Lousia Ovington independent investigation report ... - NHS North East

CHAPTER 6 – RISK ASSESSMENT AND MANAGEMENT
person’s social, family and welfare circumstances and include the views of the
carer and any significant others.
• Professionals involved in the risk assessment process will utilise all sources of
information available to them and will be responsible for communicating to
others involved any relevant information/details that they are in possession of, or
that they receive, in a timely manner.
• In certain cases, risk assessment may involve public protection strategies e.g.
public protection meetings, child protection.
• The risk assessment and management plan will be recorded using agreed
documentation.
There is clear evidence of the existence of recognised risk assessment tools contained
within the mental health records. Examples are: Tees and North East Yorkshire NHS
Trust risk assessment for Easington Locality and County Durham and Darlington
Priority Services NHS Trust risk assessment form. Risk assessment is incorporated into
the CPA documentation and the probation service uses an Offender Assessment
System ‘OASys’.
It is clear from clinical documentation that risk assessments were undertaken on Louisa
Ovington and the following examples can be regarded as such although they do not
necessarily follow recognised methods. What is interesting are the frequent differences
in view between professionals, often during the same chronological periods, as to
whether Louisa Ovington was (a) mentally ill, (b) at risk to herself or others:
• 1993 Report by Consultant 1 (“did not think a diagnosis of conduct disorder was
appropriate – did not get the impression that Louisa Ovington had had long
standing behaviour problems”).
• 1998 Assessment by Consultant 8 (“Louisa Ovington had been overactive,
destructive of property and volatile in mood”).
• 1998 Clinical note by Consultant 5 (“Is this an opportunity to rescue her from a
tragic future by means of treatment?”).
• 1998 Medical report by Consultant 7 (“desperately needs treatment – must be in
medium security”).
• 1998 Report by Consultant 5 (“dangerous potential – needs higher security”).
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