Hospital lost my wife's necklace
Discussion
My wife was taken ill last week, straight from GP into surgical assessment. CT scan people took off her necklace and it disappeared thereafter (x-ray people had already done similar and returned). A nurse accompanied her throughout and can confirm. Nurses on the ward truly apologetic, CT scan people didn't seem too concerned "come and have a look if you like" (they said to a bed-bound patient). Been given a complaint form, but I'd rather an effort was made to find the necklace.
Now, it's more important my wife is being looked after and the bracelet wasn't of great value (~£300), but I did buy it for her 20+ years ago and she is quite upset. If I make a claim, my taxes will help pay for it, so seems a bit arse about face. The lack of concern bothered me, but I appreciate it's a busy department working in strange times.
Do we kick up a fuss?
(Pulmonary embolism & pneumonia - no covid. On the mend now)
Now, it's more important my wife is being looked after and the bracelet wasn't of great value (~£300), but I did buy it for her 20+ years ago and she is quite upset. If I make a claim, my taxes will help pay for it, so seems a bit arse about face. The lack of concern bothered me, but I appreciate it's a busy department working in strange times.
Do we kick up a fuss?
(Pulmonary embolism & pneumonia - no covid. On the mend now)
22 said:
My wife was taken ill last week, straight from GP into surgical assessment. CT scan people took off her necklace and it disappeared thereafter (x-ray people had already done similar and returned). A nurse accompanied her throughout and can confirm. Nurses on the ward truly apologetic, CT scan people didn't seem too concerned "come and have a look if you like" (they said to a bed-bound patient). Been given a complaint form, but I'd rather an effort was made to find the necklace.
Now, it's more important my wife is being looked after and the bracelet wasn't of great value (~£300), but I did buy it for her 20+ years ago and she is quite upset. If I make a claim, my taxes will help pay for it, so seems a bit arse about face. The lack of concern bothered me, but I appreciate it's a busy department working in strange times.
Do we kick up a fuss?
(Pulmonary embolism & pneumonia - no covid. On the mend now)
Was it around her neck or on her wrist?Now, it's more important my wife is being looked after and the bracelet wasn't of great value (~£300), but I did buy it for her 20+ years ago and she is quite upset. If I make a claim, my taxes will help pay for it, so seems a bit arse about face. The lack of concern bothered me, but I appreciate it's a busy department working in strange times.
Do we kick up a fuss?
(Pulmonary embolism & pneumonia - no covid. On the mend now)
I wouldn't make a fuss personally, I'd let them worry about saving lives. (But then you knew that was going to be the reply)
Sorry to hear about this, and best wishes for your wife's continued recovery.
Write in to your hospital's PALS department. Sadly, patient's property does go missing in hospital. In over 35 years NHS experience I've seen and heard of so many things going missing. Usually the department will just pay up or replace it. There is the possibility it will turn up on a deep clean, but sadly it may have just been binned with the disposables used during the procedure.
Some of the most common things to go missing are hearing aids and dentures. Frequently the patient puts them in their pyjama pocket or under the pillow. When the beds are changed off goes £600 of digital hearing aid. Asking a patient to put them in the dedicated box at night is met with a shrug and "I always do this at home and it's never gone missing before".
SD.
Write in to your hospital's PALS department. Sadly, patient's property does go missing in hospital. In over 35 years NHS experience I've seen and heard of so many things going missing. Usually the department will just pay up or replace it. There is the possibility it will turn up on a deep clean, but sadly it may have just been binned with the disposables used during the procedure.
Some of the most common things to go missing are hearing aids and dentures. Frequently the patient puts them in their pyjama pocket or under the pillow. When the beds are changed off goes £600 of digital hearing aid. Asking a patient to put them in the dedicated box at night is met with a shrug and "I always do this at home and it's never gone missing before".
SD.
shed driver said:
Usually the department will just pay up or replace it.
My FIL had a right battle over a £60 Lifeline pendant that was only taken off him just as going into theatre. Multiple letters back and forth and in the end he just let it go (not like him normally).Wife's Godmother lost a very fine (so no particular value) necklace of huge sentimental value. We hoped it might stand out as she also had her TV remote control in her dressing gown pocket when she was taken in! Neither turned up and, like the OP, the hospital were like "shrug".
It's frustrating as these items will have been put somewhere, then just got forgotten about.
