The mother of a Darlington man who died after his hospital ward failed to notice that he was missing has said she was “absolutely not told” about any conditions to his leave. Matthew Gale was sectioned under the Mental Health Act at West Park Hospital in Darlington, run by Tees, Esk, and Wear Valleys Trust (TEWV) when he died on the railway tracks in March 2023. As he was detained for his safety, leaving the ward, even to walk in the hospital grounds, had to be approved by Matthew’s consultant psychiatrist.

The conditions of this leave stipulated that Matthew either had to be escorted by a member of staff, or accompanied by a loved one. But Matthew’s mother, Sue Gale, today told the inquest into his death that none of this information had been communicated to her, even though she picked Matthew up from, that staff had never had conversations with her about leaving, and that she had not been shown the necessary form to sign. On March 19 last year, the day he died, Matthew failed to return to the hospital after a period of leave from West Park Hospital.

He had been for a Sunday dinner with Sue to celebrate Mother’s Day. Despite leave conditions stating he had to be accompanied at all times, Sue was unaware of this, and when requested he was dropped at his Darlington flat as he had housekeeping to do, she did not think twice about it. When asked if she had been told about the conditions of Matthew’s bail, Mrs Gale said: “Absolutely not.

Do you think as a mother if .