One question we get asked A LOT here at BasketsGalore is if we deliver to Hospitals or not. The short answer is yes, yes we do offer Hospital Gifts Delivered. Although this is quickly followed with a but...the but being that they aren't quite as straightforward as home addresses and so there is some important information to include with your order. We've put together a quick list of 5 things to consider when ordering a Gift Basket to Hospital.

Hospital Gifts Delivered - Hospital Image

Hospital Gifts Delivered Checklist

1) Does The Hospital Accept Gifts For Patients?

We always advise customers to check the Hospital's policy on accepting gifts for patients, as each UK Hospital can be different. Some Hospitals don't accept any parcels for patients at all, whilst others are more accommodating and do.

2) Have You Checked Their Gift Delivery Policy?

Once you have established that Patient Gifts are allowed, you will need to check what their policy is in relation to these deliveries. Some will only accept certain types of gifts, but not flowers for example. Some will require the gift is addressed to a particular part of the hospital so as it goes to their internal post room rather than to their stores. Some smaller or private Hospitals will accept gifts at the reception area.

3) Have You Included All The Correct Patient Information?

To facilitate a successful Hospital delivery the Ward name or number for the patient must be included, and the building name if appropriate for larger Hospitals. A phone number is also a great help, for a family member if they aren't available themselves. Also be sure to include the patients full given name and not a nickname.

4) How Long Will The Patient Be In Hospital?

Sometimes patients are in and out fairly quickly and sometimes they may be staying longer. If the patient is only in for a day or 2 then it might be advisable to wait and send the gift to them at home instead. Although we deliver on a next day basis, once the gift is in the Hospital post room unfortunately we have no control over how long it takes to make it the relevant ward. Some post rooms are very speedy indeed while others may not pass it on until the next day.

5) Have You Selected An Appropriate Hospital Gift?

Flowers used to be the go to gift for patients in Hospital, whereas nowadays some Hospitals do not allow them on the wards and definitely not in Intensive Care. Some patients may be nil by mouth or have allergies and so it is important to select an appropriate gift or one designed with Hospital deliveries in mind.

The Perfect Hospital Gifts Delivered?

We like to think we are the answer to this. We have years of experience of delivering gifts to Hospitals in towns and cities across the UK. We always ensure the Patient information is attached to your gift and will email you if you have left it off your order. You will receive a delivery tracking code when your gift is on the way, and we will also notify you when delivery has been executed. In the event of any issues we communicate with the delivery courier on your behalf. We also endeavour to speak to Hospital staff if the gift has been delivered but not yet reached the ward, however this can be difficult as we aren't a family member. We also have a list of notoriously "difficult" Hospitals. These are Hospitals we may have sent gifts to in the past and experienced a problem, such as them refusing to accept/sign for the parcel or being slow to pass it onto the patient.

We also recommend not choosing a Saturday delivery date to a Hospital. After monitoring the delivery success rate to Hospitals at weekends it became clear there were issues. This can be because the post room only tends to operate on weekdays and so delivery drivers cannot locate anyone to sign for the parcel. It would also more than likely not be passed onto the Patient until Monday anyway when porters are available.We are also more than just flowers, and more than just fruit.

We can have Hospital Gifts Delivered containing fresh fruit & flowering plants or non-perishable gift baskets full of healthy snacks, magazines, puzzles etc. If food is off the menu for medical reasons then pamper or relaxation gift baskets would be a great choice. We all know Hospital stays can be pretty boring and so we like to include items to entertain the recipient too. These will help pass the time and also keep their brain ticking over. Items to entertain can include puzzle books, magazines, books, colouring books (for kids and adults), wooden puzzles, construction sets and Sudoku and brain teasers. These are just a small selection of our Get Well Gift Baskets, you can browse the full range here.