A HOSPITAL has revealed the wrong body has been released to a family and cremated for a second time.

In December, South Wales Argus exclusively revealed a family had to hold a second funeral after a mix-up of bodies released at the Grange University Hospital in Cwmbran.

Now the health board which runs the hospital, Aneurin Bevan, has revealed a second case has occurred at the same hospital.

The health board says it is “truly devastated” as this mistake happened days prior to a body being wrongly released.

The health board say this case took so long to come to light because there is no known family of the body wrongly released.

They say they have been in touch with the family affected.

A spokesperson for Aneurin Bevan University Health Board said: “We are truly devastated for the family involved in this incident and we are deeply sorry that this has happened in our mortuary.

“It is with deep regret that this incident occurred within days prior to a similar incident already reported and was due to the same human error.

“Our initial investigation has just been completed and we are now further investigating the circumstances surrounding this second incident that occurred around the same time in similar circumstances.

“We have taken appropriate action since November within the mortuary setting and have put in place even more safeguards due to this second case. 

“We have also conducted a retrospective audit to ensure that there are no further cases that mirror this incident and we have also asked the Human Tissue Authority to undertake a follow-up audit on our systems and processes for further reassurance.

“We have met with the family to fully inform them about this situation and to offer them as much support as they need.

“We have been informed that there is no known family of the other patient and this is the reason there has been a delay in this case being identified.”

Councillors Kevin Etheridge and George Edwards-Etheridge, who have been having meetings with the health board and are still in detailed discussion with them on the first case reported of a wrong body released, said they were “dismayed” to learn it is not a one-off incident.

In a joint statement, the councillors, of the Blackwood ward, said: “We are appalled and dismayed to learn this has happened a second time and request a public inquiry as these catastrophic errors are totally unacceptable.”

The health board added: “We will keep family members fully updated throughout our continuing investigation.

“We are deeply sorry, and our thoughts and full support remain with the family.”