Home / Crime and Justice / Coroner Demands Prison Mental Health Screening
Coroner Demands Prison Mental Health Screening
28 Oct
Summary
- A coroner urges mental health checks for prisoners before release.
- Francis Conlin died seven days after his release from HMP Doncaster.
- Prison release checklists currently lack mental health assessments.
A coroner has recommended mandatory mental health checks for prisoners prior to their release. This call follows the death of Francis Conlin, aged 23, who passed away just seven days after his release from HMP Doncaster on October 30, 2024. Conlin had a documented history of mental health challenges, substance abuse, and was believed to be autistic.
Teesside and Hartlepool coroner Paul Appleton noted that while HMP Doncaster followed national protocols for physical health checks on release, these did not include any assessment of mental well-being. NHS England stated that such evaluations should have been integrated into earlier release planning documents and that Conlin should have been referred to the Care After Custody service, Reconnect, for pre-release support.
In response to the inquest findings, Practice Plus Group, which manages healthcare at HMP Doncaster, has implemented new local safeguards. Their on-the-day release screenings now incorporate specific questions about mental health. The company has committed to collaborating with the NHS to advocate for similar changes at a national level, aiming to prevent future tragedies.
