HEALTH care officials say that lessons have been learnt after a man with mental health problems went missing from hospital and was later found dead.

The body of Michael Ragner, 53, was found in a derelict building in Burnley after he disappeared from ward 18 at Burnley General Hospital, an inquest heard.

He had taken a cocktail of heroin and prescription drugs.

Mr Ragner, also known as David Norman Hodge, had been admitted to the hospital on a voluntary basis after suffering from depression, self harm and alcohol and drug abuse for a number of years.

He had been reported missing from Burnley General Hospital on November 14, 2007.

The inquest, held at Burnley Coroner’s Court on Tuesday, heard that a woman walking past the derelict building in Ashfield Road, Westgate, spotted the body of Mr Ragner on Saturday, December 1, 2007.

Police tried to contact his next of kin after his body was found, but were unsuccessful.

Speaking at the inquest, Colina Park, former manager of Crisis Resolution Home Treatment Team for Hyndburn, Ribble Valley and Rossendale, said: “He was known to suffer from depression and had a history of self-harming, as well as alcohol and drug misuse.

“Staff nurses on the ward alerted police to his disappearance after he had not returned by 1am the next day.

“No-one knew where he could be. He had no family locally and we were concerned for his well-being as he had threatened self-harm.”

Since his death, procedures on Ward 18 of Burnley General Hospital for patients who go missing have been tightened.

She said: “A post-incident review was carried out after his death.

“The signing in and out sheet on the ward had not been filled out correctly. This has now been improved.

“Staff have also been reminded to keep records of changes in patients circumstances and to keep accurate up-to-date contact details for relatives.”

Pathologist Dr Walid Salman said Mr Ragner was found to have a cocktail of heroin and prescription drugs in his body.

He said that the cause of death was heroin toxicity, but that his tolerance to heroin may have been affected by his stay in hospital and that a regular heroin user may have been able to tolerate the level found.

East Lancashire Coroner Richard Taylor returned an open verdict, saying that there was no clear evidence that Mr Ragner intended to take his own life.