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Original poster

Theft from hospital in-patients

39 replies

zandy · 13/07/2010 23:21

How many of you have knowledge of or experience of inpatients at hospital being stolen from?

I have an elderly neighbour who was recently in hospital and had her purse stolen from her bag almost as soon as she arrived. I have a family member who was being 'charged' for his pills.

I am shocked that these things have happened to people I know in the past couple of months. I thought hospital thefts were a much rarer thing.

OP posts:

muffint · 15/07/2010 23:01

Sorry - probably worded that badly - but some people really didn't know which was their locker and which were their clothes.

CarGirl · 15/07/2010 23:04

That would be a "cheque" stolen, she was on A&E at the time waiting to be admitted.

edam · 15/07/2010 23:09

Stealing from patients (or staff) in hospitals is bad enough but there have been cases where people have been robbed in the ambulance on the way there. Rings and cash.

Lincolnparkafterdark · 15/07/2010 23:14

At our local hospital -all the wards have a buzzer system and you have to ring to get in after stating the name of the person who you are visiting.
This seems to stop the wandering in and opportunistic thefts.

muffint · 15/07/2010 23:19

Hospitals do also offer to lock your valuables in a safe and often do this for vulnerable patients - sometimes people would turn up with hundreds of pounds in their handbag. We would always do a property list - go through everything they came in with - which I found horribly intrusive - but at least it could be identified if something went missing.

PurpleOne · 16/07/2010 00:12

When my DD1 was in hosp with an OD last week, she was in peads ward and I wondered why there was a locker bolted to the wall behind her bed.
I bought in my own coffee, sugar and a pint of milk (as nurses said they pay for it all) and left it in the parents room fridge. Milk had all but gone in the morning, even though I had my name on it.
Now I read this thread. Absolutely shocking. Some people have no concience, the bastards.

Just wicked.

3littlefrogs · 16/07/2010 12:39

A friend of mine died while in sheltered accommodation. The warden stole all her nice pictures, china, glass ware etc - some of which was quite valuable.

Social services/police would not accept a complaint because I "was not a relative".

She had no family.

You have to wonder how many times this happens.

edam · 16/07/2010 14:32

Good grief, 3littlefrogs, that's shit. Surely it's illegal for the police to refuse to record a crime just because the person reporting it isn't related to the victim? I can think of a few 999 calls where that would be quite inconvenient...

3littlefrogs · 17/07/2010 10:58

It was a question of lack of proof, and an unwillingness to be bothered I think. It was a few years ago now.

The things were clearly visible in the warden's flat, but how to prove they had belonged to the lady who died??

I think this sort of thing does go on a lot though - the cases you read about in the press are the tip of a very large iceberg I think.

I know someone who suspects that the person caring for his family member is appropriating the lady's pension after she collects from the post office. He has no way of proving it though.

Armanda09 · 02/03/2018 00:23

After some advice.... It's a long shot but so upset over it.
My sister has been having treatment for breast cancer at the royal liverpool hospital.
She had her breast off in December and followed on with 9 6mths of chemotherapy.
She attended a routine scan on the 19th Feb 2018, the nurse said she needed to take off her diamond necklace so undone it for her and placed it on the side.
It was only in the evening time whilst taking a shower she realised she left without it.
When she rang she was told to ring back the following morning which she did but there was no trace of the necklace.
The reason I am posting this only now is she has only just broke down and told me. The necklace was a gift I bought for my mother, my mother would never wear it however would not part with it.
When mum passed away I gave it to my sister.
I,we are truly heart broken, not because of the cost of it but the sentimental value.
I am wide awake unable to sleep thinking of it, and with everything my poor sister has gone through to be spoken too and basically just gobbled off on the phone, it's not there and that's it type of attitude. I want to take it further and just wondered the best channel to go down?? Can't just let it go like that!!! Any similar experiences lady's, advice would be a great help. ..thank you.xx

Draylon · 06/03/2018 16:09

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

coraltree · 08/12/2021 21:20

It’s so upsetting when the patient and relatives are already weak and stressed. I took an extra duvet into hospital for my aged mum and it’s gone. I know it happens but it makes me so angry. People preying on the sick, old and vulnerable.

milly74 · 08/12/2021 21:49

only experience was private hospital and my room was locked when I was away having treatment so belongings secured

LostForWords2021 · 08/12/2021 21:53

@Armanda09

After some advice.... It's a long shot but so upset over it. My sister has been having treatment for breast cancer at the royal liverpool hospital. She had her breast off in December and followed on with 9 6mths of chemotherapy. She attended a routine scan on the 19th Feb 2018, the nurse said she needed to take off her diamond necklace so undone it for her and placed it on the side. It was only in the evening time whilst taking a shower she realised she left without it. When she rang she was told to ring back the following morning which she did but there was no trace of the necklace. The reason I am posting this only now is she has only just broke down and told me. The necklace was a gift I bought for my mother, my mother would never wear it however would not part with it. When mum passed away I gave it to my sister. I,we are truly heart broken, not because of the cost of it but the sentimental value. I am wide awake unable to sleep thinking of it, and with everything my poor sister has gone through to be spoken too and basically just gobbled off on the phone, it's not there and that's it type of attitude. I want to take it further and just wondered the best channel to go down?? Can't just let it go like that!!! Any similar experiences lady's, advice would be a great help. ..thank you.xx

I'm so sorry, very hard to read let alone have to go through.

Call the hospital or google PALS for the hospital.
Also, call the ward/dept and ask for their complaints email.

Escalate a formal complaint, theft of property and tell them to follow their hospital procedure.

Personally, I would report the theft to the police purely so I could include their reference number in the above email.

on your families behalf

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