The Sandys Parish Rest Home issued a statement yesterday denying that it is under investigation by the Health Department.

Bermuda Broadcasting on Thursday night ran a report saying that a long absence by the facility's administrator had prompted a Health Department probe to discover if the care of patients had been put at risk.

But chairman of the Rest Home, Eugene Maybury, said yesterday that the Health department had actually been assisting the governing body with the "staffing difficulty'' and that the report of an investigation was "completely untrue''.

He admitted that the home's administrator had been on extended leave but explained that it was medically related.

"She left initially in the middle of February and has been in and out a few times since then,'' he said.

Mr. Maybury was also careful to point out that the health and welfare of patients had not been compromised due to the staffing glitch.

He noted that at least one geriatric aide was on duty at all times in the facility and that the community nurse made regular calls. "A public health nurse continues to make routine visits to the rest home to dispense medication and provide other nursing services,'' he said.

The actual daily running and management of the home had been undertaken by the members of the governing body themselves, according to Mr. Maybury.

"At least one of us actually goes to the home every day and no major decisions can be made by anyone at the home unless one of us is contacted,'' he said.

"It is a bit awkward, but we do not feel that the health of any of the patients has been put in jeopardy,'' he continued.

He revealed that a staff restructuring of the home was being worked on with a view to making it comply with anticipated rest home regulations expected to be implemented by the Health Minister by the end of the year.

Admitting that the present matron, Marilyn Philip, was not a registered nurse or geriatric aide, Mr. Maybury revealed that under the restructuring a registered nurse would be put in the post.

"We want to improve our service levels and quality of care but the pacing is slow,'' he said.

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