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

surprised and told the panel that he would have asked one of his team to make
contact with her if he had known that she was not being followed up.
102. Probation Officer 2 prepared a pre-sentence report for the hearing on 9
February. She said that there was a low risk of reconviction, (which should be assisted
by continuing contact with the mental health services) but a high risk to the public
if Louisa Ovington did reoffend. As, in addition, Consultant 11 ‘did not attach any
mental health diagnosis’ to Louisa Ovington, her recommendation to the court was
for a conditional discharge. 44
103. On 9 February 2000 Louisa Ovington pleaded guilty to the assault on the nurse
at the Tony White Unit and was duly given a conditional discharge 45 .
104. On 17 April 2000 Louisa Ovington was asked to leave her cousin’s home as she
had started a relationship with the cousin’s partner Mr Hilton.
105. On 26 April 2000, Social Worker 2 contacted various professionals to inform
them that Louisa Ovington was at an unknown address. At the same time she sent
out the minutes of the meeting that had taken place three months earlier on the 24
January. She pointed out that she had agreed to refer Louisa Ovington to the CPN
service but that she was leaving her post in two days time and that there was no social
worker allocated. Thus, she said, any future concerns should be raised with the social
services team manager.
106. Louisa Ovington was sent three appointments to see Consultant 12 but she
failed to keep any of them. She was then discharged. The letter said: “when people
do not attend and do not let us know that they are not attending, then we can
assume that things are going well for them at present and that they no longer need
our services”.
COMMENT
CHAPTER 1 - NARRATIVE OF KEY DATES AND EVENTS
The discharge planning process was highly unsatisfactory:
• The actual decision to discharge from Kneesworth was made only two days
before the Section 38 was due to expire, allowing no time for a pre- discharge
meeting to arrange after care under Section 117 as required by the Code of
Practice of the MHA.
44 If the offender reoffends within a certain period, s/he can be brought back to court to be re-sentenced for the original offence.
45 4th conviction for the assault on the staff member at the Tony White Unit.
37