THE mental health trust that runs Green Lane Hospital in Devizes is waiting for the outcome of an inquest before it will comment on the death of patient Benjamin Smart.

Mr Smart, 27, from Chippenham, died on September 8 just hours after he was admitted to the hospital for observation.

An inquest which opened in Salisbury on September 24 found that Mr Smart died of single incision to his neck. It was adjourned to a later date when a full hearing will record a verdict.

But a member of hospital staff who contacted the Gazette has raised serious concerns about the level of staffing at the hospital.

It is understood Mr Smart was given a single room and during the evening was left unattended for around 14 minutes. During this time he went into the bathroom and managed to cut himself.

Mr Smart was found covered in blood by a member of staff and was airlifted to hospital where he later died of his injuries.

The staff member who contacted the Gazette was concerned about the amount of time it took to get Mr Smart into a condition where he could be airlifted because he says there was a mix up over the strength of drugs administered.

He also points out that there was a lack of heavy duty wound dressings at the hospital to treat serious wounds and he complained about the lack of counselling available for staff at the hospital who had to cope with the traumatic incident.

A spokesman for Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership said: "We would like to offer our sincere condolences to the family of Benjamin Smart.

"As we are assisting with the ongoing coroner’s inquiry it would be inappropriate for us to comment further at this stage."

The family of Mr Smart said in a death notice in the Gazette: "Ben Of Chippenham, passed suddenly away on 8th September 2015, aged 27 years. He will be sadly missed by all his family and friends. Donations if desired for Wiltshire Mind."