Bristol physics student at university hit deaths ‘sent note asking for help but never heard back

Natasha Abrahart, 20, sent an email to the physics department at the University of Bristol detailing her difficulties but never heard back from support staff

A student at a university hit by a string of suspected suicides took her own life two months after warning staff she had tried to kill herself, it emerged last night.

Natasha Abrahart, 20, sent an email to the physics department at the University of Bristol detailing her difficulties but never heard back from support staff, it was reported.

Her note read: ‘The past few days have been really hard. I have been having suicidal thoughts and attempted it.’

Miss Abrahart, who was also under the care of the Avon and Wiltshire Mental Health Partnership NHS Trust, was not contacted by a well-being adviser, her parents claimed.

The second-year student was found dead in her flat on April 30.

She is one of 11 students at the University of Bristol who have died suddenly in the past two years.

At a pre-inquest review in Flax Bourton near Bristol, her parents, Robert and Margaret, expressed concern at the ‘very limited contact’ Miss Abrahart had with her personal tutor.

But despite multiple suspected suicides at the university her parents told a pre-inquest review that she was not contacted by wellbeing advisers.

Their barrister, Tom Stoate, raised questions about what was being done to help Miss Abrahart when it became clear she was struggling with her studies.

She is one of 11 students at the University of Bristol who have died suddenly in the past two years (pictured The Wills Memorial Building at the University of Bristol)

She is one of 11 students at the University of Bristol who have died suddenly in the past two years (pictured The Wills Memorial Building at the University of Bristol)

Mr Stoate told the court: ‘We feel the university could have and should have done something.’

The university has been widely criticised for planned changes to its support services, which it promises will provide better help for vulnerable students.

New guidelines allow staff to contact parents of at-risk students if they are thought to be struggling. 

They can only do so if a student signs a form giving their permission for their condition to be discussed.

Senior students will also become peer advisors and a post graduate will take on the role of ‘chief resident’. 

Her note read: 'The past few days have been really hard. I have been having suicidal thoughts and attempted it.' The second-year student was found dead in her flat in April

Her note read: ‘The past few days have been really hard. I have been having suicidal thoughts and attempted it.’ The second-year student was found dead in her flat in April

Coroners have not established any links between the 11 recent deaths. The university is conducting its own investigations.

The establishment said that the spate of student deaths has been caused by a ‘cluster effect’ rather than failings in pastoral care.

A spokesman for the university told the Times: ‘We offer our sincere sympathies to Natasha’s family following her tragic death and will co-operate fully with the coroner to ensure any lessons learnt are built into the support we provide.

‘Mental health and wellbeing is fast emerging as the single biggest public health issue affecting young people today, both here in the UK and globally.

‘We are taking every step we can, to work with our students to help them build the life-skills and resilience to cope with the pressures they face, and to identify vulnerable students as early as possible so we can support them with their mental health issues.’

A full inquest will take place next year. 

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