Mum calls for law change after tragedy
11:30am Tuesday 17th August 2010 in News By Scott McPherson
Luke Bitmead, who died after being released from hospital, was a promising author whose novel White Summer was published
DETERMINED Elaine Hanson has made it her mission to change the law after her son leapt from the top of a multi-storey car park in Swindon town centre after being released from hospital.
Elaine, whose husband, brother-in-law and father-in-law have all committed suicide, wants the law changed so that a mentally ill person is put into the care of a member of their family when admitted to hospital – much like the system in America.
Luke, who was 34 when he died in 2006, was not sectioned as he was due to be airlifted to Birmingham Hospital for a liver transplant – but this was later cancelled and he was escorted from the Great Western Hospital in his pyjamas.
Later that day, he jumped from the top floor of the Brunel West car park.
Elaine said: “I am determined to turn my tragedy into something positive for other families.
“With the high suicide rate in our family, there is quite possibly a genetic link and this should have been picked up by the hospital.
“The biggest mistake was that he was allowed to leave the hospital and even escorted off the premises.
“I think the whole system in the UK needs to change. There is not enough done to help people like Luke.
“In America, people who cannot be sectioned themselves have to be signed into someone’s care.
“I think if this was the law in this country then Luke would still be here as he would have been in my care.”
After Luke came to live with his mother in 1998, she decided to train as a psychodynamic counsellor to use her family’s experiences to help other people.
Elaine and her family still have the agonising wait for Luke’s inquest to be concluded. After waiting four years for his inquest to begin last month, they were then told they would have to wait until later this year for the conclusion because of a backlog of inquests in the county.
Elaine is using her experience to call on the Government to implement a system to have inquests heard sooner.
She said: “The waiting and the delays just add to the stress of what is happening. I think more needs to be done to make the process straightforward.”
For information on Elaine and Luke, visit www.luke bitmead.com.
'My unhappy experience was similar’
SINCE the Adver ran the story about Luke Bitmead’s family waiting more than four years to his inquest, another Swindon family has come forward with a similar tale.
Mum Di Milner tragically lost her daughter Jodie, 22, in similar circumstances in 2006 and had to wait until February 2010 for her inquest to be concluded.
She said: “I, like Luke’s mum became very angry about the treatment received from the Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Trust and the amount of time it took for the inquest to come to court.
“I employed a solicitor to ensure that I got all the answers I could, as the whole process is very intimidating.
“This has cost me £8,000 – this was after a discount and would have been more if the barrister hadn’t offered his services for free.
“I have always kept a dignified silence about our situation, but recently as I read and hear more about similar circumstances it makes me want highlight the failings of Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Trust and the state of the coronial service in Wiltshire due to a number of different things.”
