Anyone else aware of money 'going missing' in Irish hospitals?

Cyclingtourist · 03-04-2026 10:27AM #1

Our family has recently experienced the phenomena of a person being admitted to a Dublin public hospital where money they had on their person was held 'in safe keeping' by the hospital but when they were being discharged no one knew anything about this cash.

We also experienced this with a visiting American relative who had to go into hospital in Kerry a few years ago where this also happened.

We're talking about several hundred Euro in both cases.

Just wondering if anyone else has had similar experiences?

extra-ordinary_ · 03-04-2026 10:55AM

Do you not get a receipt when handing over the money?

elperello · 03-04-2026 10:59AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058436667/anyone-else-aware-of-money-going-missing-in-irish-hospitals

Were these cases reported to AGS ?

Cyclingtourist · 03-04-2026 12:21PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124360225#Comment_124360225

Not to my knowledge, in the recent Dublin case the money was counted out in front of another family member. Where such money was held in the hospital was referred colloquially to as 'the bank'.

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124360232#Comment_124360232

It will be shortly.

The Kerry case a few years I don't believe was, he just wrote it off and returned to the States with otherwise good feelings about the medical treatment received.

Cluedo Monopoly · 03-04-2026 01:13PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124360413#Comment_124360413

That sounds pure daft. Why wouldn't the family member take the money? I have never heard of anyone handing their spare change or otherwise to someone in a hospital. It's not prison. My lie detector is showing a spike.

JayRoc · 03-04-2026 01:15PM

So, the way I'm reading it your relative got a member of staff to hold some money upon arrival and then couldn't find that person when they were leaving?

Maybe they were off for the day? Was there a supervisor someone spoke to?

sydthebeat · 03-04-2026 01:19PM

pretty much every hospital has a policy of notifying admissions not to bring in large amounts of cash.

for small amounts of cash ive never heard of a hospital taking it in "for safe keeping".

https://www.mater.ie/patients/preparing-for-your-stay/

eastie17 · 03-04-2026 01:27PM

sorry, thought this was about the health budget and the billions that go missing every year

Cyclingtourist · 03-04-2026 01:57PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124360554#Comment_124360554

That's fine if you're going in for surgery but not if you arrive by ambulance after collapsing.

Mrs OBumble · 03-04-2026 01:59PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124360537#Comment_124360537

Where I'm from, it's pretty normal to put valuables in the ward "safe" when going for surgery. Eg any cash, cellphone, jewellery like ear ring studs and everyday rings.

I can't remember if that happened the time I had surgery here- i think so.

NIMAN · 03-04-2026 02:02PM

1st time hearing of this. Im sure hospitals are no different to any other place, theres the odd thief about.

Pauliedragon · 03-04-2026 02:03PM

Why hand over the money in the 1st place. I assume it was in a wallet so is the wallet still there?

Cyclingtourist · 03-04-2026 02:05PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124360540#Comment_124360540

You're reading it wrong. The initiative to 'safe-keep money was the hospital's. The supervisor claimed to know nothing about it and didn't want to take responsibility when approached. When AGS were mentioned communications ceased.

sydthebeat · 03-04-2026 02:16PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124360654#Comment_124360654

arriving by ambulance after collapsing gets you to A+E, on a gtrolly usually.

Thats not being "admitted" to the hosptial as you said in your OP.

by the time youre admitted to the hospital through A+E the vast, vast majority of people would have had family contacted.

Who in gods name leaves a family member in an A+E situation unattended, regardless of the fact the have hundreds of euro on their person.

breezy1985 · 03-04-2026 02:17PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124360676#Comment_124360676

Nothing to lose in handing imaginary money to imaginary staff in an imaginary hospital. When you are an imaginary patient you don't need money anyway.

Cyclingtourist · 03-04-2026 02:39PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124360700#Comment_124360700

Well if you’d read my post you’d know the money was counted by a staff member in the presence of a different relative. The hospital took on the responsibility to mind it but now don’t want to know.

In hindsight obviously the other relative would have minded the money.

Let others be warned, don’t trust the hospital unless you have no other choice.

JayRoc · 03-04-2026 03:34PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124360680#Comment_124360680

But what about the staff member to whom the money was given, I suppose that's what I'm asking? Were they located?

Cyclingtourist · 03-04-2026 03:42PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124360882#Comment_124360882

No.

Cluedo Monopoly · 03-04-2026 04:18PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124360788#Comment_124360788

So the long suffering hospital staff are now being criticised for not having reliable/honest banking services. I think this is a BS story and I think you already want out of the thread.

breezy1985 · 03-04-2026 04:22PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124360956#Comment_124360956

Didn't get the pile on he was looking for.

Cluedo Monopoly · 03-04-2026 04:23PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124360962#Comment_124360962

Yeah. Very strange vendetta. Maybe BAM stole it?

noodler · 03-04-2026 04:43PM

Phenomena usually means a trend, no?

Mrs OBumble · 03-04-2026 04:51PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124360996#Comment_124360996

No.

noodler · 03-04-2026 04:54PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124361013#Comment_124361013

Stand corrected

Strumms · 03-04-2026 05:00PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124360537#Comment_124360537

same, when I was in hospital we had a safe at our bedside locker. When I went down to physio or for a scan, or to the shop, I put my wallet, tablet, phone and chargers into it…

BrianD3 · 03-04-2026 06:27PM

The story is far from implausible. Hospitals are a sh*tshow, staff don't know what's going on, don't follow procedure - that's if there is a procedure. There are plenty of people of dubious character, both direct employees and agency, working in hospitals and healthcare generally. The HSE's vetting procedures are, surprise surprise, a shambles. Whenever I had relatives going to hospital I made sure that they didn't have anything valuable with them. This meant that they were without things that they needed such as hearing aids but if they did go in with them, there was a very good chance that they would go "missing" and then they'd be without them anyway.

JayRoc · 03-04-2026 06:33PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124361033#Comment_124361033

Good idea. Was it in Ireland? Never come across it myself

nachouser · 03-04-2026 06:34PM

Hospital Wallet Inspector, very common.

breezy1985 · 03-04-2026 06:49PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124361223#Comment_124361223

Total utter bullsht about the vetting. It's the same as any other plce that has official Garda vetting.

RoyalCelt · 03-04-2026 07:03PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124360574#Comment_124360574

Same here!!

BrianD3 · 03-04-2026 07:04PM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124361266#Comment_124361266

Google is your friend. This is just one of many examples of the HSE's shambolic incompetence, I'd be here all day picking out other instances as there are so many

https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-40370564.html

Anyone else aware of money 'going missing' in Irish hospitals?

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