Hospitals hit as thieves steal £500,000 of medical equipment and patients' belongings

A SOPHISTICATED £9,500 eye examiner, laptops, a patient's couch and televisions disappeared from Scotland's hospitals last year, leading to fears that the NHS is being targeted by criminals.

Goods worth more than 500,000 went missing from hospitals and surgeries in 2008/09 including an Ocuscan machine, which is used for measuring eyes before cataract surgery.

NHS Lothian reported the theft of the Ocuscan machine when Labour asked health boards across the country were asked to provide information of missing equipment under the Freedom of Information Act. In addition to the Ocuscan machine taken from NHS Lothian, NHS Fife reported the loss of a plinth couch, used for examining patients, worth 1,000.

Five mobile phones, four laptop computers and a wheelbarrow were reported by NHS Forth Valley.

NHS Grampian reported the loss of equipment including two televisions and two laptop computers and NHS Lanarkshire reported that four laptop computers and a desktop computer were among equipment stolen from their premises.

Scottish Labour health spokesman Richard Simpson, a former GP, said: "I am outraged that professional criminals are deliberately targeting the NHS. It is difficult to imagine a worse crime than stealing from a hospital. The people who are doing this are the lowest of the low.

"The responses I have received show that the items taken from NHS premises include laptops, which may hold sensitive patient information, along with valuable medical equipment and even hospital furniture.

"The government have been unable to assure me that any data would be encryption protected despite it being one of Nicola Sturgeon's priorities last year. I am calling on the Scottish Government to take urgent action to ensure that the criminals are caught and expensive equipment stays where it belongs."

James McCaffery, chief operating officer of Acute Services, NHS Lothian, said: "It is really disappointing when important pieces of equipment like this are stolen from hospitals. Fortunately this ophthalmic ultrasound machine was one of three in the department which means we are able to use the other two flexibly to ensure there is no disruption to patients."

Health secretary Nicola Sturgeon said: "The Scottish Government takes hospital security very seriously and is committed to ensuring that patients know that information, and equipment, is safe within the NHS.

"In October 2008 health boards were given an extra 1 million to help them meet a new benchmark eHealth Mobile Data Protection Standard which NHS Boards are currently implementing."