A CALL made by a clinician to Gaia Pope’s mother failed to follow up and ensure the 19-year-old’s safety hours before she went missing, an inquest heard.

South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust’s (SWAST) review of the call which was made on the afternoon of November 7, 2017, found it was non-compliant with best practice.

This contact with the emergency service took place at 2.11pm after Gaia Pope had called 999 at 1.26pm.

At the time of the return call the Dorset teenager had left the property with her aunt, with appointments scheduled at Wareham Police Station and with her GP.

A report produced by SWAST which reviewed the calls was read to the jury at the inquest into Gaia Pope’s death on Tuesday, July 5.

In relation to the call between the NHS clinician and Natasha Pope, Gaia’s mother, the report said: “This patient presents an increased risk to themselves and may well have benefited from a face-to-face assessment.”

The inquest heard that no attempt was made to make direct contact with Gaia Pope and the call was closed by the clinician.

“No action was taken to follow up and ensure Gaia’s safety,” the report said.

The SWAST review audit found that the handling of Gaia Pope’s initial 999 call to the ambulance service was “highly compliant”. This is the highest level of compliance possible and there were no areas of learning from this call.

On the 36th day of the inquest at Bournemouth town hall, the jury was played recordings of Gaia Pope’s 999 call and the return call from the clinician, who spoke to her mother.

In the initial call, Natasha Pope spoke with the emergency medical dispatcher after her daughter had made the call and started the conversation with the call handler.

Natasha Pope told the dispatcher that Gaia Pope had epilepsy and post-traumatic stress disorder, adding that she goes through relapses.

The 999 call included Natasha Pope saying that her daughter’s PTSD was a consequence of allegedly being raped by a man who had spiked her drink.

The man was never prosecuted for offences against Gaia Pope but he was jailed for offences against others.

The teenager was worried about his imminent release from prison, her mother told the 999 dispatcher.

After the college student was reported missing from her home on the evening of November 7, a large search operation was launched in the Swanage area for the teenager, including police, HM Coastguard, the National Police Air Service, Dorset Search and Rescue, and members of the public.

On November 18, her body was found by police search teams in undergrowth between Dancing Ledge and Anvil Point.

The inquest continues.