The day after NI's health professionals were blamed for a 'preventable' suicide, the Health Minister, Michael McGimpsey has welcomed the completion a local helpline review.

Speaking before chairing a meeting of the Ministerial Co-ordination Group on Suicide Prevention, he said: "A number of the findings of the evaluation have already been implemented into the new regional Lifeline service, and others are actively under consideration."

Commenting on the Review of Best Practice of the North and West Belfast Pilot Crisis Helpline he continued: "This review has already informed the ongoing development of new regional helpline."

Speaking about the regional crisis helpline, the Minister added: "I am delighted that Lifeline is now fully operational and is offering services across Northern Ireland.

"Call activity for this new Helpline is already in the region of 200 calls per day, and this clearly demonstrates the need and demand for this type of regional service," he said.

However, it is too late for one victim. The family of a man who drowned when he drove his car into Donaghadee harbour in 2004 has blamed the health service for his suicide, an inquest has heard.

Bangor man Steven McAdam, 43, had been suffering from depression.

Although doctors said he was a danger to himself, he had been discharged from hospital as no psychiatric beds were available in Northern Ireland.

His family was told "take him home and don't leave him alone" but within 48 hours he had taken his own life.

Mr McAdam had been a professional footballer, playing for Portadown and then English league club Burnley.

But, he was suffering from ME and his disability and increasing reliance on his family made him depressed.

Senior Coroner John Leckey told the opening of the inquest yesterday that there was a series of questions that needed answering.

He said he wanted to know if admission to a psychiatric unit had been based on need or availability - whether he could have been sectioned, and if not why not, and whether such a move would have made a bed available?

Mr Leckey asked whether discharge into the care of his family was always the health service's fall-back position, or not?

Meanwhile, the Health Minister commented further: "I welcome the Health Committee's support for our efforts to tackle the high rates of suicide and self-harm in our local communities, and its recommendations will make an important contribution in this regard."

He said this was among the issues on the agenda at the Ministerial Co-ordination Group yesterday.

(BMcC)