A promising artist’s suicide has sparked a host of recommendations at a mental health trust nearly a year after his death.

Talented Philip Weeks was known by his friends and family as a loving, caring and charming young man who was always smiling.

He was diagnosed with rapid-cycling bipolar disorder in May 2010 and experienced severe mood swings and suicidal tendencies before he suffocated himself on December 7.

The 23-year-old Parkside Hospital porter was referred to Chessington community mental health team by his GP in May 2010 and admitted himself to Tolworth Hospital for a week in August.

However, his devastated mother said he was discharged too early and did not receive correct care or support and she received no communication from the hospital after his death.

Ann Weeks also said she was not involved with Mr Weeks’s care plan, despite being one of his carers, and was not told about his previous suicide attempt due to patient confidentiality.

She said: “Surely as their parent, carer and the one that knows them the best, we should be included in their care plan – we need to give the mental health team feedback on their moods and our concerns on their suicidal intent.”

She added: “The only option offered to Philip was medication, and he hated the effect it had on him – he couldn’t go running, get out of bed some mornings, became reckless, irritable, and he said he felt more suicidal.

“Philip lost all hope of ever recovering, his caseworker asked him the same three questions when she randomly saw him and there seemed no continuity of care.”

South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust is now taking steps to ensure it has better engagement with carers and chief executive Judy Wilson has also written to the Weeks family to offer condolences.

However, the trust did not respond to Mrs Week’s concerns about the actual care he received.

A South West London Mental Health spokesman said: “Both during his treatment and following his death, the trust met the patient’s family on a number of occasions to discuss his care and treatment, while respecting his right to confidentiality.”

“The trust has been clear that its communication with the patient’s family following his death could have been more responsive.”

Recommendations include building a relationship and service with carers, which is not restricted by the service user’s right to confidentiality.

They also say teams should be debriefed after a death to ensure appropriate communication with relatives and a letter to the family and carer offering condolences and support.

Philip Weeks was a popular, hardworking artist who was “respected by all who knew him”.

His art saw him nominated for an award at the Atelier School of Art, where he studied, and the award has now been named after him.

He had just started adult education classes, to gain the qualifications he needed to go to University and wrote an essay about his love for fishing the day before he died.

His bereaved family and friends have now committed themselves to honouring his memory by fundraising for mental health charities and raising awareness of the cause, which is often stigmatised.

The group has raised more than £7,000 for MDF Bipolar Organisation, which is dedicated to supporting individuals with the condition and their families and carers.

Mr Weeks’s mother Ann said: “Phil’s smile could light up a room, he was loved by all who knew him, so talented, and missed by so many – their support has been amazing “He was the most wonderful young man, loved and respected by all that knew him.

“Nothing can bring him back and the loss causes immeasurable pain, but if we can save just one life, by getting the word out there that there is hope and recovery after diagnosis – this will be his legacy.

“We were all involved in trying to get better care for Philip and all completely devastated by our loss.”

The group are continuing their endeavours with a 10k Santa run in Greenwich Park in December for for The MDF Bipolar Org and the Great North Swim in June next year.

Donations can be made on justgiving.com/philweeks.

One in four people around the world will suffer from mental health problems at some point in their lives, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO).

But up to two-thirds of people suffering mental disorders will never seek help because of discrimination and the stigma attached to such conditions.

Dr Jim Bolton, consultant liaison psychiatrist at South West London and St George’s Mental Health NHS Trust said: “According to the WHO, the single biggest obstacle to good mental health care is stigma. “The more we understand about mental illness, the more we realise that it can affect all of us and that we should provide the same amount of support and care to those with mental illness, as to those with other illnesses.”

Bridget Davies, branch director of Kingston Samaritans, urged those experiencing feelings of distress and despair and suicidal thoughts, to get help.

She said: “It can often be difficult for people to open up about their problems, but we believe that talking about their situation can help alleviate despair."