Hospital lost Worthing man's hearing aids

Jane Tomblin, 44, said the two devices worth 800 each, disappeared in the days after her father was admitted to the hospital on February 3.

Jane, of Bolsover Road, Worthing, said 83-year-old Ronald needs them to help him communicate and is trapped in a virtually silent world without them.

She said: "Being stressed does not help with dementia.

"What might seem like a little thing to us is a big deal to him and this is definitely making him agitated.

"We can't afford to replace the hearing aids at that cost, so unless the hospital pays up then we will have to claim on our insurance, which will put the premiums up.

"It seems very unfair for something that's not our fault.

"Until this is sorted he can't really talk to anyone without them shouting, or watch TV, so it's not nice for him."

Ronald, who lives with Jane, was admitted to Worthing Hospital due to complications arising from a suspected urine infection.

He was treated on Worthing's emergency assessment unit before being moved to the Emerald Ward at Southlands Hospital on February 7.

It was during his stay in Worthing that Jane thinks the hearing aids may have been mistakenly thrown away by hospital staff.

She claims they knew he had hearing aids in his ears and believes they should have taken more care to look after them.

She said: "In the past, when he's been in hospital, they have taken an inventory of his possessions, but that didn't happen this time.

"It's just not good enough really. It's just carelessness and could have been easily avoided."

A spokeswoman for Worthing and Southlands Hospital Trust said: "We have received Ms Tomblin's letter and are now investigating the matters she raises."