Antigonish County District RCMP charges woman in relation to breach of the Personal Health Information Act

May 16, 2024
Antigonish, Nova Scotia

News release

Antigonish County District RCMP has charged a woman under the Personal Health Information Act following an investigation into a complaint received in April.

On April 10, Antigonish County District RCMP responded to a complaint regarding a potential breach of the Personal Health Information Act at a local hospital over a period of about five months.

Consistent with the health authority's internal investigation, the subsequent RCMP investigation, which was led by the Antigonish Street Crime Enforcement Unit, indicates that an admitting clerk at the hospital viewed 2690 patient records between May 1 and October 4, 2023. The patient records were not pertinent to the clerk's duties at the hospital.

The Antigonish County District RCMP has charged 30-year-old Sarah Emily Dewolfe of Antigonish with wilfully gaining or attempting to gain access to health information in contravention of the Personal Health Information Act (Section 106).

The investigation is ongoing; however, there is no evidence at this time to indicate that Dewolfe disclosed the patient records.

Dewolfe is scheduled to appear in Antigonish Provincial Court on July 17 at 9:30 a.m.

File #: 2024-499902

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Contact information

Cpl. Guillaume Tremblay
Public Information Officer
Nova Scotia RCMP
rcmpns-grcne@rcmp-grc.gc.ca

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