Ottawa Hospital apologizes for privacy breach among unvaccinated employees
The Ottawa Hospital says it has apologized to employees whose names were mistakenly visible on a mass email to unvaccinated staff last week.
A letter from the hospital's human resources office, obtained by CTV News Ottawa, said a system-generated email sent Sept. 8 to "employees who have declined the COVID-19 vaccination" included staff email addresses in the "To" section and not as blind carbon copies.
The original email, which CTV News Ottawa has not seen, was an invitation to complete an educational module about COVID-19 vaccination.
In a statement, the Ottawa Hospital said the issue was addressed promptly.
"This past week, an email was sent from one of our software systems to a list of unvaccinated staff members, inviting them to complete a vaccine education session. The staff names were unfortunately visible," the statement said. "The email was immediately recalled and all copies were deleted. An apology and explanation was sent to the staff members affected. TOH’s Information and Privacy Office investigated the matter and reported it to the Information and Privacy Commissioner."
The hospital did not confirm how many staff members were affected, but a source told CTV News Ottawa there were 391 names on the list.
In the email to staff acknowledging the breach, the hospital said they contacted IT services to remove the original email from all inboxes, notified the hospital's privacy office, asked anyone who forwarded the email to personal accounts to delete it, conducted an investigation into how this breach happened, and contacted people who were affected.
In its statement to CTV News, the Ottawa Hospital said it expects staff to be vaccinated.
"The Ottawa Hospital expects every member of our organization to receive the vaccine, as it is an important step to ensuring the safety of everyone in our community. Educating our unvaccinated staff is an important step in that journey," the statement said.
Ottawa Hospital staff were required to receive their first dose by Sept. 7. They must have their second dose by Oct. 15.
"Health-care workers have worked tirelessly to protect our communities throughout the pandemic, and they deserve protection and support to enable them to do their jobs safely, and to the best of their abilities," TOH said.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Pat King found guilty of mischief for role in 'Freedom Convoy'
Pat King, one of the most prominent figures of the 2022 'Freedom Convoy' in Ottawa, has been found guilty on five counts including mischief and disobeying a court order.
BREAKING Quebec man, 81, gets prison sentence after admitting to killing wife with Alzheimer's disease
An 81-year-old Quebec man has been sentenced to prison after admitting to killing his wife with Alzheimer's disease.
Canada's tax relief plan: Who gets a cheque?
The Canadian government has unveiled its plans for a sweeping GST/HST pause on select items during the holiday period. The day after the announcement, questions remain on how the whole thing will work.
Canada issues travel warning after 6 people die from tainted alcohol in Laos
The Canadian government is warning travellers following the deaths of at least six people in the mass poisoning of foreign tourists in Laos after drinking tainted alcohol.
Unruly passenger duct-taped after trying to open a plane's door mid-flight
An assertive group of cross-country travellers pinned and duct-taped an unruly passenger mid-flight, after he allegedly tried to open a plane door at 30,000 feet.
Canada's new income tax brackets in 2025: What you need to know
The Canada Revenue Agency has released updated federal income tax brackets for 2025, reflecting adjustments for inflation. Here’s the breakdown.
Matt Gaetz says he's not returning to U.S. Congress next year
Former Florida Rep. Matt Gaetz, who withdrew from consideration as U.S. president-elect Donald Trump's pick for attorney general on Thursday, said Friday he will not be returning to U.S. Congress next year.
Young man arrested after 'disturbing' sexual notes left for women, B.C. RCMP say
A young man has been arrested after multiple women reported receiving “disturbing” sexual notes – or in some cases underwear – in the same Burnaby, B.C., neighbourhood over recent months, the RCMP announced Thursday.
Enslaved on OnlyFans: Women recount torment and sexual servitude
OnlyFans says it empowers content creators, particularly women, to monetize sexually explicit images and videos in a safe online environment. But a Reuters investigation found women who said they had been deceived, drugged, terrorized and sexually enslaved to make money from the site.