Daniel Maher

During the course of the inquest the court heard evidence from mental health professionals working on behalf of both West Sussex County Council and SAPB. The court was told that it was not an uncommon occurrence for patients who are detained in Surrey under 8.136 MHA to be taken to Langley Green Hospital in West Sussex for assessment and then, at some thereafter; to be released back into the care of the community health services in Surrey. Given that this is not an uncommon occurrence [ have concerns regarding the sharing of information as between the respective mental health services in West Sussex and Surrey. The court was told that mental health professionals cannot access patient information which is held on the computerised systems of mental health services outside their own county _ As a result; police _ police Act May They being May May point they are dependent on seeking that information directly from their colleagues in other counties, which the court was told was a time consuming process and also impracticable in relation to mental health assessments carried out during anti-social hours. The court was also told that it is common practice, after a mental health assessment has been completed at the s.136 suite at Langley Green Hospital, for a verbal referral to be made by telephone in respect of patients referred to community mental health services outside of the county. The court was told that paperwork, such as the clinical record of the 8.136 assessment; is not routinely shared on the making of such referrals. In fact that the Approved Mental Health Professional employed by West Sussex County Council indicated that she was not allowed to fax such paperwork to other agencies for reasons of data protection: As a result of the above I am concerned that significant information relating to the clinical presentation and risk of vulnerable individuals is not easily accessible by the relevant healthcare professionals, in circumstances in which an individual is assessed at the s.136 suite in West Sussex, and has either previously been under the care of, or is referred back into the care of,mental health services in Surrey. Consideration should be given to whether any can be taken to address the above concerns_