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

CHAPTER 1 - NARRATIVE OF KEY DATES AND EVENTS
24
Cuthbert Ward, St Nicholas’ Hospital, Newcastle: 13 January 1999 to 16 August 1999
61. On 13 January 1999 Louisa Ovington appeared in court in relation to her assault
on one of the nurses at the Tony White Unit. The Section 37 under which she had
been detained was discharged and the court ordered that she be subject to an
assessment under Section 38 of the Mental Health Act at St Nicholas’ Hospital in order
to determine whether her personality disorder was treatable and whether it would be
appropriate to recommend that she be detained under Section 37 or Section 37/41.
Section 38 has a maximum duration of one year and needs to be renewed every 28
days by the court. 33 (Louisa Ovington was apparently hopeful that the order would be
rescinded; in May 1999 however she appears to have accepted that it would not and
the records show that she was becoming more realistic and prepared to accept some
responsibility for her actions.) After the hearing she was admitted to Cuthbert Ward
(medium secure forensic ward) at St Nicholas’ Hospital under the care of Consultant 9 .34
62. In view of her history of aggression and of making false allegations whilst at
the Tony White Unit, Louisa Ovington was very carefully supervised. Initially she had
two members of staff with her at all times, one of whom was always female. She
was segregated for the first two months. During the following two months the
observation levels were gradually reduced. She was first allowed ground leave,
escorted by three members of staff, on 23 April 1999. She was regarded as being
at risk of suicide and of serious violence and self neglect both on admission and at
meetings held in March and May 1999.
63. In March 1999 the minutes of a meeting record that Louisa Ovington had been
vocal, aggressive and threatening on admission, but that since then although her
mood had been changeable and she was verbally hostile and abusive at times, there
had been no physical attacks. She became hostile when challenged about her present
and past behaviours and particularly guarded when discussing assaults upon others,
feeling that staff were “trying to goad her” and “judge” her. The staff also noted
that Louisa Ovington tried to “split” staff in attempts to manipulate situations by
claiming that other staff had verbally backed up her cause. There was a consensus
that assessment of whether Louisa Ovington had a mental disorder that was treatable
should take place in conditions of at least medium security and work was started to
find an appropriate placement.
64. On admission to St Nicholas’ Hospital Louisa Ovington was being treated with
an anti-depressant, a mood stabiliser and antipsychotic depot medication. In April
1999 however, the depot medication was stopped because her psychotic symptoms
appeared to be in remission. In addition Louisa Ovington had stated that she had
been feigning these symptoms. However Consultant 9 told the panel that he thought
that she had a genuine psychotic illness and that he did not think she was astute
enough or a good enough actor to have feigned all symptoms.
33 See Chapter 8
34 7th admission to hospital