Culture of bullying in hospitals, court hears

The South Australian coroner is considering whether Rowan Wheaton's death in state care was preventable.

A father has detailed a culture of bullying and threats in South Australia's public hospital system during an inquest into the suicide death of his autistic son.

Rowan Wheaton, 18, hanged himself in April 2006, months after moving into supported accommodation at Christies Beach.

He lived with his family until he was 17 when he became obsessed with weapons, stabbing himself and attacking family members.

But his father Simon Wheaton has told the Coroner's Court that the State Government does not provide any services for Asperger's syndrome because the condition is not considered a mental disability.

Mr Wheaton says he was bullied by doctors when he went to public hospitals for help, and hospital staff told him to have his son arrested because the teenager would receive the proper treatment in jail.

He says he received a phone call one night from the Women's and Children's Hospital advising his son was being discharged with no money or transport.

"I received a phone call at 10:00pm saying that, 'We're going to throw Rowan out. He doesn't have any money so you'd better come and get him'. They were going to throw him out and put him onto the street," he said.

The coroner is considering whether the Rowan Wheaton's death in state care was preventable.