Report of the Inquiry into the circumstances of the Death of Bernard ...

Chapter 5:
27 JUNE TO 9 JULY 1998: ASSESSMENT AT WARRINGTON HOSPITAL; GARTH
PRISON
Summary
5.1 Sonny Lodge was assessed by a psychiatrist at Warrington hospital who
recommended psychiatric follow-up and medication and found little evidence of any risk
of suicide. From hospital, Sonny Lodge went to the healthcare centre at Garth prison
where he remained until 9 July. A nursing care plan was devised aiming to relieve
depression and risk of self harm. The prison medical officer made a detailed record of a
lengthy interview. He recommended that Sonny needed counselling but not medication.
An F2052SH suicide and self-harm prevention plan was open throughout the period.
Assessment at Warrington Hospital - 27 June 1998
5.2 At Warrington Hospital on 27 June, Mr Lodge was seen by a staff grade
psychiatrist, whose report formed part of the discharge information that accompanied Mr
Lodge to Garth.
5.3 The psychiatrist’s report says Sonny Lodge asked if he could help him to get out
of prison. Mr Lodge said his main problem was mood swings that he had experienced
since childhood. He said he had been hearing music and voices from inside his head
since he was a child and the voices had been shouting at him but not anything else. His
mood varied with his circumstances and he felt good when out of prison but inside got
low. He did not report delusions, lethargy, feelings of worthlessness or any suicidal
plans. He said that he had taken overdoses and cut his arms in the past, and that these
were an impulsive response to stress and not premeditated. The psychiatrist recorded
his impression as dissocial personality disorder, adjustment disorder (possibly mild
depression), no suicidal plans. He proposed that Mr Lodge needed further psychiatric
follow-up in the future (“ie re-assessment”) and recommended medication, Cipramol (an
antidepressant) and Tegretol (an anticonvulsant), but did not prescribe it as Mr Lodge
was returning to prison healthcare.
5.4 The psychiatrist’s witness statement to the inquest said that he found little
evidence of any significant suicide risk and, on applying the suicide indicator form used
by the Warrington Community Trust, Sonny Lodge scored 15 which was low risk.
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