By Sarah Nicholls

Last updated at 12:41, Thursday, 11 October 2012

The family of a part-time DJ who strangled himself with a belt had no idea he had talked of suicide until the day before his death, an inquest heard.

James Rooney

James Francis Rooney, 57, of Broadacres, High Harrington, died on October 25, 2010, after he was admitted to the West Cumberland Hospital in Whitehaven.

A goodbye note to his family was found at the house.

An inquest heard that six days earlier he had been referred to the crisis team at Cumbria Partnership NHS Foundation Trust after telling his GP, unprompted, that he did not want to kill himself. His words made her feel he may be contemplating suicide.

At the hearing in Workington, North and West Cumbria coroner David Roberts said: “Mr Rooney took his own life while the balance of his mind was disturbed.”

He said there was no evidence of neglect or gross failure on the part of the medical staff treating him.

Mr Rooney’s sister, Elizabeth Cattanach, told the inquest that the family were never told he had mentioned self-harm.

They only found out because later on October 24 she and her sister Marie Scott were present when crisis practitioner Tony Walker visited an anxious Mr Rooney and the talk of suicide was discussed.

Mrs Cattanach, who had taken her brother to counselling and hospital appointments in the weeks before he died, said: “I was kept completely out of the loop.”

Between May and October 2010 he visited his GP many times.

Despite tests showing no physical problem, he maintained something was eating at him from inside.

His GP, Dr Angela Peel-White, felt his problems stemmed from anxiety and depression, and referred him to the First Step mental health team in August 2010. He was also prescribed anti-depressants.

His condition continued to cause concern and on October 18 Mr Rooney made the comments about suicide to his doctor.

She immediately referred him to the mental health crisis team.

Mr Rooney had 17 visits or phone contacts with that team in the subsequent week, the inquest heard.

The practitioners who saw him said they had questioned him about the risk of suicide but he had reassured them he had no plans to harm himself.

On October 23 he told crisis practitioner Carolyn Doggart he had thought about taking off in his car to get away. The next day he added that he had thought about driving into water.

On October 24 crisis practitioner Tony Walker felt Mr Rooney should not stay at home any more because of his clinical needs. He judged his patient to have a low risk of suicide.

Mr Rooney was accepted into the Croftlands Trust unit at Lowther Street, Whitehaven on October 25 but was found dead that morning.

Mr Walker said he felt “poleaxed” when he found out what had happened.

He added: “He co-operated with the treatment. He’d been engaged with us.”

The health workers who treated Mr Rooney said confidentiality meant they could not disclose information to relatives without the patient’s permission.

A post-mortem showed that Mr Rooney died from an overdose of antidepressants and asphyxia. Underlying heart disease was also a factor.

An investigation by the NHS trust after Mr Rooney’s death resulted in nine recommendations being implemented.

First published at 12:37, Thursday, 11 October 2012
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk