Lapses in infection prevention at London, Ont. clinics may affect 880 clients

LONDON, Ont. -- A health-care company says it is telling 880 people who received wound care at its clinics in London, Ont., to consider precautionary testing after the local health unit raised concerns about infection prevention.

The Middlesex-London Health Unit says clients of four ParaMed Flex Clinics will be advised to speak to their health-care providers about the possible need for blood testing.

The health unit says it identified a lapse in infection prevention and control practices that could put patients treated between 2008 and July 27 at a very low risk of contracting a blood-borne infection.

It says health inspectors found inadequate cleaning of devices used in wound-care services and wound-care instruments being re-used without sterilization following a complaint about a lack of cleanliness.

The health unit says ParaMed will be notifying patients and advising them to consult with a doctor about precautionary testing for hepatitis B, hepatitis C and HIV.

ParaMed and the health unit say the problems have been addressed and the health unit says no blood-borne infections have been diagnosed and linked to the ParaMed Flex Clinics.

"It may also be impossible to determine whether positive blood test results, if any, resulted from procedures performed at a particular location or if they are due to other exposures," the health unit said Monday in a release.

"Although the risk in this situation is not zero, it is very low," said Dr. Alex Summers, associate medical officer of health with the Middlesex-London Health Unit. "ParaMed has taken appropriate steps to protect patients going forward."

ParaMed spokeswoman Cindy Hitsman said ParaMed is "deeply concerned" about the issue at the London clinics.

"We are advising our clients that did receive treatment at these clinics, that they may want to consider precautionary testing for infectious diseases," Hitsman said.

Internal audits have been conducted on all of ParaMed's other clinics across the province, she said.

"We are confident that their practices are in accordance with Public Health Ontario guidelines, standards and requirements."