Tragic death of man at Wigan park as he waited for ADHD assessment
A man who struggled with his mental health died at a Wigan park 18 months after asking to be assessed for ADHD, an inquest heard.
Lewis Bamber, 25, was taking medication and receiving therapy for anxiety and depression, but suspected he may also have attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
His mum Emma Bamber told an inquest at Bolton Coroner’s Court that she had been trying to have him assessed for the condition since he was 10 years old.
Lewis asked his GP at Lostock Hall Medical Centre, in Preston, for an assessment in January 2023 and after completing a screening questionnaire, the referral was made in early February.
But Dr Muhammed Mazakar Rasool told the inquest the wait to be seen by the specialist ADHD team at that time was “between one and two years”.
He said GPs could not diagnose ADHD or initiate any medication for those suspected to have the condition.
Lewis was still waiting to be assessed by the team when his body was found by a dog walker at Haigh Woodland Park on July 23.
A post-mortem examination confirmed he died by hanging and a police investigation did not find any evidence of third-party involvement.
Lewis was born in Billinge and grew up in New Springs. He moved to Lostock Hall with his family in 2021, but continued to spend a lot of time in Wigan, often staying with friends.
The inquest heard he completed a landscaping course after leaving school and then did various jobs, from warehouses to bar work.
He enjoyed snooker, football, music and playing on his Xbox.
But he struggled with his mental health, sometimes missing work as a result, struggling to sleep and dwelling on things, the court heard.
He was referred to Wigan’s specialist community mental health team for support in early 2020, before being discharged later in the year.
Dr Rasool said Lewis registered with his practice in April 2022 and at his first appointment that November he reported he was taking anti-depressant mirtazapine, which is used for anxiety and depression.
He was referred for psychological therapy in December 2022, which seemed to have some benefit, and his medication was changed to sertraline at his request in December 2023 as he felt mirtazapine was not helping him and was disrupting his sleep
The dose was increased in February 2024 and his mental health seemed to be improving in March, Dr Rasool said, so no further reviews were done.
Concluding the inquest, coroner Peter Sigee recorded Lewis died by self-suspension “whilst overwhelmed by the effects of mental illness”.
He said: “It cannot be determined what the outcome of the ADHD assessment would have been or whether this would have led to additional care and treatment being provided which would have enabled a different outcome to be achieved.”
After Lewis’ death, more than £5,000 was raised through donations, raffles and a 5k run, which helped to pay for a funeral.
His family plans to use the remaining money to buy a bench at Haigh Woodland Park in his memory.
If you need to speak to someone, call Samaritans at any time on 116 123.