A PATIENT who prompted an outcry when he went missing from Calderstones Hospital has now been released -- a week after being returned to the unit.

Andrew Sutcliffe, who had been referred to the hospital's medium secure unit by a court, absconded from a member of staff during a visit to his mother's house in Burnage, Manchester, on July 11.

Greater Manchester Police's inability to find him prompted widespread concern throughout the county and it was almost two months before they issued a picture of him in a bid to trace his whereabouts.

But, as revealed in the Lancashire Evening Telegraph last week, the 18-year-old was returned to the hospital by police just over a week ago.

After being assessed by a clinical team for a week, hospital bosses have decided Andrew -- a former patient on the West Drive wing, the hospital's more secure unit -- is now fit to be discharged.

He will be looked after by a Community Mental Handicap Team in his home area.

Andrew's disappearance sparked calls for a security review at the hospital.

And Ribble Valley MP Nigel Evans said the situation was "bizarre" when Greater Manchester Police claimed they had found him, but later admitted they had only spoken to him on his mobile phone.

At first, they refused to return him, citing he was safe and well and said they were unaware of the court order, which required him to be returned to the hospital.

They also failed to inform Calderstones because they said, as there had been no sighting of him, he was still "technically missing."

When he was eventually returned to the hospital, on September 13, he was technically no longer a patient as his court order, or "section", ran out 10 days before.

However, hospital staff wanted to assess him.

Graham Jowett, an executive director at Calderstones, said today: "Andrew Sutcliffe has been assessed and the clinical assessment team came to the conclusion that there was no further treatment that could be provided and he was discharged.

"The hospital will keep some form of contact with him during the next couple of weeks."

Greater Manchester Police found Andrew in Burnage last week, ending a nine week search.

He was the seventh patient to abscond from the hospital in the past 18 months.