The husband of a woman who died after jumping from a fifth floor window at Kingston Hospital in 1997 fears the lessons of that incident have not been learned.

Keith Hill said the painful memory of his wifes tragic death was awoken after a man killed himself in similar fashion last month.

A hospital investigation is under way after Richard Damonte, 41, leapt 30 metres to his death from the Esher Ward, on October 17.

The incident prompted the Kingston Community Health Council to urge the hospital to clarify its staff protocol for dealing with patients exhibiting disturbed behaviour.

Upon reading about the incident in the Comet, Mr Hill, 64, from Kingston, exclaimed: Oh no, not again.

He said: When I saw that some other poor family was going through the same thing, I wanted to extend my help to them. I dont want them to be put through the same rigmarole as I was.

His wife, Valerie, was 62 when she jumped out of a fifth-floor window on the Esher Ward and fell to her death in February 1997.

A few hours earlier, she had been brought in by ambulance after jumping in the Thames, in an apparent suicide attempt.

A subsequent internal inquiry revealed serious lapses in record keeping and examples of poor communication.

However the inquiry panel held that none of these shortcomings had any material bearing on Mrs Hills death and that she was under constant supervision.

The panel also records Mr Hills dissatisfaction at the manner in which he was treated by medical and nursing staff, some of whom made him feel as though he was responsible for his wife jumping in the river.

At risk patients should ideally be placed under special supervision but the panel found that Mrs Hills medical state gave no indication that she would make another attempt on her life.

John Langan, Kingston Hospitals chief executive said: The recommendations by the review panel following the death of Valerie Hill were all implemented.

The panel found the medical and nursing care which she received was of a very high standard and the degree of observation given her in the ward appropriate for someone with her history.

He added the opening of windows were narrowed further even though the Health and Safety Executive deemed it to be unnecessary.

By.Steven Shukor