You're pregnant, grandfather told

Mr Goodship underwent heart tests

A 73-year-old grandfather with a heart condition was told by his local hospital that he was pregnant.

Maurice Goodship received the good news when he was discharged from the Royal United Hospital, Bath, after undergoing four days of tests for a heart condition.

On discharge he was given a letter to take to his GP detailing his medication - and discovered that it said that he was pregnant.

The hospital has now told Mr Goodship, a retired electricity worker, that the mistake was due to a typing error.

We thought if they can get that wrong, what about more important things

Pat Goodship, wife

His wife, Pat, said: "When we saw it we just could not believe what we read.

"To begin with we just could not stop laughing it was so comical.

"But then we thought if they can get that wrong, what about more important things?

"What if they got someone's medication wrong for example?

"It's very worrying really."

Mrs Goodship said the hospital has told them it was a typing error but has still not apologised directly to them.

Her husband collapsed earlier this year and tests showed he had a heart murmur and was anaemic.

He has had a range of tests on his heart and blood but doctors still do not seem to know what is the root cause of his problem.

Mrs Goodship said: "We just want to get to the bottom of it so we can continue with our lives."

Mrs Goodship has written to Prime Minister Tony Blair about her husband's case.