Central Health has issued notice of a privacy breach affecting hundreds of patients within the region.

The health authority says a former employee inappropriately accessed the health records of some 240 people.

Central Health launched an investigation after learning of the breach, and notified the privacy commissioner’s office.

President and CEO Andrée Robichaud offered an apology to those affected, saying they have zero tolerance for any such privacy breach.

Officials are now in the process of contacting those whose records were accessed.