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A 62-year-old grandmother tragically ended her own life just five days after being released from prison . A report into Angela Thompson's death has now concluded that the 'clinical care' she received at the women-only prison in Wilmslow was 'poor'. Ms Thompson, who had a 'long and extensive contact with community mental health services', died from chest injuries in Hull on 11 April 2022, after being struck by a taxi following her release from HMP Styal five days prior. The Prisons and Probation Ombudsman, which investigates deaths in custody and occasionally upon release, stated that Ms Thompson, a grandmother, had 'laid in the road several times' after leaving the prison. Following an inquest, a coroner recorded a verdict of suicide. Ms Thompson had been diagnosed with emotionally unstable personality disorder and post-traumatic stress disorder, reports the Manchester Evening News . The report indicates that she was managed at HMP Styal under 'prison service suicide and self-harm prevention procedures'. However, ombudsman Adrian Usher stated in his report that these were 'poorly managed'. A referral to community mental health services completed before her release was mistakenly sent to the wrong address. Mr Usher stated in the report: "There was little input from mental health professionals, case reviews were inconsistently attended, and little consideration was given to release planning and the impact her impending release might have on Ms Thompson's risk of suicide and self-harm. "The clinical reviewer concluded that the clinical care that Ms Thompson received at HMP Styal was poor . Despite her extensive history of self-harm and risk-taking behaviour, a referral to community mental health services was not completed until the day before her release. "Poor communication between operational and healthcare staff meant that this referral was sent to the wrong area. Opportunities were also missed to ensure that Ms Thompson had a priority assessment by the psychiatrist at Styal." A report this year by HM Inspectorate of Prisons revealed there were more than 5,200 incidents of self-harm recorded at Styal in the last 12 months - nearly twice the figure discovered during the previous inspection in 2021. The report also highlighted the 'vulnerabilities' of women with mental health difficulties at the prison. The ombudsman's report issued a series of recommendations for HMP Styal to implement following Ms Thompson's death. These relate to release planning processes and also demand a review of 'the priority system for prisoners who need urgent access to a psychiatrist'. The report described Ms Thompson's needs as 'very complex', with a long history of suicidal and self-harming behaviours. In January 2022, she was sentenced to 12 weeks in prison and sent to HMP New Hall, from where she was released on licence on 23 February. She had secured a place at an 'approved premises' in Liverpool, but arrived there over five hours late, violating her licence conditions, after first returning to Hull. The police were alerted and she was returned to HMP Styal the following day - a decision the ombudsman deemed 'unduly punitive in the circumstances'. At Styal, she was referred to a psychiatrist, but due to the waiting list and her short stay at Styal, the psychiatrist did not see Ms Thompson during her time at the prison. The report then documents several incidents of apparent attempted self-harm while in prison. The report stated that it 'does not appear' that a referral was made to community mental health services in her release area. Ombudsman Mr Usher added: "On the same day, a nurse saw Ms Thompson to complete a final assessment. She noted that Ms Thompson was not receiving any prescribed mental health medication and was fit to be released from prison." She was freed on April 6 under 'post-sentence provision'. However, the report found: "The clinical reviewer found that the clinical care that Ms Thompson received at HMP Styal was not of a good standard and was not equivalent to that which she would expect to receive in the community. Join the Daily Record's WhatsApp community here and get the latest news sent straight to your messages. "The clinical reviewer found that, given her complex needs, history and risk-taking behaviours, she should have had an urgent appointment with a psychiatrist. While she found that the short time that Ms Thompson spent at Styal prevented her from having a psychiatrist appointment due to the waiting times, the clinical reviewer identified that there was no consideration to prioritise an appointment given her escalating self-harm incidents and past mental health needs. "The clinical reviewer found that release planning was of a poor standard. "Following her release from prison, Ms Thompson's behaviour indicated that she was at very high risk of suicide and self-harm. Probation staff, along with police officers, recognised her risk and appropriately ensured that she was taken for urgent mental health assessments. We do not know whether more appropriate referral to community mental health services prior to Ms Thompson's release from prison might have led to a different outcome." An HMPPS spokesperson said: "Our thoughts remain with the friends and family of Angela Thompson. "We recognise the findings and recommendations of this report and are working closely with our partners to improve continuity of care for women leaving custody." Don't miss the latest news from around Scotland and beyond - Sign up to our daily newsletter here.
