Summary of SCR recommendations relevant to NHS

Dr Katharine A RussellConsultant Forensic Clinical

Psychologist

SCRs included

• Ryan Yates• Thomas Bennie Smith• Patrick Rea• Gavin Boyd• George Cameron

Ryan Yates

Ryan Yates (2012)• 6.13 From the case files there does not appear to be any Health

representative from NHS Grampian at any risk management case discussions or MAPPA meetings, despite XXXXXX. This would/could provide both a vital avenue to share information and offset any potential risks to health professionals. It is noted by the Review Team that XXXX health needs were managed effectively by SPS during his period in custody.

• 6.14 It would be reasonable to assume that XXX would require to attend a GP surgery regularly however there is no mention made of how this would be managed post release and how appropriate information would be shared within NHS Grampian to address the risks posed to staff and patients XXX may come into contact with. This would normally be recorded within an offender’s risk management plan.

• 6.15 It would appear that there is no MAPPA representative or ‘Lead Person’ within MAPPA for NHS Grampian currently and there is no strategy or protocol in place at this time.

• 6.16 XXXXX• 6.17 XXXXX

Ryan Yates (2012)

• Recommendation 1: NHS Grampian appoints a lead person for MAPPA to ensure coordinated approach and single point of contact for all other relevant agencies.

• Recommendation 2: NHS Grampian develops a MAPPA Health strategy/process to ensure appropriate channels for information sharing, attendance at relevant meetings and management of associated risk for health services.

Thomas Bennie Smith

Thomas Bennie Smith (2011)

• Managed at Level 1 (possibly a mistake)• Was seen by GP for anger issues, groin rash• Requested to see female only GP• GP not aware he was an RSO• Author of SCR concerned that information

sharing protocols not good enough as potential opportunities had been missed in this case regarding health passing on information

Thomas Bennie Smith (2011)

Thomas Bennie Smith (2011)

Thomas Bennie Smith (2011)• It is recommended that the Scottish Government in

consultation with NHS Health Boards undertake to examine the feasibility of an alert system for the NHS in Scotland, allowing for pro-active, real time information sharing with the other “responsible authorities” and” duty to co-operate agencies” responsible for the management of sex offenders (recommendation 12);

• Some of the issues highlighted included: the scope for NHS to be considered as a responsible agency as opposed to a duty to co-operate agency;

Patrick Rea (2012)

Gavin Boyd

Gavin Boyd (2012)

• INFORMATION SHARING• It is recommended that South Ayrshire

Council and the State Hospital further consider the issues highlighted in this review in terms of information sharing and record keeping.

Gavin Boyd (2012)

RISK ASSESSMENT• It is recommended that the Scottish Prison Service

and NHS Scotland via the Forensic Network consider conducting a review of the required forensic psychological services and clinical forensic psychological services for high risk registered sex offenders to ensure appropriate offender and/or clinical assessments and interventions prior to and following release from prison

Gavin Boyd (2012)

RISK MANAGEMENT• It is recommended that NHS Ayrshire and Arran

reviews arrangements for advising other MAPPA partners about the targeting of other clinical psychology services where clinical needs/issues are identified in the management of high risk sex offenders. This should also include clarity as to the responsibility retained by NHS to seek/acquire that provision

George Cameron (2013)RECOMMENDATION 7• It is recommended that Police Scotland considers including

an input on the Offender Management Course to give police officers theoretical knowledge of why individuals sexually offend and what relevant behaviours and traits may be displayed by the sex offenders they manage.

RECOMMENDATION 8• It is recommended that Police Scotland considers developing

a specific training course for supervisors working in the field of offender management which at a minimum considers how the welfare needs of officers in this area of work are supported and further considers the input of other professionals in developing / delivering this course

George Cameron (2013)RECOMMENDATION 10• It is recommended that all agencies involved in the MAPPA

process across the Glasgow CJA area ensure that in future all decisions they are involved in concerning risk assessment and risk management are clearly recorded and that there is supporting documented evidence recorded to explain the justification for any risk level been applied to an offender (this being mandatory where a risk level is first set or where a decision is subsequently taken to increase or decrease a previous risk level).

RECOMMENDATION 11• It is recommended that all agencies involved in the MAPPA

process across the Glasgow CJA area ensure that in future the risk management plan relating to an offender is explicit about what risk factors apply to that offender. The risk management plan must detail actions necessary to address the risk factors associated with the offender and the risk management plan must make it clear how the actions on the RMP to manage the offender in the community link to each of the risk factors identified.

Summary

• Key points are:– Health rep attendance at MAPPA– Information sharing is an issue– Specifically communication with GPs has arisen as a

problematic area– Highlighting that there are critical gaps in knowledge

about risk assessment in some MAPPA agencies, police in particular. Health professionals have this expertise and can therefore contribute to MAPPA – areas of need in training but also in terms of input into MAPPA risk assessment

Summary #2• Staff in MAPPA agencies require supervision and

support when working with very difficult cases.• Specific mention of psychology providing

assessment and potentially intervention for high risk offenders

• Record keeping is an issue – How do we create and store records for MAPPA cases? If input is consultancy only then how is this recorded?

• Does NHS need better alert system? Are Health staff in general aware of how to handle alerts and how to cope with an RSO in their service?