Harry Armstrong Evans died after suffering a mental health crisis at the University of Exeter.
Image source, Family handoutA coroner has criticised a university for failing to provide adequate support to a student who took his own life.
Harry Armstrong Evans, 21, died at his family home in Cornwall in June 2021 after suffering a mental health crisis at the University of Exeter.
The coroner said he would write a report to the university with five areas of “concern” to prevent further deaths.
Assistant Cornwall coroner Guy Davies recorded a conclusion of suicide.
‘Gentle soul’
Mr Davies said: “Harry’s death was due to an acute mental health crisis which was preceded by a catalogue of missed opportunities along with system failures which together led to an absence of proactive results which meant Harry could not receive support.”
Harry had been in the third year of an astrophysics degree when he took his own life at his family home in Launceston.
Rupert Armstrong Evans, Harry’s father, said outside the hearing: “Harry was a beautiful, kind, intelligent and gentle soul. He never had a cross word with anyone.”
Mr Davies raised concern that when Harry had sent a “cry for help” in an email to the university that no-one contacted him by phone or in person – but by email.
He outlined his struggles, isolating during the Covid 19 pandemic “with no human contact” which had had “an adverse impact on my mental health”, along with concerns about poor exam results and financial problems.
Image source, Family handout
The coroner questioned whether the university’s wellbeing team’s case management system was “fit for purpose”, after two phone call logs made by Harry’s mother raising concerns about his welfare in May 2021 had been accidentally deleted.
The hearing in Truro was told the wellbeing team had since requested a new system and had been operating a “workaround” to avoid the mistake reoccurring.
Mr Davies said: “In Harry’s case the safety net did not operate to safeguard Harry.
“Concerns were raised on a number of occasions by both Harry and his parents.
“My central finding will be that the welfare service did not proactively respond to those concerns and did not provide the necessary support for Harry.
“Specifically, there was no engagement with Harry’s family.”
He said he would be writing a preventing future deaths report to the university’s vice-chancellor, which would highlight his concerns.
Areas of concern raised by the coroner:
- The provision of training for academic staff around suicide prevention
- The wellbeing team’s case management system and whether it is “fit for purpose”
- The university’s suicide prevention response – whether there is an “over-reliance” on email forms
- The protocol and staff awareness of when they contact parents/family
- Whether pastoral tutors should give their mobile numbers to students
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