My elderly FIL was discharged from hospital recently and when we got him home discovered that the charging box for his hearing aids was missing. We phone the ward, more in hope than expectation, to report the loss; however later that day one of the nurses called back to say the box had been found at the back of his bedside cabinet. Shortly after that we got it back, delivered by courier. Faith restored!
We just had an elderly relative pass an be buried two weeks ago.
As no one specifically told the undertakers not to she was buried with her jewelry on!!! Thousands of pounds worth, some of which was her Mothers / grandmothers so was from late 1800s, but irrespective of value a number of the items are mentioned in her will, e.g. which daughter gets the wedding ring, which gets the engagement ring etc etc.
Now no one is suggesting she is dug up for this and the funeral guys have been very apologetic obs rushed off their feet and there was no "open coffin" to visit due to the local CV regs so no one picked up or though to ask...where is the jewelry?
We know she wouldn't have been one for this to be an argument, none of us have lost anything measurable, apart from the worlds best great aunt ever so nothing now will change. in our case, a bit of a drat, oh well move on moment.
As no one specifically told the undertakers not to she was buried with her jewelry on!!! Thousands of pounds worth, some of which was her Mothers / grandmothers so was from late 1800s, but irrespective of value a number of the items are mentioned in her will, e.g. which daughter gets the wedding ring, which gets the engagement ring etc etc.
Now no one is suggesting she is dug up for this and the funeral guys have been very apologetic obs rushed off their feet and there was no "open coffin" to visit due to the local CV regs so no one picked up or though to ask...where is the jewelry?
We know she wouldn't have been one for this to be an argument, none of us have lost anything measurable, apart from the worlds best great aunt ever so nothing now will change. in our case, a bit of a drat, oh well move on moment.
Wife a bit better but still off work!
To round this off, we did go to PALS, and again were aware of the bigger picture and the current strange times. Some accountability and an apology from the department would likely have been the end of it, but even the PALS people hit a brick wall. No one could remember much about it (multiple CT scan rooms working 24/7 so can't blame them) and ultimately their stance was that personal effects are the responsibility of the patient - no apology.
With a fairly regular procedure my wife needs (unrelated) we obviously know this, but there was no opportunity to plan for being taken in and she wasn't able to remove the necklace herself. We decided to make a formal complaint.
All of a sudden the CT people remembered every last detail, where it was taken off, "it was laid gently on the pillow" and "must have been lost back in the ward". I also appreciate, other than an accompanying nurse from the ward and a distraught wife, we have no proof there even was a necklace and I can imagine the abuse this process must be open to.
Ended up with a £150 goodwill gesture as full & final etc (about half the value). We'll give it to charity and conscious the process will have cost many times this.
To round this off, we did go to PALS, and again were aware of the bigger picture and the current strange times. Some accountability and an apology from the department would likely have been the end of it, but even the PALS people hit a brick wall. No one could remember much about it (multiple CT scan rooms working 24/7 so can't blame them) and ultimately their stance was that personal effects are the responsibility of the patient - no apology.
With a fairly regular procedure my wife needs (unrelated) we obviously know this, but there was no opportunity to plan for being taken in and she wasn't able to remove the necklace herself. We decided to make a formal complaint.
All of a sudden the CT people remembered every last detail, where it was taken off, "it was laid gently on the pillow" and "must have been lost back in the ward". I also appreciate, other than an accompanying nurse from the ward and a distraught wife, we have no proof there even was a necklace and I can imagine the abuse this process must be open to.
Ended up with a £150 goodwill gesture as full & final etc (about half the value). We'll give it to charity and conscious the process will have cost many times this.
southendpier said:
This happened to my old man and his watch. He was incredibly upset.
I made a real big fuss about it complained to everyone I could.
Eventually the watch turned up in his sock, where he had put it and forgotten.
(to keep it away from the NHS 'thieves')
Hope your wife is OK.
This happened to my uncle, staff said "oh he must have hid in somewhere". Then two or three weeks later someone left it on the counter at the reception. One of the staff must have stolen it then had their conscience pricked.I made a real big fuss about it complained to everyone I could.
Eventually the watch turned up in his sock, where he had put it and forgotten.
(to keep it away from the NHS 'thieves')
Hope your wife is OK.
Of course the CCTV was faulty that week.
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