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Investigation and inquest
I concluded the inquest into the death of Finnian Gabriel Denney Kitson on 24th January 2022 and recorded that he died from:
1a Hanging
I returned a short-form conclusion of Suicide.
Circumstances of the death
The Deceased, who had been diagnosed with anxiety and prescribed medication accordingly, took his own life in his student accommodation on 8th October 2020. At the time of his death he had recently commenced his studies at The University of Manchester.
As part of his application process for his tertiary level education, the Deceased applied through the Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) online system. As part of the UCAS application form, an applicant is asked to confirm whether they have any ‘disability’ or ‘special needs’. The Deceased, using the drop-down list, confirmed he had no disability.
The Deceased did in fact have a diagnosed mental health illness. The guidance notes for completion of the UCAS form make reference to ‘mental health’; however, such notes are not commonly accessed by applicants, and reference to ‘mental health’ as a disability can be confusing and discouraging for applicants.
Coroner’s concerns
The option for applicants to disclose a mental health illness should be considered separately to them confirming whether they have any ‘disability’ or ‘special needs’. It is likely that the majority of applicants will consider evidence of a disability or special needs to refer to physical illness, not mental health illness. Moreover, those who suffer from mental health illness (irrespective of its severity) will often not consider themselves to have a ‘disability’.
Omitting to refer specifically (and explicitly) to mental health on the form could, in my judgment, discourage applicants from disclosing information about their mental health diagnosis, and thus provide them with support at the point they commence their studies.
Information checked against the published report and official responses