University ‘failed’ student, 19, who killed herself in halls of residence
A STUDENT who killed herself after waiting months for help because mental health advisers were on strike was failed by her university, her parents said last night.
Ceara Thacker, 19, was found hanged at her halls of residence at the University of Liverpool in May 2018 – three months after taking an overdose and being hospitalised.
Her father said she had ‘fallen through the cracks’ as mental health services did not communicate with each other, her GP or university departments.
The teenager, who had depression from the age of 13, referred herself to NHS mental health services and asked for support from her university after starting her degree, in September 2017.
But staff sickness, shortages and industrial action at the university caused a ‘delay’ of two months before Miss Thacker got an appointment in April, after taking the painkiller overdose in February, a coroner said.
Notes of meetings Miss Thacker had with mental health professionals in hospital and at the university were not sent to her GP, who did not know about her previous suicide attempt and the fact she had stopped taking medication for her depression. Her parents said they too were not informed.
Speaking after an inquest ruled Miss Thacker committed suicide, her father, Iain, 56, said: ‘No one at the university phoned us in February 2018 and told us that our 19-year-old daughter was in hospital after taking an overdose. If we had known how Ceara was suffering we could have, and would have, made a difference.’
Miss Thacker’s civil servant mother, Lorraine Dalton Thacker, 51, said her daughter had been ‘let down’ by all the services she turned to.
She said Miss Thacker, who was described as kind and funny, had repeatedly asked for help, but added: ‘At every turn she was failed.’
Anita Bhardwaj, coroner for Liverpool, said the delays in Miss Thacker seeing an adviser were ‘unacceptable.’ She also said there was no discussion with the youngster about talking to her parents.
Gavin Brown, pro vice-chancellor at the university, said they had carried out a review and invested more than £500,000 for improvements to mental health services since.
He added: ‘We have updated guidance to ensure that students experiencing distress as a result of mental health are asked whether they would like to inform family members.
‘We know that students’ family circumstances can differ and where students choose not to inform family, we will explore reasons for this and work with individuals to identify alternative support networks.’
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