Sydney hospital cremates wrong baby after mix-up

A deceased baby was cremated in Australia despite the parents wanting a burial after being incorrectly identified by a hospital staff.

Two babies — one stillborn and one miscarried — were mixed-up at Sydney's Royal North Shore Hospital last year due to a blanket obscuring the ID tag.

The parents of the stillborn baby girl had intended to bury her.

The other baby was cremated, in accordance with the family's wishes.

Counselling and support were offered to the parents of both babies, according to deputy secretary NSW health Susan Pearce.

A spokesperson for Royal North Shore Hospital apologised and offered sincere condolences to the parents and families involved.

"A full investigation was undertaken and the families were fully informed of its outcome," the spokesperson said in a statement.

"A number of measures have since been put in place to avoid a similar mistake being repeated in the future," the statement read.

New South Wales health minister Jillian Skinner apologised for the incident.

"I'm devastated for them and I'm really sorry that such an incident occurred," she told a budget estimates committee.