Student who killed herself was ‘failed’ by mental health services

The parents of a University of Liverpool student found hanged at her halls of residence have claimed she was “failed” by mental health services.

Ceara Thacker, 19, was found dead in her room in the university’s Brownlow Hill accommodation on 11 May last year.

A five-day inquest at the Gerard Majella courthouse in Liverpool heard her family was not informed she had taken an overdose three months before her death, nor that she was struggling with her mental health.

Speaking outside the court on Friday, her father, Iain Thacker, 56, said: “For as long as I live I will never understand why no-one at the university picked up the phone to 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.”

He said his daughter, from Bradford, had found herself “falling through the cracks” with different mental health services, who failed to communicate with one another.

He added: “In my view it is absolutely essential that all universities have in place proper systems for identifying students at risk and communicating effectively with healthcare services and, where appropriate, with families, to ensure they are kept safe.”

Her mother Lorraine Dalton-Thacker, 51, said: “At every turn, she was failed. I can’t imagine how frightening that must have been for her.

“She should not have had to face this and it breaks our hearts that she did. We don’t want any other family to go through this pain.”

Recording a conclusion of suicide, area coroner Anita Bhardwaj said she would make a report for the prevention of future deaths to the NHS, recommending that the issue of parental involvement, with consent, was included in mental health assessments.

She said: “It’s difficult and unclear whether Ceara would have had a different outcome had she had additional mental health appointments, been given an urgent appointment, and had family involvement.”

Ms Bhardwaj said there was no record of discussions between medical professionals and Miss Thacker about contacting her family.

She said: “It would have been helpful to have those discussion, so if Ceara wanted additional support from her family that could have been facilitated.

The coroner described a delay of two months between Miss Thacker referring herself to the university’s mental health advisers in February, and being given an appointment in April, as “unacceptable”.

The court heard the delay was caused by “exceptional circumstances”, including strike action, staff sickness and training days.

Gavin Brown, pro-vice-chancellor for education at the University of Liverpool, said: “We have conducted a thorough review of the support Ceara was offered and, as a result of this and our ongoing review of how these services work, we have instigated a number of improvements to mental health support services.

“This includes an additional £500,000 investment in staffing and the introduction of rapid access appointments with an adviser.

“Following Ceara’s death, we have also updated guidance to ensure that students who are experiencing substantial distress as a result of mental health difficulties 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.”

In the UK and Ireland, Samaritans can be contacted on 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org or jo@samaritans.ie. In the US, the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline is 1-800-273-8255. In Australia, the crisis support service Lifeline is 13 11 14. Other international helplines can be found at www.befrienders.org.