In the run up to the Yuletide holiday, many hospital chiefs received what End Game considers the ultimate Christmas gift: a personal call from the secretary of state for health.

Alas, there’s only so much time a cabinet minister can spend yacking on the dog and bone, but fear not, Mr Hunt had not forgotten the rest of his flock.

The NHS rank and file received what End Game considers the second most awesome Christmas gift imaginable: an e-message slapped on the Department of Health website on 23 December.

Snap! End Game sent a flurry of pseudo-personal e-cards to awkward relations not worth a phone call as well!

“A&E departments in particular can be busy in the festive period and I am urging people who use the NHS to take the trouble to thank staff for the sacrifices they are making,” said the message.

A similar shout out went to district nurses, but, weirdly, there were no such glad tidings for GPs.