Missing hospital patient found dead in stream

6:48pm Saturday 14th July 2012 in News By Ben James

Maureen Read (left) was found in a stream earlier this afternoon Maureen Read (left) was found in a stream earlier this afternoon

The body of a 77-year-old who went missing from hospital yesterday evening (July13) has been found in a stream.

Maureen Read, who suffered from dementia, was being treated at Uckfield Community Hospital on Framfield Road.

She went missing from her ward around 6.10pm sparking a massive overnight search.

But her body was found in the Framfield Stream – just metres from the hospital – early this afternoon (July 14).

The death is not being regarded as suspicious and the Coroner's Officer has been informed.

Inspector Phil Hogan said: "The body has not yet been formally identified but in all the circumstances we must accept that it is almost certain to be that of Maureen.

“Her husband, who had just visited her, has been kept informed throughout and has been told of this tragic discovery.

"We would like to thank all who helped in the search, which was carried out in some very bad weather and in areas, including the waterway, that were difficult to access.

“As well as local police officers and PCSOs we had the help of many local people including the Neighbourhood Watch Volunteer Search Team as well as the force's Specialist Search Unit."

Pay your tributes to Maureen below or by emailing ben.james@theargus.co.uk.

Comments(11)

lindaf says...
7:47pm Sat 14 Jul 12

Very sad, thoughts are with her family. It has to be asked how she was able to just walk out and not be noticed. R.I.P. Maureen.

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mimseycal says...
8:14pm Sat 14 Jul 12

My condolences with the family and friends.

Not sure asking how she was able to walk out is all that useful. A hospital is not a prison and we cannot expect nursing staff to act as custodians.

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ArundelTerrazzo says...
9:54pm Sat 14 Jul 12

… and pigs could fly…

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ArundelTerrazzo says...
9:54pm Sat 14 Jul 12

… and pigs could fly…

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hubby says...
11:26pm Sat 14 Jul 12

"Went missing."

Where is the duty of care?

Disgraceful.

RIP poor neglected lady.

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lindaf says...
1:23am Sun 15 Jul 12

mimseycal wrote:
My condolences with the family and friends.

Not sure asking how she was able to walk out is all that useful. A hospital is not a prison and we cannot expect nursing staff to act as custodians.
She was in a 'secure' unit...

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Wendywoodlandh says...
10:27am Sun 15 Jul 12

Were where the nursing starf how are there to look after & keep an eye on .!!!! What care is there????may this poor lady rip and thoughts go to the family at this time.

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mimseycal says...
10:34am Sun 15 Jul 12

lindaf wrote:
mimseycal wrote:
My condolences with the family and friends.

Not sure asking how she was able to walk out is all that useful. A hospital is not a prison and we cannot expect nursing staff to act as custodians.
She was in a 'secure' unit...
Does Uckfield have one? As far as I know it has just about a score and five beds, provision for day surgery, a minor injury unit (no A&E) and serves as a base for community health provision.

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lindaf says...
10:39am Sun 15 Jul 12

mimseycal wrote:
lindaf wrote:
mimseycal wrote:
My condolences with the family and friends.

Not sure asking how she was able to walk out is all that useful. A hospital is not a prison and we cannot expect nursing staff to act as custodians.
She was in a 'secure' unit...
Does Uckfield have one? As far as I know it has just about a score and five beds, provision for day surgery, a minor injury unit (no A&E) and serves as a base for community health provision.
Yes Uckfield does have a secure unit.

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Confused again! says...
11:48am Sun 15 Jul 12

As a nurse I am a little miffed by some of the comments, this may have been a secure unit but how many patients and how many nurses? Having worked in secure units, quite often you will have 25 patients and 3 nurses and you cant be in all places at once, the doors are always locked and have a key number in order for the doors to be opened, I am not for one minute condoning what has happened here and am very sad to hear this lady has lost her life, but feel it needs pointing out that there are not just nurses in these secure units, family, friends and other workers from the hospital (newspaper sellers, cleaners, volunteers etc) all have access in and out of the doors to the unit, whilst the patients themselves are unlikely to be able to get out of the unit themselves they can quite easily walk out with other people, I worked on one unit where a patient managed to walk out with a volunteer because the volunteer thought the patient was a relative and not a patient and held the door for them, my point being that its not just the nurses reponsibility but everyone who enters and leaves the unit to ensure they do not let anyone else out with them, we do not know the full story here and I am sure there will be a full investigation into how this lady managed to get out of the secure unit. For now I offer my sincere condolences to the ladys family and I hope they get all the answers they need, may she R.I.P.

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claremoss says...
3:41pm Mon 16 Jul 12

lindaf wrote:
Very sad, thoughts are with her family. It has to be asked how she was able to just walk out and not be noticed. R.I.P. Maureen.
I am a Ward Sister and do not have eyes in the back of my head, nor enough nurses to safely look after everyone. This must be very upsetting for the family AND the nurses who will no doubt feel guilty.

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