CREDIT: JOCELYN WONG
At a media conference at Victoria Hospital on June 5, Dr. Paul Woods of London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) and Const. Michelle Romano of the London Police Service (LPS) discussed the drug and sexual assault allegations made towards medical technician Vincent Gauthier.

A June 5 press release from the London Police Service (LPS) announced that twenty-four-year-old Vincent Gauthier, of London, Ont., was charged with one count of sexual assault and one count of overcoming resistance by administering or attempting to administer a drug.

Gauthier was a medical technician at London Health Sciences Centre (LHSC) since 2015 and was terminated. The arrest was made after a woman reported being sedated during an electroencephalogram (EEG) on April 11 and when she woke up she was being sexually assaulted.

The LPS are concerned that there are other victims and encourage those who have concerns about similar experiences to contact the London police immediately. At a media conference on June 5, Dr. Paul Woods, president and CEO of the LHSC said that he is, “personally devastated” by the situation. 

According to Woods it is rare that sedation is administered during an EEG procedure.

“We [LHSC] want to emphasize that the actions of the alleged in this case do not reflect the professionalism or values of our hospital and its thousands of caring employees and physicians,” Woods said.

According to Woods, LHSC will be proactively reaching out to [roughly] 838 patients, both adult and pediatric, that have been under the care of Gauthier during his employment.

LHSC also wants to clearly communicate that patients are permitted to have a family member or friend with them during procedures.

“As a leader of LHSC I want to ensure the public that there is zero tolerance for this type of behaviour. This type of accusation represents the most serious breach of trust between healthcare provider and patient,” Woods said. “Our primary concern at this time is for the patient involved in this alleged incident.”

At the time of the press conference and according to Const. Michelle Romano, relief media relations officer for LPS, there will not be a photo released of Gauthier as it is an investigative detail. LHSC and LPS are committed to protecting the identity of the patient involved.

“The key message here that the London police really want to stress is if there is anyone out there that feel they may also have encountered a similar incident to please contact the London police and it will be investigated,” Romano said. Gauthier has been released from custody and will appear in London court on July third. To speak with a detective in the Sexual Assault and Child Abuse Section of the LPS, contact 519-661-5670. To reach the toll free patient information line contact 1-888-443-9202.