Dying grandmother's wedding ring and purse disappear during hospital treatment
A daughter has been left devastated after her dying mother’s treasured wedding ring disappeared as she was treated in hospital.
Jo Yarnall, from Aldridge, is demanding a change in procedures at Walsall Manor Hospital after her 83-year-old mother Patricia Salt’s belongings went missing just days before she died on Wednesday.
Grandmother-of-three Mrs Salt, who has been widowed for 11 years, went in for a routine appointment as part of treatment for incurable cancer.
But she was kept in as she was struggling to breathe and during the course of her four-day stay, her ring and a purse vanished. Hospital bosses have apologised to the family and said an investigation into what has happened to Mrs Salt’s property.
Mrs Salt was admitted to Ward 6 on Friday, June 11 before being transferred to Ward 4 the next day. Jo was contacted about the purse going missing on Saturday but only realised the gold wedding ring had also disappeared a few days later.
She said: “They told me on Saturday that the purse was missing but never noticed the wedding ring. I wasn’t looking. I never thought to look at her hands. The ring meant so much to me. It’s the sentimental value that cannot be replaced.
"A purse can be replaced, a bank card can be replaced as can money. I didn’t care about those but I care about the ring. I am devastated and heartbroken it has gone.
"Somebody had taken it off her hand but no one knows what’s happened to it. She got married in 1961 and it has never been taken off."
She said she has spoken to other people who have had similar experiences of belongings going missing at the hospital.
Jo added: "Personal items of relatives who have passed away are all some people have and for them not to take due care of them – there needs to be something done about this system.
"It’s traumatic enough without thinking someone has stolen or lost something. My mum had been given months. We weren’t expecting her to go into hospital on Friday and not come out.
"She went downhill very quickly in just four days. She was in pain and she always said she didn’t want a long, drawn out thing. But I have to say, the nurses that cared for my mum for the last few days were outstanding.
"There is something wrong with the system of checking in personal property but the nurses we had were just fantastic.
"Nurse Donna on Ward 4 was just superb. She looked after us as well as my mum. I phoned her up after mum died to personally thank her. I just wanted her to know how we appreciated everything she did for our family."
Ann-Marie Riley, Walsall Healthcare NHS Trust Director of Nursing, said: “As is the case in all hospitals, we have processes to log and safe keep property but despite these property sometimes does unfortunately get lost and we are deeply sorry that this has happened in this case.
“We have spoken with the patient’s daughter and we completely understand and appreciate her distress and concern regarding the loss of personal items.
“We have instigated an investigation into this case and will keep the family updated on progress throughout.”
