Equipment and cash go from wards

Laptops, mobile phones and medical supplies are among items worth thousands of pounds stolen from hospitals in Dudley.

Thieves have also snatched hundreds of pounds in cash during the past four years.

A pair of shoes, bag of food and a Christmas tree along with decorations were also among the reported thefts at Dudley's Russells Hall Hospital and the Corbett Hospital in Stourbridge.

Bosses say the number of thefts has dropped by almost 50 per cent since 2006 and patients are encouraged to put personal belongings in a safe on the wards.

Cash is the most common item stolen but medical equipment including syringes and a morphine pump have also gone missing.

The figures obtained under the Freedom of Information (FOI) Act show there were 39 thefts totalling more than £2,428 in 2006 compared with 20 totalling more than £2,836 during 2009. There were 31 thefts in 2007 and 27 in 2008.

A trust spokesman said: "The Dudley Group of Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust works continuously to try to ensure a safe environment for our patients, staff and visitors.

"Our security team work hard to raise awareness with staff and patients."