Victorian health authorities have been contacted by more than 1,300 people concerned they may have been infected with hepatitis C by the suspended anaesthetist, Dr James Latham.

A total of twelve women who had undergone abortion procedures at the Croydon Day Surgery abortion clinic in Melbourne have contracted the disease from anaesthetist Dr James Latham, whose registration has since been suspended.

Dr Latham may face criminal charges following the investigations made by police on matters that occurred between June 2008 and December 2009.

Daniel Andrews, Victorian Health Minister says the chief health officer and the deputy health officer are responding to more than 1,300 phone calls made to the information line.

Mr Andrews told reporters, Just about all those people have had a phone call back.

My officials are working very hard to contact those people and dealing with their risks.

Many tests were being performed to check whether other patients had contracted the disease, he said.

We are proactively contacting patients who may be at increased risk because they were treated by this particular doctor during this particular time period.

We have contacted those patients we knew were hep C positive and referred it to Victoria Police - that's been done.

The second issue is to respond properly to the more than 1,300 patients who have rung the help line, and the third issue is to look back and contact all patients (at the clinic).

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