Suitable token of appreciation to send hospital staff?

[peacefuleasyfeeling]

We received fantastic care at our local children's hospital this week when DD was admitted for observation. I really want to acknowledge the care and professionalism of the amazing staff who bent over backwards to make DD comfortable and us feel better about a frightening situation. What is a suitable gift or token of appreciation to send to the hospital?

When DC1 was born (difficult birth), I spent a week in hospital. The staff were fantastic. DH and I agonised about how to show our appreciation, and eventually asked them what they wanted. Of all things, they said that what they most wanted was a year's use of a water cooler. So that's what we did. They named it after our DC1!

A letter naming (good) names to the manager and chief exec.

Depends how much you want to spend. A basket of fruit is good. As is cake.

Write a letter of praise to the Chief Executive, asking them to pass on your thanks. Make a donation to the hospital's league of friends.

How about a year's magazine subscription? Having spent years working in the NHS, I would never give money to the League of Friends. It ends up getting used for essential equipment or estates work because budgets are so tight.

A quick letter to your local paper is also really good as it balances out some of the endless NHS bashing.

I agree with the letter.

when DS was in for 10 days at 8 weeks old we did the letter and also asked the staff what they wanted - they asked for proper tea and coffee and nice biscuits so we made a hamper up of tea, coffee, hot chocolate biscuits and fruit.

You can ask whether there's a specific fund-raising effort you can donate to.

We sent a big basket cookies/biscuits .... I can't remember the name of the supplier but we thought it would go down well at tea time, included a letter of thanks to all the staff who had helped us

When DD was small our local (and brilliant) children's hospital was our second home. I always used to give the staff a tin of assorted biscuits, which went down well.

A letter or card of thanks is seriously welcomed. My husband keeps all of his. If you want to give something else something nice that can be shared such as cookies, chocolates & sweets, decent coffee.

Absolutely name names in a good way. NHS staff get so much criticism a note saying thank you is like gold dust and if it says thank you what for (caring, finding a choc biscuit at 2am when it was what my child wanted after not eating for 3 days , etc), that's even better.

A donation to the actual ward you stayed on is great. It makes sure that the ward and staff really benefit as opposed to just the hospital, if that makes sense. A card and cake is always appreciated of course!

Thank you every one, those are great ideas. It feels so important to let those fantastic people know just how grateful we are.

We gave a big box of Hotel Chocolat, because they are my favourite and a card. I wish we had thought about the letter to the chief exec and the newspaper.