Thanking a Hospital Ward Team

The task

A member of your family recently spent a week in hospital after an operation. The nurses and other staff on the ward took excellent care of them, and you want the hospital to know. Write an email to the hospital's patient relations manager in about 150-200 words. In your email, do the following:

• Explain who was in hospital and why.
• Describe what the staff did that impressed you.
• Suggest how the hospital could recognize the staff.

Length

150–200 words

Time

27 minutes

Question

4 of 15

Dear Patient Relations Manager, I am writing to thank the nurses and staff of Ward 4B for the care they gave my father, Robert Klein, last month. He was admitted for hip replacement surgery after a fall at home, and he stayed on the ward for seven days while he recovered. What impressed our family most was how patient and kind everyone was. My father is hard of hearing and was quite anxious before the operation, so the night nurse, Amira, sat with him and explained each step slowly and clearly. The physiotherapist encouraged him to walk a little further every day, and by the end of the week he could manage the hallway with a walker. Staff also phoned me every evening, which was a great relief since I live in Kingston. I would like these people to receive some recognition for their work. Perhaps their names could be mentioned in the hospital newsletter, or this letter could be shared with their supervisor and added to their files. Once again, thank you to the whole team. My father is now at home and doing well. Kind regards, Hannah Klein

Why this answer works

• The opening paragraph covers the first bullet completely: who (the writer's father), why (hip surgery after a fall) and how long (seven days).
• The praise is made specific through examples such as the night nurse explaining each step and the daily phone calls, which gives the email real substance.
• The recognition bullet offers two practical suggestions in a suitably formal, appreciative tone, with "Perhaps" and "could" keeping the request polite.