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Children's health

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Original poster

Do you give gifts to medical staff?

25 replies

Lovefruitsandvegs · 09/03/2012 18:20

My DS had a surgery recently. The medical team was really nice. I would have liked to send them a gift (e.g. chocolates for easter) but my DH says he pays NHS tax and that is enough. We are not well-off at all and that is probably why he does not want to buy them a little treat. I was thinking of buying something without his awareness. What do you suggest? Should I go for it or am I worry too much?

P.S. It was a routine day surgery. They perform them a few times a week.

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belgo · 09/03/2012 18:22

A card saying thank you is enough. Chocolates and biscuits are always appreciated but will be eaten fast; a thank you card will be stuck on the notice board.

defineme · 09/03/2012 18:24

If you feel you received out of the norm service then I think it's polite to.
If finance is an issue, then I think a card or even an email boosts staff moral nearly as much as chocolate.

renaldo · 09/03/2012 18:25

A note saying what you appreciated is the best present ( DH is a doc ) he loves a personal note - also not supposed to take a present over £20

SydneyS · 09/03/2012 18:32

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Original poster

Lovefruitsandvegs · 09/03/2012 18:35

Well, may be I should post a nice card to them. I thought that cards go into the bin. Do they really keep them?
It is easier with teachers. You have lots of threads here when it comes to giving presents for Christmas :)

OP posts:

itsatiggerday · 09/03/2012 18:37

Def card - homemade if you're feeling creative. we sent one to A&E (who often get forgotten BTW if that was your route in) and it was still up on our next visit a couple of months later as they don't get enough to have pushed it off yet. One of the nurses remembered us (in for DS wheeze repeatedly) as the ones who wrote the card...

SydneyS · 09/03/2012 18:45

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

Grockle · 09/03/2012 18:47

DS(6) took a big tin of biscuits to A & E after they removed gravel from his face. They were lovely with him but missed a bit which is now permanently lodged in his chin--

belgo · 09/03/2012 18:49

In my experience cards are put up on the wall, and after a while, put into the cupboard.

HauntedLittleLunatic · 09/03/2012 18:51

My dtds spent 3m in hospital (scbu).

We bought a couple.of bags of donuts and a.tin of roses. I expect they were.gone by the end of the night shift..

LittleBarnOwl · 09/03/2012 18:56

When I was still working the management used to keep a note of "appreciations" people sent in and used them to balance against any complaints made. There is an official record of complaints but not of people who were happy so they used that. So I would say any way of saying thank you is good.

Original poster

Lovefruitsandvegs · 09/03/2012 19:13

Oh, thank you for your suggestions. Sending a card did not come to my mind actually. I was thinking of sending them a cake or chocolates. Still I was not sure.
I will ask my little one to decorate a card for the ward and we will add a nice message.

OP posts:

SauvignonBlanche · 09/03/2012 19:18

Gifts are always gratefully received but cards are also lovely.

rosy71 · 09/03/2012 20:52

Ds2 recently spent a month in hospital. We bought chocolates for the nurses and physio and cards and ds made a card too.

moojie · 09/03/2012 20:58

I work in A&E and we always love receiving thank you cards. For someone o take the time and effort to write and say thanks at what would have been a stressful time gives everyone a boost.

A card is more than enough.

scottishmummy · 09/03/2012 21:09

a card is enough,after all it's the sentiment
yes you pay via taxes but it's nice to get thanks, acknowledgement

how's the wee boy now?well I hope

cheekyginger · 09/03/2012 22:47

I work in the hospital. And i have to say a card is lovely and more than enough. Its nice to know someone has actually taken the time to write some nice words rather than just popped into WHSmiths and picked up a tin of sweeties!!!

gasman · 10/03/2012 14:54

I treasure the personal thank you cards I have been sent and proudly display them in my professional portfolio. The satisfaction from knowing that the job you have done has been appreciated lasts much longer than one or two chocolates (which in certain busy jobs have provided much of my calorie intake during the working day so are also appreciated).

My one and only hand drawn kiddy thank you card with a lovely picture of me complete with my jazzy flowery theatre hat on is especially precious.

It is very unusual for us (as doctors) to receive a personal card I've only had about 3 in more than 10 years of work and I'm not unusual. The ones that go to the ward are lovely and appreciated too. However if you particularly want to thank the doctors please mention them by job title or name.

gasman · 10/03/2012 14:59

Oh and if the person is unusually unwell then a 'here is me out of hospital riding my bike picture' several months down the line is indeed lovely to see.

Neonatal units in particular like to have follow up photos. I recently anaesthetise at patient who I last looked after in resusc. several years ago during a cardiac arrest - it was lovely to see that they are back at work and doing well (and now have an implantable defibrillator!)

lou4791 · 10/03/2012 15:09

I also treasure the thank you cards i have been sent... even more than chocolate! I keep all of them and imagine that i'll get great pleasure in going through them all when i'm retired.

Original poster

Lovefruitsandvegs · 10/03/2012 21:49

I am glad to hear that so many of you treasure a card rather than chocolates. I love chocolates but I would not have liked to receive them on a regular basis. I would probably balloon :) An advent calendar is so much better. You open one per day
Thank everyone again for kind responses.

OP posts:

palegirl · 10/03/2012 22:56

I work in the NHS and any show of thanks whether card or gift is always appreciated :) people are often quick to complain, unfortunately, but when patients are happy they are less likely to put pen to paper. If you were really impressed a letter to the chief executive is worth it's weight in gold! (almost)

Basically NHS staff are often overworked and feel underappreciated so any positive feedback will make someone's day

scarlettsmummy2 · 11/03/2012 01:17

My daughter was born at end of January and we gave a thank you card and a few boxes of milk tray to the midwives who looked after us and to the nurses in neo natal. I kind of presumed thAt everyone did this to be honest

surprisearrival · 11/03/2012 01:23

I didnt know i was pregnant, the ambulance crew who picked me up whilst i was in labour but rerrified baout what was happening to me; were amazing, went above and beyoind their call of duty, and even came to visit me and baby on th3eir nigh t off, \i took them a thank you card and chocolate as a very small token of my apprechaition. a year on I would love for DD to meet them"! x

Sirzy · 11/03/2012 18:39

The card we sent as a thank you when Ds first went in 2 years ago is still there now!

When he was discharged we put together a box with decent tea bags, coffee, hot chocolate biscuits etc for the staff room. When he has been in since we normally give something

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