Police search flawed - coroner

File Photo / NZ Herald

A police search for a man who drank himself to death in 2008 after being reported missing from Wellington Hospital was seriously flawed, says Coroner Ian Smith.

Brent Young's body was found by friends on January 19, 2008, in Wellington's town belt. He died between January 15 and 17 after he had been reported missing when he left Wellington Hospital without telling staff.

Mr Young, who had a history of alcohol abuse and had been diagnosed with a mood disorder, was admitted to the hospital's short stay unit on January 14 after spending the day drinking and showing signs of suicidal thoughts.

After meeting staff the next day he left the hospital about 1pm and was reported missing.

Mr Young's family told the Coroners Court that police failed to take his search seriously and did not keep them updated with their progress.

Jeremiah Boniface, a friend of Mr Young, said police ignored advice from him suggesting he would most likely be in the town belt and instead focused their efforts on gay bars, saunas and hotels.

Mr Young rang him on January 15 and told him he was drinking in the town belt, Mr Boniface said.

Mr Smith said police had failed to properly communicate with the hospital about the danger to Mr Young's safety.

The case showed there were serious deficiencies in the way they searched for people with serious mental health issues reported missing from hospitals, he said.

"This is another matter when an urban member of the public is reported missing from a hospital complex to the police but there appears to be serious deficiencies with the process subsequent to this reported event," Mr Smith said.

A previous inquest into the July 2007 death of Andrew Perkins, who was reported missing from Porirua Hospital, also highlighted problems in the way police carried out searches, he said

Mr Smith also questioned Capital Coast District Health Board (CCDHB), saying it had failed to properly communicate with police.

He recommended CCDHB and police enter into a memorandum of understanding setting out "clear protocols" for missing hospital patients.

- NZPA