A 'BRILLIANT dad' stepped in front of a train almost immediately after being told he was not yet 'at the bottom' during a mental health assessment, an inquest heard.
Christopher Crosthwaite died aged 40 after he stepped onto the railway line near Furness Abbey having come out of a mental health assessment at Dane Garth at Furness General Hospital on October 12 2021.
Cockermouth Coroner's Court heard he had struggled with his mental health for several years, previously experiencing psychosis and being sectioned.
The inquest, which is yet to be completed, heard Mr Crosthwaite attended an appointment at the mental health unit at around 4pm on the day.
At that time his partner Jennifer Thomson said she asked if he was going to be admitted and was told by mental health practitioner Jayne Braithwaite that it would depend on her assessment.
Mr Crosthwaite's partner said she was told she could not sit it on the appointment for Covid-related reasons so she made the short drive home to pick up some 'bits and pieces' during the consultation, which was expected to last up to 90 minutes.
The court was played footage of Mr Crosthwaite's appointment with Ms Braithwaite, in which she advised him seeing his GP may be more appropriate.
During the meeting, he told her his mental health had been deteriorating, that he was experiencing brain fog, that he had been under pressure and stress and was struggling to sleep.
He was asked if he had any thoughts of harming himself or others but told Ms Braithwaite: 'No'.
She told him she was not 'belittling' his experience but 'your first port of call is the GP', the inquest heard.
Ms Braithwaite also told Mr Crosthwaite: "You're not at the bottom yet."
She gave him the number of the 24-hour emergency line and told him to get back in touch if he needed help.
On her drive home, Ms Thomson said she received a call from Ms Braithwaite telling her her partner had been discharged and that he had left the hospital and was walking home to Walney.
He did not have his phone or wallet with him, she said.
Describing her reaction, she told the inquest: "I said: 'What do you mean he's left?'.
"I was really cross. I said 'how could you just let him leave?'."
She said she told the practitioner of Mr Crosthwaite's mental health history. She said Ms Braithwaite told her she was not aware of that information.
Concerned for her partner after the appointment, Ms Thomson set about finding him and asked family and friends to search for him, the inquest heard.
He was later found by a friend at the Furness Abbey railway tunnel having been struck by a train heading towards to Barrow.
In a statement read in court, the train's driver said he applied the emergency brake when he saw Mr Crosthwaite come out from beside the railway line at the tunnel but was unable to stop in time.
Police and paramedics later attended the scene and Mr Crosthwaite was pronounced dead shortly after 6.45pm.
Ms Thomson told the inquest her partner had previously expressed thoughts of taking his own life.
Under questioning at the inquest, Ms Braithwaite told the hearing Mr Crosthwaite did not present as someone who was at risk of harming himself.
Ms Braithwaite said: "I genuinely did not think he was suicidal. He was quite adamant about that," adding: "I didn't feel he was in crisis."
Questioned by the coroner Kirsty Gomersal, she accepted she interrupted Mr Crosthwaite on occasions and admitted she did not know how to access legacy records relating to him.
She also said she believed Mr Crosthwaite's partner would be waiting for him after the appointment.
Ms Braithwaite told the inquest her workload at the time was too great and that the department had been receiving several inappropriate referrals.
The inquest is due to continue at a later date, with evidence the Lancashire and South Cumbria NHS Foundation Trust expected to be heard.
- Anyone feeling distressed or suicidal can call the Samaritans helpline on 116 123
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