Human error is being blamed for a Nelson Hospital error where two patients were sent each other's private information.
The hospital made a similar error two months ago and one of the patients was the mother of a woman who died last year after a medical notes filing
mistake by the hospital, the Nelson Mail reported.
Bev Gibson, 73, of Brightwater, received papers relating to an upcoming testosterone implant for a Tahunanui man.
She said she was shocked by what had happened.
Nelson Marlborough District Health Board has blamed human error for its clerical department's latest public embarrassment.
Last month the board blamed "clerical error" after a Nelson woman was sent a letter containing the information of four other patients.
In May last year, 49-year-old Brightwater woman Glenys McLay - Mrs Gibson's daughter - died after Nelson Hospital doctors failed to recognise symptoms of complications from earlier brain surgery.
A coroner's inquest last month heard that a missing file at Nelson Hospital was the major cause of her death.
The board's chief medical adviser, Andre Nel, said changes were being put in place to stop similar errors.
But Peter McLay was not impressed and told the newspaper, after the latest blunder, that an investigation into his wife's death had sparked no significant changes to the hospital's filing system.
Mr McLay said the latest error might have had fatal consequences because incorrect medical information could have been supplied.
Nelson Hospital and DHB health services general manager Keith Rusholme said Mrs Gibson had been promptly told this week that her documentation had gone to someone else - a claim disputed by Mrs Gibson and Mr McLay.
Mr Rusholme said it had not yet been decided if the "experienced" staff member responsible for the error would face disciplinary action, but the board was "extremely sorry".
It was reviewing its filing system over the next 10 weeks, and changes would be made.
- NZPA
