Mould, which would "have ultimately impacted the health of staff and patients" of the Island's only mental health hospital, was completely cleaned-up during a maintenance programme.

This according to a Bermuda Hospitals Board (BHB) spokesperson in response to a press release from Cold Jet, the company which supplied the tools to clean the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute (MWI).

Cold Jet, issued a press release that was circulated on the newswires that stated the centre had become "infested" with mould and they had been hired to clean it up.

In the press release, Gene Cook, the president and CEO of Cold Jet said: "For Mid-Atlantic, we were able to eliminate a problem that could have ultimately impacted the health of staff and patients. Once mould starts to grow, it has to be removed quickly."

The BHB spokesperson, however, said the cleaning was centred in one building for the Learning Disability clients and staff in the Fairview Court building — and was now completely cleared up.

"The project undertaken by Jet and Best Restorations, Inc. was in the Fairview Court building at the Mid-Atlantic Wellness Institute (MWI), where our Learning Disability clients are cared for," she said.

"The clean described was only one component of a full renovation and maintenance project, which was initiated in November 2007.

"The renovated facility is expected to open in the coming weeks to provide our Learning Disability clients and staff with a high-quality, purpose-designed home."

In the press release from Cold Jet it stated that: "As a result of problems caused by a shoddy HVAC system installed years earlier, Mid-Atlantic staff members began to notice dark mould stains on the walls and ceilings, as well as its distinct mould smell, in several areas of the centre.

"During the initial mould inspection, Best Restoration (the general contractor who managed the hospital cleaning) found mould on the underside of the ceiling tiles, on the untreated dry wall and all over the cedar used throughout the ceiling frame."

Dennis Moloney, president of Best Restoration, the general contractor which specialises in mould remediation, water and fire damage mitigation and insurance restoration and used the Cold Jet tools for the MWI project said the project started in January and was completed at the end of April this year.

He added that: "The building was retrofitted and wasn't equipped for the air conditioning when they were built. Overtime it became a situation that had to be rectified.

"Everybody should be pleased with the results."

According to the BHB, the mould removal was part of renovations of three wards in the Fairview Court building last year and required that the 19 elderly patients being cared for in the centre's Reid Ward were relocated to the Sylvia Richardson Home's Alzheimer Unit.

Explaining the move, the BHB said that persistent leaks in the roof and mechanical systems of the Fairview Court wards, where the learning disability clients were housed.

These patients were then relocated to the freed-up beds in the Reid Ward area while work was done on the central air conditioning and electrical system while ceiling and roof sections were replaced.

Both Fairview Court and Reid Ward were then both renovated and painted to improve the physical environment before patients return.