‘So sad we will not get to see Becky and her art progress’
Becky Marshall was just 19 when she took her own life after suffering with poor mental health for three years. Her parents are now calling for change.
The parents of a student who took her own life are calling for health professionals to take a more proactive approach when caring for those suffering with a mental health illness. Former Maplesden Noakes pupil Becky Marshall killed herself just weeks after starting to study art history and fine art at Goldsmiths University.
At her family home in Maxwell Drive, Maidstone her mum and dad, Jeanette and Stephen, have framed multiple pieces of her work and speak of them with gleaming pride.
“She lived her for art, her ambition was to be an artist. I know every parent is a proud one but she really had something” 59-year-old Mr Marshall says fondly.
“She was so amazingly creative and clever and she was very quick witted.” Mrs Marshall added. “I am just sad we will never see her art and her talent progress and there will be a lot of students whose parents are feeling the same.”
Becky, 19, was first treated with anti-depressants when she was just 16 and saw a private counsellor once a week. In July 2017 Becky tried to take her own life by climbing onto a bridge and she was sectioned. Despite this she was still not given the priority appointment she had desperately been trying for.
The dad-of-two added: “When she came out she was given the same medication, she didn’t see anybody else, we pushed for a formal diagnosis.” Two months later Becky was incorrectly diagnosed with emotionally unstable personality disorder, a diagnosis that caused her to get incredibly upset. When she moved to London she was transferred into the care of South London and Maudsley NHS trust (SLAM). She was supposed to have an in-depth discussion on her health, but instead was seen for 20-30 minutes about her medication.
The university was informed of Becky’s mental health condition and she would return home every weekend and have regular visits from her family.
Just two weeks after having an appointment she was found dead in her room.
Steve added: “It is very hard, the pain doesn’t go away, you learn not to show it outwardly, not to mask it, not to bury it but you just learn to carry on. “You are always looking at it, reflecting on it and asking what if and how this could have happened.” The couple are calling for those making decisions in mental health services to put systems in place to do the best job possible. Steve said: “The people who work in those services want to provide the best services, but unless they are empowered to do it, it won’t happen.”
But he also feels people have to push to get the right care. “There needs to be a more proactive approach, if your first try doesn’t work that should be more of a warning sign. Ask them twice, ask them three times, make sure they know you are really interested and it is not just out of politeness.People say services are there but they have to be able to access them, and sometimes they feel they aren’t worthy of them.”
At the inquest into Becky’s death the coroner said there had been many missed opportunities to help her.
SLAM said areas had been identified where communication and information sharing could be improved and have since had a meeting with Goldsmiths to look at ways to tackle student mental health issues. Kent and Medway NHS and social care partnership said they were ‘committed to a series of actions’ to improve their services.
Jeanette commented on the responses saying: “My daughter had a good phrase: The proof is in the action.”
As the pair ponder over boxes and portfolios full of Becky’s work, Steve added: “You can’t change the past all we can do is use it to inform the future and move things on. That is our purpose - we want to try and stop this happening to other families.”