HOSPITAL bosses have apologised to the family of an elderly patient with dementia who had her wedding ring stolen from her finger in the Royal Bolton.

David Wakefield, the chairman of Bolton NHS Foundation Trust, apologised after details of the "absolutely horrific case" were brought to light at a hospital board meeting.

Devastated Maureen Whittle, daughter of the patient Susan Lomas, told the committee how last March she visited her 85-year-old mum on B2 to find her in tears after a thief had pulled her wedding ring off her finger.

Mrs Lomas’ left hand was red and wet, and Mrs Whittle believes the culprit — who has never been identified — used soapy water to scrub her finger and steal the jewellery.

The "heartbreaking" incident, she told the committee, was one of a catalogue of harrowing lapses of care that happened while the widow was being cared for. She has since died.

Mrs Lomas’ upper dentures were lost by staff, meaning she was unable to eat properly and her weight plummeted after she lost half a stone in a week.

Mrs Whittle, from Egerton, brought in liquid drinks for her, after nurses then gave her two sets of "filthy" lower dentures to wear.

On a separate occasion, Mrs Whittle came to visit her mum and found two soaked night dresses in a plastic bag by her head, which were "swimming in diarrhoea" and dripping on the ward floor.

When trying to raise her concerns about the level of care with the ward manager and matron, she struggled to contact them and said she felt like "nobody cared".

Mrs Whittle, who reported the matter to the police, said: “I was there on the Sunday and Monday and the ring was there then because my husband remembers them when he was holding her hand. It had gone by the Tuesday.

“I went to the ward manager to tell her what had happened and looking back she should have rung the police then and maybe there would have been a chance to find it.

“It would be bad enough to do it to any elderly person but it was my mum and she was in hospital.

“On top of that they were not giving her food or drink. I would go in as the patient’s loved one and read the records and there would be nothing there – the logs were empty.

“When I saw it was gone I took all her rings off so they were safe.

“She was so upset when I arrived but thankfully she forgot soon after. It devastated me but at least she was spared the horror in the long term.”

She told the board of directors the ring was a link to her dad James, who was married to Mrs Lomas for 42 years. She said: "What I want is if you can stop this happening to one other person.

“What caused me a lot of sleepless nights was what was happening to people on the ward who didn’t have a ‘Maureen’.”

She added: “I thought, I have got a very sick old mum. I complained, I didn’t stamp my feet, but it didn’t matter what I said it did not make a difference.”

The committee were told how a "substantial action plan" was executed in the months after Mrs Lomas was admitted.

No formal disciplinary action was taken against the ward manager and matron, but the individuals involved were spoken to and marks were made on their employee records.

There is now new lost property guidance for vulnerable patients, particularly in relation to the loss of dentures, glasses and hearing aids, and extra "safeguarding" processes are in effect, hospital bosses say.

In addition, posters with the contact details of the relevant managers are displayed on each ward, as well as the business cards of matrons.

Mr Wakefield said he was ashamed at the lack of care shown to Mrs Lomas.

He said: “This was an absolutely horrific case and I want apologise on behalf of the trust.

“I think we let you and your mum and your family down.

“Our standards of care were way below what is acceptable.”