Onchan man who killed himself not deemed suicide risk by Mental Health Services

The inquest into the death of 35-year-old Onchan man Christopher Burrows has resumed at Douglas courthouse today.

Mental Health Service staff have been giving evidence, after the care Mr Burrows received was criticised by his mother Lynn Burrows yesterday.

Christopher Burrows suffered from chronic fatigue syndrome, which caused him to become depressed.

Dr Hammad Khan told the inquest he saw Mr Burrows at Grianagh Court in February, April and June 2011.

Mr Burrows tried unsuccesfully to take his own life on June 13.

The next day he asked to leave the facility and was allowed to do so.

He was not judged to be a suicide risk.

Mr Burrows hanged himself two days later on June 16.

No written care plan was provided to his mother on his discharge.

And no risk assessement document was compiled by the doctors, which would have been normal practice.

The inquest then heard from Christopher Burrows's care co-ordinator Pauline Keenan.

Mrs Keenan suggested the various areas of the Mental Health Services did not use the same method of recording information of care about a patient.

This meant Mr Burrows's care programme approach was not updated from April.

Mrs Keenan thought he needed longer at Grainagh Court after his first suicide attempt on June 13.

Coroner of Inquests John Needham asked Mrs Keenan if Mr Burrows was a significant risk to himself

She said yes.

Mr Needham asked would this not be grounds for compulsary admission under the Mental Health Act, ie. being sectioned.

She said, possibly, but didn't think it was her job to say so.

At a clinical meeting on June 16, sectioning was not discussed by Mental Health Services staff.

Mr Burrows killed himself later that day.

The inquest continues this afternoon, when it will hear from two more Mental Health Services staff.