Hay River health authority warns of potential privacy breach after break-in at local hospital

There's been another apparent break-in at a Hay River, N.W.T., health facility, according to the Hay River Health and Social Services Authority, and this time, there may have been a privacy breach.

During the early morning hours on Monday, there was a break and enter at H.H. Williams Memorial Hospital, a Thursday news release from the health authority says.

It was discovered by a staff member later in the day and was reported to the local Hay River RCMP detachment, it says.

A preliminary investigation shows that client information may have been accessed and a Hay River health authority vehicle is missing from the property.

About a week ago, the same health authority tried to quell concerns of a privacy breach, assuring the public no client records were accessed or stolen after "an incident" at an unnamed facility on June 16.

In the news release Thursday, however, it describes the break-in as a "second" attempt at the H.H. Williams Memorial Hospital.

Thursday's release says it will continue to work closely with the RCMP and the territory's Department of Health and Social Services.

There are also "procedures under the Health Information Act" underway, the news release says, and the Office of the Information and Privacy Commissioner has also been notified.

"I want to reassure the community that we are taking these incidents very seriously. We will be directly contacting all of our clients who may have been impacted by this incident," said Erin Griffiths, CEO of the Hay River Health and Social Services Authority.

"We remain committed to protecting client information, and we are working closely with the RCMP to thoroughly investigate these incidents and we are taking immediate action to safeguard our clients' information."

As an RCMP investigation is underway for both incidents, the health authority says it cannot comment further.