Alex RKThe Vice-President of the Court of Protection, Hayden J, has published a letter (dated 16 December 2022) in relation to s.49 reports, following a meeting between him, Senior Judge Hilder and NHS Mental Health Directors. In relevant part, it reads as follows:
Concern had been expressed about the scope and ambit of Section 49 reports. There was a strong feeling that some of the Section 49 requests are disproportionate, overly burdensome, and wrongly authorised. There are obvious reasons (i.e., costs) why a Section 49 report might be preferred where what is truly required is an independent expert report.
Section 49 reports are, paradigmatically, appropriate where the NHS body (typically a Mental Health Trust) has a patient within their care, who is known to them. This ought to enable the clinician to draw quickly on his knowledge of the patient and respond concisely to the identified questions, which will be directed to the issues clearly set out in the Practice Direction. Importantly, it avoids the patient having to meet with a further professional with whom, he or she, has no existing relationship.
Instructions under Section 49 should be clearly focused with tight identification of the issues. It should be expected that the reports will be concise and will not require extensive analysis across a wider range of questions than those contemplated in the Practice Direction. Reports requiring that kind of response should be addressed to an independent expert.
I have taken this opportunity to re-circulate the Practice Direction which requires no gloss or embellishment. However, I have highlighted those paragraphs which I consider need to be restated.
