EDMONTON- A south Edmonton laser clinic has been shut down by Alberta Health Services (AHS) due to sanitation and basic hygiene concerns.
Ultra Medic Laser Skin Studio, located at 91st Street and 23rd Avenue, has been the centre of numerous investigations by Global News over the past few years.
The clinic, which had a sign on the door Friday stating the clinic is “temporarily undergoing renovations,” has been shut down by AHS, after basic hygiene measures were not followed.
“Things like not putting hand gel on his hands, not putting a new set of gloves on, not washing his hands before and after every patient. Staff changing out the rooms inappropriately, so not disinfecting the surfaces. So when you go in for your procedure there’s still the previous clients germs on the table or on the devices,” said Jason MacDonald, an environmental health officer with AHS.
“We found basic infection control measures not being done, and this is not the first time we’ve talked to the operator about that,” MacDonald added.
MacDonald says AHS has received several complaints from clients of the clinic, and officials have been inspecting the facility on a routine basis. He says the most recent complaint came from a client who says he was burned during a procedure.
After issuing a warning letter and an order, AHS says it had no choice but to shut down the clinic.
“At that point I just didn’t feel comfortable leaving the place open. It was time to say you’re closed indefinitely until we’re satisfied,” said MacDonald.
He says AHS’ primary concerns are the lack of disinfection of surfaces and equipment, as well as a lack of hand hygiene.
“Visibly dirty instruments, too. We’re highly offended by that,” MacDonald explained. “When you go in and there’s a surface visibly dirty, and (clients) are going in expecting to look beautiful and come out healthy and happy, yet somebody else’s stuff has touched them, that’s the basics of health control.”
AHS has given the owner of the clinic, Sukhdove Seehra, a list of requirements he must fulfill before he can reopen the clinic.
“We’ll allow him to reopen once he meets the conditions of our order,” MacDonald said.
With files from Julie Matthews.
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