THE devastated mother of a man who committed suicide hours after telling Countess of Chester Hospital staff he would take his own life hopes lessons have been learned from his death.
Robert William Vasey, 23, of no fixed address, formerly of Eccleston Avenue in Ellesmere Port, stepped out in front of a recovery truck on Liverpool Road in Chester after leaving the Countess of Chester Hospital on the morning of February 25, 2010.
An inquest held on Monday and Tuesday at Warrington Coroner’s Court heard how hours earlier he’d been allowed to discharge himself, despite telling nurses that someone was ‘after him with an axe’ and that he would kill himself.
Marion Hughes, the Countess’s emergency department consultant, said the hospital had learned from the tragedy as part of its ongoing improvement drive.
She said: “We did not have psychiatric staff on the premises at all times but it is one of the improvements we have put in since then, to call on them as a medical resource.”
Mr Vasey’s mother Wendy Pinnington, of Little Sutton, said: “I cannot believe it has taken the death of my son for this to have been put in.”
She added: “Words cannot describe the loss of my son, I will cherish memories of Rob growing up with his devoted and loving brother Greg.
“I take comfort in believing he is in heaven with loved ones and will always stay forever young.
“Two years and two months since I lost my son, and at last I have some closure. I just hope and pray that lessons have been learned, and any persons asking for help in this way will get the attention and treatment they deserve.
“Out of something bad, at least something good will come.”
The inquest heard Mr Vasey had called for an ambulance service the previous night, complaining of chest pains and being in an agitated state.
When he was initially examined by Countess staff, who suggested he would benefit from a psychiatrist, Mr Vasey was relaxed and deemed mentally fit.
But after a four-hour wait, Mr Vasey said he wanted to leave the hospital. He absconded for more than an hour before returning at 3.15am.
Countess nurse Christine Downey, giving evidence in the inquest, said: “On this occasion he (Mr Vasey) appeared pale and looked anxious, and thought his drink had been spiked. He said somebody was after him with an axe and he would kill himself. Once patients say that, I have to inform them if they leave the hospital I will call the police.”
Hospital security was called in an attempt to coax Mr Vasey back into the hospital, but he left and police were called.
PC Michela Burns of Cheshire police later spotted Mr Vasey by Liverpool Road, but he evaded her after a brief chase, and a dog patrol was requested.
HGV driver Neil Edwards, who was driving the truck at the time of the incident at 10am, said: “I saw Mr Vasey outside The Frog pub as I was driving along, I checked my mirrors and checked my speed and then I saw him mid-stride right in front of my vehicle. I couldn’t do anything to avoid him.”
Following the jury-led inquest, Cheshire coroner Nicolas Rheinberg said: “My Vasey took his own life while the balance of his mind was disturbed.”
