Eleven cases of theft from hospital have been reported this year and, in the majority of cases, the item stolen was the patient’s bedside entertainment card.

A Health Ministry spokesman said hospital staff warned patients not to leave valuables lying around and, on switching off their bedside television, a notice appears on the screen informing them to put their card away.

“Patients and their relatives are ultimately responsible for taking care of their own valuables,” the spokesman said.

The Times on Saturday reported the case of a 77-year-old Englishman whose wallet and bag were stolen while he was being resuscitated at Mater Dei Hospital’s emergency department. He was then transferred to intensive care.

More than 300 patients are seen in the emergency department daily, the hospital said last February.

The man died from heart failure after spending a week in hospital during which time he regularly asked his friend whether the wallet had been found.

It contained €200 in cash and his credit cards and towels, toiletries and a change of clothes, among other things, were in his bag. The wallet was eventually found, containing only a few coins while the bag remained missing.

When asked in what part of the hospital most of the reported thefts took place and whether the elderly were the most common victims, the spokesman said: “No specific wards… No specific profile of victims.”

In an additional comment in brackets he added: “It is very common for relatives to point fingers at each other when theft of valuables takes place from patients.”

Asked about the security measures in place, the spokesman said hospital staff informed patients admitted to hospital not to leave any valuable objects with them at the ward. Instead these should be sent home with their relatives. The hospital also offered the use of its safe for those who needed it.

Emergency department staff followed a set of standard operating procedures when dealing with unconscious patients, including placing valuables in a safe.

A “reporting police system” was also put in place at the hospital to ease the process of reporting any theft, the spokesman said.

The police at times referred to CCTV camera footage. However, cameras were not present in all parts of the hospital.