A MOTHER has demanded answers after her son took his own life the day after he pleaded with doctors at a Glasgow hospital for help.

NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde has launched an investigation after 37-year-old Sean Doherty was deemed “very low risk” for self-harming by accident and emergency staff at the Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and discharged on Wednesday, June 5.

Five days earlier, his mum Margaret had taken him to the same unit, concerned about his mental state and says she pleaded with doctors not to send him home. He was discharged with tranquillisers.

The family say the 37-year-old battled depression after the death of his father last year, whom he had cared for and claim he was being aggressively pursued by benefits staff over a carer's allowance they believed he was claiming fraudulently.

READ MORE: Mental health of Glaswegians declining because of 'mass surveillance'

Sean’s family reported him missing on Friday and his body was recovered from the Clyde waters on Sunday, June 9. His funeral service will be held today (Wednesday) at St Conval’s Church in Pollok.

Tragically, Margaret lost a baby to cot death, Kevin, on the same day Sean died, 35 years ago.

Margaret, 60, said: “Sean had been suffering from depression for some time. He had a drinking problem but managed to stop two years ago.

“My husband died last year of cancer and Sean had been with him. He fell asleep when he died and it affected him badly, he felt really guilty and he went into depression after that.

“He had had a lot of problems with Universal Credit, there were always phoning him and threatening to cut his money and saying he wasn’t declaring his carers allowance for his dad.

“They were still asking him about the carers allowance after he died and it had stopped. He had phoned to let them know.

“My daughter phoned me saying Sean looked very agitated and he said to her that he felt like killing himself.

“I took him down to the Queen Elizabeth hospital and we sat there for four hours before we were seen.

READ MORE: Crowdfunder launched in Glasgow to help open mental health community cafe

“We saw this first doctor and he spoke to Sean and said to me, ‘He doesn’t seem to have a problem’ and I said to him, ‘He doesn’t have a problem? He’s threatening to kill himself. I’m here begging you to take my son. I can’t help him. My son is crying out for help.’

“He was really agitated but another doctor gave him some Valium.”

Margaret says she took her son home and her daughter Julie stayed with him that night and was reassured to find that he seemed in a better frame of mind but a few days later, Sean returned to the hospital himself and once again asked doctors for help.

She said: “I know for a fact it must have taken an awful lot for him to go there because he took a lot of persuading to go with me.

“According to the police he said to them, I’ve got mental health problems, can you help me?

“I don’t know what they said to him but they sent him home.

“After we reported him missing, the police went down to the hospital and told me that as far as the doctors were concerned he had been very low risk.

“They didn’t think he would do anything to himself. My daughter had to phone to tell me they had found a body. I feel as if the hospital didn’t give a damn about my son.

“I feel so angry because I know my son wasn’t low risk.”

Suicide is now the leading cause of death of men under 40 in Scotland.

In February this year, a Lanarkshire woman told how her partner took his own life after asking for medical help eight times in the week leading up to his death.

Karen McKeown claimed hospital staff dismissed concerns about Luke Henderson’s mental state shortly before he killed himself.

While NHS Lanarkshire said all the correct protocols were followed, Mr McKeown is calling for a review of mental health services.

For all your breaking Glasgow news, click here, or head to our Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages

A spokeswoman for NHS Greater Glasgow and Clyde said: “Our thoughts and sympathies are with the family at this very difficult time.

“We are in touch with this patient’s family and are looking at their concerns.

“We are treating this issue seriously and will let the family know about the outcome of our investigations.”

A spokesman for the Department of Work and Pensioners (DWP) said: “Our thoughts are with Mr Doherty’s family and friends at this difficult time.

“We value the role carers play and were in contact with Mr Doherty to ensure he was getting the full support he was entitled to, as we rely on information provided by claimants to get this right.”

The Samaritans, free helpline is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year on 116 123.