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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

To think my cleaner may have stolen my drugs?

75 replies

Mehfruittea · 28/06/2017 11:36

Prescription medicine from my doctor.

I have had a cleaner for about 6 months, but it is a small company run by a very lovely and attentive women. She's also very particular and will pop round sometimes to check on the work her girls are doing.

I dont know who she sends each week, it just gets done.

Recently, I've been unable to find 2 different medicines that I take irregularly. I've 'lost' a half full 300ml bottle of Oramorph - morphine that I use for acute pain. It's not every day, I try not to use it whenever possible. But I was in massive pain with a dislocated hip last week and couldn't find it. I only ever take it when I'm in bed, due to side effects, and it is literally nowhere.

Yesterday I was unable to find another medicine I take, when I get my periods. It's not a pain killer or anywhere near as serious a drug as morphine, just really fucking shit that I can't take the drugs when I need them.

I can't shake the feeling that the cleaner has taken these. I've now moved all drugs in to a metal case with a lock, hidden the key. Should I say anything to the owner of the cleaning company or not?

OP posts:

Justmadeperfectflapjacks · 28/06/2017 11:38

Enquire whether any of them have seen it. Maybe moved to a safer place? Specify how important and high potency a drug it is. .

Iwasjustabouttosaythat · 28/06/2017 11:38

You absolutely should!

MovingOnUpMovingOnOut · 28/06/2017 11:40

Do you live alone?

superfluffyanimal · 28/06/2017 11:44

Yes you need to ask if they have been moved, also check if you are missing anything else.

Surprisedbutpleased17 · 28/06/2017 11:45

You should ask her. It's possible she's moved it to, say, the bathroom. Or put in in a cupboard.

HipsterHunter · 28/06/2017 11:46

Ask them if they have seen it / moved it.

Ultimately the trust is probably gone now tho?

user98765797837 · 28/06/2017 11:49

yes mention it to them.... The owner will have records of who has been to your house, if you can remember when you last used/saw the medicines in question it may narrow down who she needs to ask. It is possible someone has moved them to a safe place or something... but if you wont ask you won't get any answers.

plus...if there is a pattern to things going missing, it is possible someone else has told the owner that they have had things go missing... the owner needs to investigate.

JudyBlumeForever · 28/06/2017 11:49

Email the owner and say your prescription medicines have disappeared from their regular place and you were wondering if she could check with her cleaners if they have moved them (maybe tidied them away somewhere?) and to ask her to get back to you with an answer.

Unadon · 28/06/2017 11:53

I'd say ask the company about the drugs, but in an enquiring way as to where they might be instead of in an accusatory manner. You don't know for certain if she stole it and if she didn't, any accusation would've destroyed your relationship with this company.

BlackAmericanoNoSugar · 28/06/2017 12:04

I think that you should contact the owner and get to investigate whether any of the cleaners can remember 'tidying away' medication. Tell her that, given the nature of the meds, it may need to be reported to the police in case you have been burgled so you need to rule out accidental misplacement first. But, tbh, if you never put it anywhere else then it probably has been stolen, sadly.

Do you remember when you last took a dose? It would narrow down the timescale and therefore the number of people who would have had access to it.

Coddiwomple · 28/06/2017 12:04

Absolutely tell her, but unless you remember precisely the last time you took the medicine and know when they disappear, it might be difficult to pinpoint who took them
I dont know who she sends each week, it just gets done.

Do tell the owner of the business, if an employee is a thief, she needs to know!

AllUsedUpNow · 28/06/2017 12:06

Who else lives with you?

SapphireStrange · 28/06/2017 12:10

If you live with other people, ask them all first.

Then I'd do what others are suggesting and say you think the cleaner must have moved/tidied up your drugs to somewhere where you haven't found them.

LurkingHusband · 28/06/2017 12:16

Were they in the pharmacy packaging with your name on ?

If so, I'd suggest ringing 101 and reporting them missing, in case they have found they way into the black market, and some junkie gets arrested with them in their possession.

punkpuffin · 28/06/2017 12:32

I agree about asking if they might have been moved or tidied away. Could anyone else have access to them?

BoffinMum · 28/06/2017 12:40

YY to contacting the cleaning company, preferably via email so there is a record, asking if the cleaner has tidied them away as you can't find them.

YY to locking them away in future.

kateclarke · 28/06/2017 12:48

I would also ring 101. Oramorph is a controlled drug and has a high street value. It could also kill in the wrong hands.
You don't want to be blamed if it's found next to a junkies body.

muddlefuck · 28/06/2017 12:57

Oramorph is a controlled drug

it's not

x2boys · 28/06/2017 13:00

how exactly would the OP be blamed kateclarke if a bottle of her own medicine was stolen and sold on to someone who overdosed ? But yes i would ask if it had been moved even if they dont find the culprit if it has been stolen the culprrit will be aware you know

x2boys · 28/06/2017 13:01

and it was a controlled drug in one NHS trust i worked in but not in another

sashh · 28/06/2017 13:05

Isn't oramorph one that is controlled unless on prescription? The same as codeine.

x2boys · 28/06/2017 13:07

not always in some NHS trusts but not others.

rogertherabbit · 28/06/2017 13:23

I would definitely report the item missing to police - it has a very high street value (I was reliably informed about £200 per bottle, but could be wrong as old info). It's got your name on. Could make somebody very ill if they are not used to taking opiates. Obviously this is not your problem, but at least you'll have done what you can if the bottle is found with your details on and they can't accuse you of selling it

TheFatOfTheLand · 28/06/2017 13:26

how exactly would the OP be blamed kateclarke if a bottle of her own medicine was stolen and sold on to someone who overdosed ?

I guess it might be a problem proving it was stolen (and if it was, why not reported to the police). The onus would be on the OP to prove they hadn't sold it on.

I think Oromorph is a controlled drug in certain concentrations. The more concentrated the solution, the more likely a Health Trust will have it listed as controlled.

I don't think an individual patient has to store drugs in the same way that a hospital or care agency would btw.

Sunferra · 28/06/2017 13:28

Id say report it. You won't be the only client who has had medicine stolen. You can give the agency the evidence they need to take action. How horrible for you.

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