The grieving sister of a man who drowned in a park fountain hours after leaving hospital has called for doctors to have immediate access to patients’ mental health records.

John Chandler, 51, living in Kingston but originally from Teddington, was found in the Diana Fountain in Bushy Park at about 9.10am on Saturday, February 20. He was pronounced dead at the scene at 11.27am.

The night before he had been admitted to West Middlesex Hospital with breathing problems but was allowed to leave after he had been treated, an inquest at West London Coroner’s Court heard today.

Mr Chandler, of Carlisle Close, had a history of mental health problems and had been assigned a care coordinator by South West London and St George's mental health trust (SWLSTG) a month before his death.

Speaking after the inquest, his sister Janice Thompson, 58, said: “I thought his [mental health records] would flag up immediately, I thought they would have access.

“I think that’s something that they should change. He was very intelligent, obviously his mental health took over.”

Coroner Chinyere Inyama told Ms Thompson during the inquest that doctors do not have immediate access to records when somebody is admitted to hospital with a physical problem.

Mr Chandler, then living with his mother, had also spoken with his care coordinator Gail Baxter in the days before his death, with Mr Chandler hanging up the phone, the court heard.

He suffered from bipolar disorder and paranoid personality disorder, and had recently split up with his girlfriend.

Dave Emmett, of the community mental health team at SWLSTG, said: “[Doctors] are unlikely to know unless they pick it up by your behaviour. It was a massive surprise.

“I believe there were risk factors of self-harm in his history. Over the years we had mixed presentation with Mr Chandler. Sometimes he was wasn’t always engaging.

“Knowing John I would expect that the break-up was very difficult for him.”

Mr Inyama concluded that Mr Chandler drowned, but left an open verdict into whether it was suicide, misadventure or an accident.

He said: “There is evidence of previous attempts to self-harm, but there is also evidence that Mr Chandler was very frank in telling people. I can’t be satisfied.

“I’ve got no idea how he got there. I can’t even say this was an accident, it’s one of those occasions where I have to declare an open conclusion.”

Ms Thompson said she was not frustrated by the open verdict and paid tribute to her “kind and generous” brother.

She said: “They said originally it was a difficult case. I don’t find it frustrating, it just means that maybe he didn’t kill himself.

“He was a very family loving person. He was a very kind man throughout his life.”