University criticised by coroner over student's death

A coroner has criticised a assemblage for failing to supply capable enactment to a pupil who took his ain life.

Harry Armstrong Evans, 21, died astatine his household location successful Cornwall successful June 2021 aft suffering a intelligence wellness situation astatine the University of Exeter.

The coroner said helium would constitute a study to the assemblage with 5 areas of "concern" to forestall further deaths.

Assistant Cornwall coroner Guy Davies recorded a decision of suicide.

Mr Davies said: "Harry's decease was owed to an acute intelligence wellness situation which was preceded by a catalogue of missed opportunities on with strategy failures which unneurotic led to an lack of proactive results which meant Harry could not person support."

Harry had been successful the 3rd twelvemonth of an astrophysics grade erstwhile helium took his ain beingness astatine his household location successful Launceston.

Rupert Armstrong Evans, Harry's father, said extracurricular the hearing: "Harry was a beautiful, kind, intelligent and gentle soul. He ne'er had a transverse connection with anyone."

Mr Davies raised interest that erstwhile Harry had sent a "cry for help" successful an email to the assemblage that no-one contacted him by telephone oregon successful idiosyncratic - but by email.

He outlined his struggles, isolating during the Covid 19 pandemic "with nary quality contact" which had had "an adverse interaction connected my intelligence health", on with concerns astir mediocre exam results and fiscal problems.

The coroner questioned whether the university's wellbeing team's lawsuit absorption strategy was "fit for purpose", aft 2 telephone telephone logs made by Harry's parent raising concerns astir his payment successful May 2021 had been accidentally deleted.

The proceeding successful Truro was told the wellbeing squad had since requested a caller strategy and had been operating a "workaround" to debar the mistake reoccurring.

Mr Davies said: "In Harry's lawsuit the information nett did not run to safeguard Harry.

"Concerns were raised connected a fig of occasions by some Harry and his parents.

"My cardinal uncovering volition beryllium that the payment work did not proactively respond to those concerns and did not supply the indispensable enactment for Harry.

"Specifically, determination was nary engagement with Harry's family."

He said helium would beryllium penning a preventing aboriginal deaths study to the university's vice-chancellor, which would item his concerns.

Areas of interest raised by the coroner: