Hospital ‘sorry’ for dumping patient’s belongings

A HOSPITAL has apologised after a chronically ill patient was discharged for a day and his possessions were dumped.

Paul Miller says hundreds of pounds worth of clothes and books were cleared from his room at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital in Glasgow.

Mr Miller, 40, was allowed a home visit during an 11-week stay in hospital towards the end of last year.

When he returned on Boxing Day he said the entire room had been cleared of his stuff, including Christmas presents.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said Mr Miller’s possessions were disposed of by cleaners in error and has offered him compensation.

However, Mr Miller, who has a long-term stomach condition, suspects his valuables may have been stolen.

He said: “I’m in and out of hospital and was in for 11 weeks in December and January. They told me to leave all my stuff. When I came back the room had been cleared. A new jacket, books, clothes, even the Christmas tree was gone.

“The hospital offered me £144, but that wouldn’t even cover the cost of the jacket.

“I looked into the cost of replacing everything and it would be about £550.”

A spokesman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: “Mr Miller’s room was cleaned while he was on a home visit. Unfortunately, his possessions were removed from the room during the cleaning and disposed of. We have apologised to Mr Miller and his family, and are discussing appropr iate compensation with him.”

It comes after it was revealed hundreds of patients’ items go missing from Glasgow’s hospitals every year.

Patients were discharged without 227 of their possessions over the past two years from hospitals including the new South Glasgow University Hospital.