MURRAY: £40K OF ITEMS LOST OR STOLEN FROM NHS DUMFRIES AND GALLOWAY IN LAST TWO YEARS

Dumfries MSP Elaine Murray has expressed concern that 44 items totalling almost £40k have been lost or stolen from NHS Dumfries and Galloway in the last two years.

Elaine Murray said: “In a tight financial environment we really cannot afford for so many items to be lost or stolen from NHS Dumfries and Galloway. While they could include expensive items such as medical equipment and even hospital furniture, what I am most concerned about is the loss or theft of laptops or memory sticks, which may hold sensitive patient information.

“However, it is of some comfort that the figures for 2008-09 are substantially lower than the previous year and I hope this is because tightened procedures are making it harder for losses or thefts to occur. The proof will come when the figures for this year are published and we see whether this downward trend has continued.”

ENDS

CONTACT – ANDREW MACKENZIE 07769206856
The figures were obtained in an answer to a Parliamentary question lodged by Labour’s Public Health Spokesman Dr Richard Simpson.

17 December 2009 - Index Heading: Health and Wellbeing

Dr Richard Simpson (Mid Scotland and Fife) (Lab): To ask the Scottish Executive whether it will list items lost or stolen from NHS hospitals or services in the last two years, broken down by (a) date lost or stolen, (b) date reported and (c) value of the loss.

(S3W-29515)

Ms Nicola Sturgeon :

The Scottish Government does not collect information on individual losses or thefts from NHS hospitals and the dates they are reported but this information should be held on individual Board Loss Registers. We do however obtain a summary report on such losses from Boards each year advising of the number of losses and their total value and the totals reported are shown in the following table.

NOTES TO EDITORS