The mother of a student who took his own life said he was “abandoned” by his university after counselors failed to pass on a note that he thought about suicide “most nights.”
Ben Sharrott, 19, was found hanged in a room in John Lester Court student house at the University of Salford after being reported missing by friends on November 19 last year.
The teenager, from Nuneaton, had moved to university to study Music Performance and seemed to be doing well during his freshman year at university.
But an inquiry into his death heard he had been “nervous” about returning for his sophomore year and approached the university’s welfare team with “anxiety and a bad mood.”
When asked on a referral form if he was currently having suicidal thoughts, he wrote, “Yes. Most nights I think about ways I could kill myself.’
Ben Sharrott, 19, was found hanged in a room in John Lester Court student house at the University of Salford
The teenager (left), from Nuneaton, had moved to university to study Music Performance and appeared to be doing well during his freshman year at university
But Ben added that he didn’t take the idea of taking his life “super seriously.”
As a result, the guidance team only rated him in an ‘amber’ risk category, meaning details of the consultation were not shared with his GP.
When Ben contacted his doctor the following month to complain of palpitations, the doctor was unaware of any possible mental health problems.
Only a month after the missed opportunity to offer help, the enthusiastic musician took his own life.
John Pollard, assistant coroner for Manchester West, told the inquest it was ‘abundantly obvious’ that Ben’s comments should have been shared with his GP.
His parents have now joined the call for universities to do more to help students struggling with their mental health.
His mother Helen said: ‘Ben went to the university’s counseling service and said he had suicidal thoughts every day – that should have set alarm bells ringing.
But because he was only treated as an amber risk, it meant that when he went to his doctor, there was nothing wrong.
“It may not have made a difference, but we will always be left with the thought that it might have helped.”
The inquest heard that Ben referred himself to the university’s advisory and welfare team last September with “anxiety and dejection,” shortly after starting his sophomore year.
He explained on a form that he thought about suicide “most nights,” but said he “didn’t take these thoughts super seriously.”
Ben added: “I treat them more as intrusive and transient, even though I go into detail on how I could do it, they’re more of a fantasy.”
Andrew Hartley, the university’s director of legal affairs and compliance, told the hearing that the advisory team’s notes suggested Ben was “confident” he would not kill himself.
But Mr Pollard said it was “quite clear” from the form that Ben had both the idea and the intention to kill himself.
In October, he called his mother to say he thought he was having symptoms of a heart attack.
Unaware of his suicidal thoughts, she told him it sounded like a panic attack and advised him to contact his GP.
The inquest heard Ben referred himself to the university’s counseling and welfare team (pictured) last September with “anxiety and depression,” shortly after starting his sophomore year
In a telephone consultation with Dr Omar Irshad of Langworthy’s medical practice, Ben described that he had ‘an irregular heartbeat which sometimes made him light-headed or unsteady’.
But the GP told the hearing that Ben described himself as “happy” and that his symptoms “didn’t seem to fit” with anxiety or a panic attack.
Had he known that Ben had expressed his anxiety concerns to the university advisory service, Dr. Omar would probably have asked about his mental health sooner.
However, on November 19, Ben’s body was found in his room after friends reported that they had not heard from him since the previous day.
An autopsy revealed a blood alcohol level of 100mg per 100ml – enough for an average social drinker to be ‘moderately drunk’.
Diary entries were later found that showed “methodical” planning behind his death.
Mr Pollard told the inquest that the suicidal thoughts should have been shared with his GP and said the university should consider changing the way it shares student health information.
He recorded that Ben’s death was a suicide and said he gave “no real clues” to his teachers or parents that he was struggling.
Ben explained on a form that he thought about suicide “most nights” but said he “didn’t take these thoughts super seriously”
It comes as a group of 25 bereaved families has collected 100,000 signatures in an online petition calling for the law to be changed so that universities have a legal duty of care to their students.
Among them are the parents of Natasha Abrahart, who successfully sued the University of Bristol over her suicide in 2018.
Ms. Sharrott supported the call for change, saying: “We feel he has been let down – if someone says they are suicidal it should definitely be taken seriously.”
She said Ben – an avid guitarist – was “calm and sensitive” with a “dry sense of humour” and had many friends.
“We miss him every day,” she added.
A spokesman for the University of Salford said staff were “deeply saddened” by his tragic death, but stressed it had “exceedingly well-developed student welfare and support systems with experienced and dedicated staff”.
They added: ‘We are constantly looking for ways to improve and even before the inquest, we had opened and continued conversations with local medical practices on how to better share information in relevant cases.’
For confidential support, call Samaritans at 116123 or visit www.samaritans.org
