Aneurin Bevan University Health Board has issued a public apology after 21 patients at the Royal Gwent Hospital in Newport were subjected to operations and examinations using surgical instruments that had not been fully sterilised on 25 and 26 February 2026.
What happened?
On 24 February, the instruments in question completed the initial cleaning and disinfection stages but did not go through the final sterilisation phase before being returned to clinical use. Those instruments were then used during procedures at the Royal Gwent Hospital over the following two days, potentially exposing 21 patients to the risk of blood-borne viruses. The most common blood-borne viruses include HIV, Hepatitis B and Hepatitis C.
The error was discovered during a routine check on 27 February. However, patients were not contacted until 16 March, almost three weeks after the health board became aware of the problem.
The response
The health board has stated that, whilst the clinical risk of blood-borne virus exposure is “extremely low,” precautionary testing and support have been arranged for all those affected. Nicola Prygodzicz, Chief Executive of Aneurin Bevan University Health Board, confirmed that the instruments were immediately withdrawn and fully reprocessed once the issue was identified, and a full investigation is now underway.
Despite these assurances, the reaction has been swift and critical. Llais, the body representing people across health and social care in Wales, emphasised that health boards have a duty to keep people safe and to be open and take prompt action when things go wrong. Plaid Cymru described the failings as “terrifying,” whilst the Welsh Conservatives’ health spokesman called the incident “a serious breach of care” and insisted that “an apology alone is not good enough”.
