully qualified anaesthetist is rather different I imagine

Definitely do this

They do form part of the appraisal process and other things for HCPs, seems bizarre to be claiming its weird when people who no doubt have done it themselves are saying its done.

Sounds lovely OP, a card is always appreciated or even through the hospital feedback system.

Cards are always appreciated! And great for appraisals

Yes of course you could send yourself one, but you wouldn't because you have morals and know that that would be wrong. As someone else said appraisals are BS and are another stressful hoop we have to go through every year and those Thank you cards very much form a part of the appraisal. They also definitely help us feel that it is worth putting up with all the BS to know that you have really made a positive difference for some one.

Absolutely send them a thankyou card. And if you feel they have gone above and beyond you can wrIte to PALS so it's recognised. So often we just hear negatives it's really nice to have something positive come through PALs

www.england.nhs.uk/professional-standards/medical-revalidation/doctors/feedback/

Everyone practicing medicine needs to revalidate, including consultants.

I really regret not sending a thank you card to an anaesthetist, he was so understanding. You won’t regret sending a thank you card.

Cards can be used in appraisals, of course they can! And that's why writing to PALS as well is a good thing as its there for appraisals etc

They do indeed.

Medical staff deals with a lot of shit and abuse, I'm sure nurses and doctors appreciate thank you cards.