If you’ve received wound care at one of four ParaMed Flex Clinics in London in the past 10 years, public health officials want you to ask your health-care provider about blood testing.
The Middlesex-London Health Unit says public health inspectors found wound care instruments at the facilities were being reused without sterilization or high-level disinfecting between patients.
The investigation was sparked by a complaint about a “lack of cleanliness in clinical spaces.”
The health unit is urging clients to consult their doctors about precautionary testing for Hepatitis B, Hepatitis C and HIV.
“Although the risk in this situation is not zero, it is very low,” says Dr. Alex Summers, associate medical officer of health with the MLHU. “ParaMed has taken appropriate steps to protect patients going forward.”
In a media release, the MLHU emphasizes that inspectors saw a lapse in infection prevention protocol but that “no blood-borne infections have been diagnosed and linked to the ParaMed Flex Clinics.”
It goes on to say that even if there are positive blood test results, it might be impossible to determine whether they are the result of practices at a ParaMed location or from other exposures.
ParaMed will be contacting all current and past patients by mail starting today, and the MLHU says patients can get more information by calling ParaMed directly at 1-888-746-5511.
ParaMed has four locations in London: 124 Barker St., 148 Fullarton St. in Talbot Centre, 785 Wonderland Rd. South in Westmount Mall and 1340 Huron St. in the Kensington Village Long-Term Care Home.
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