A PATIENT walked 2.5 miles in his slippers to get a lift home after his wallet was stolen in hospital.

John Solowyk, 65, was rushed to Colchester General Hospital by ambulance at 7am on Monday after he suffered a suspected heart attack at home.

His bag, which contained his wallet, was moved by staff to underneath his bed.

But by the time he was discharged at 1pm the same day, the wallet had disappeared.

Mr Solowyk, who has angina, said: “My bag was put under the stretcher and when I came to get it later, my wallet was gone.

“The staff made inquiries and ran all over the place trying to find it but obviously they didn’t.

“When I was discharged and had to get home, the staff said: ‘It’s not up to us, we don’t supply transport’.

“I had to walk to a nearby friend’s in my slippers so he could give me a lift home.”

Mr Solowyk, of The Street, Weeley, initially contacted his wife to see if she could find anyone to pick him up, as she does not drive.

In the end he walked from the hospital in Turner Road to his friend’s house which is near Tesco at the Hythe.

He has called the hospital to see if his wallet has been found but has had no response.

His bus pass and driving licence were also in the wallet, which was a Christmas present.

Mr Solowyk said: “The doctors and nurses have done a wonderful job treating me.

“There is always some thief around who is an opportunist but I really expected some communication even if it is just to tell me they can’t find it.

“I want to stop other people getting robbed.

“It should have been put in a safe place, the staff should have taken it off me.”

A spokesman for the Colchester Hospital University NHS Foundation said: “We are very sorry to hear of the experience of Mr Solowyk in our A&E department.

“When Mr Solowyk informed staff his wallet was missing, our staff looked for it in the department, in the area he was situated in and contacted the ambulance staff to ask them to check their vehicle.

“We have since reported it missing to our security team and have done another sweep of the department– all to no avail.

“Having treated him for chest pains and after some tests and x-rays our consultant-led team were happy for him to be discharged from hospital. Although Mr Solowyk was not eligible for patient transport – based on age, mobility and vulnerability, among other criteria – we contacted his wife on his behalf and arrangements were made for her to collect him.

“The nurse who had been caring for him escorted him to the main entrance and waited with him for ten minutes before leaving him, knowing Mr Solowyk’s wife was coming to collect him.

“We apologise for any misunderstanding.”