Labtests' latest balls up - woman gets wrong results

Chris Price was expecting her blood test results, but she wasn't expecting to have her gender reassigned. Photo / Herald on Sunday

Embattled medical testing company Labtests faced more embarrassment yesterday after it emerged a woman had received results diagnosing prostate problems.

Type-2 diabetic Chris Price, 63, went for her six-monthly blood test at the company's Papakura branch. Price's GP told her it would have to be redone because it showed problems with her prostate - a gland only in men.

"I didn't realise I'd changed sex overnight," she said.

Labtests has received stinging criticism since taking over the Auckland community testing contract from Diagnostic Medlab in August.

The Health and Disability Commissioner has referred about a dozen complaints to Health Minister Tony Ryall.

Labtests yesterday apologised to patients who had experienced difficulties. Medical director Dr Richard Lloydd said they took "full responsibility".

Auckland District Health Board chairman Pat Snedden said last night that he had summoned the bosses of Labtests' parent company, Healthscope, to Auckland this morning.

"Labtests have got to pick up their act," he said.