Parents' panic as baby 'given the wrong name tag' at Dudley's Russells Hall Hospital

Gemma Evans said she was gripped by panic when she noticed the tag and had to double-check that it was her son Tyler.

She today criticised the hospital and said she could easily have taken home the wrong child.

Russells Hall bosses said an investigation had been launched.

Tyler was born last Thursday and was kept in until Tuesday when he was discharged.

It was only later that day while changing him that Miss Evans, aged 26, from Netherton, noticed he still had his nametag attached – and to her horror that it had the wrong name on.

She said: "I was changing him and I realised he had the wrong nametag on his foot.

"I was shocked and angry, I just couldn't believe it.

"He could have gone home with the wrong family and we could have lost him.

"I was kind of panicking and I did think for a minute 'have I got the right baby?'"

"How can they make such a mistake? When the baby is being released how can they not check the name tag before the baby is taken home?"

Miss Evans said she and her partner Zeke Kennan, 21, had more serious concerns about whether their son had been mistaken for another child while undergoing tests in hospital.

He was kept in following his birth via a caesarian section because of a chest infection.

"She said: "What if they got the blood mixed up too – did he even have an infection?

"He seems alright at the moment but we have still got to get him checked out. I'm really worried now."

Paula Clark, chief executive, of Dudley Group NHS Trust, which runs Russells Hall, said an investigation had been launched.

She said: "We take the safety and security of babies born and cared for at our hospital extremely seriously.

"We are undertaking a thorough investigation into concerns raised by the family of Tyler Evans.

"Unfortunately we are unable to comment further until the facts have been established and the investigation has concluded."