THE parents of a student who killed himself at the University of Nottingham are calling for parents to be kept informed of serious problems affecting their children.

They are also starting a campaign to raise awareness about student depression.

Safeer Wazir was found dead in his bedroom on July 14 by staff from the university medical centre.

His father Nahim Wazir believes his death could have been avoided if the university had told him and his wife about Safeer's problems.

After the inquest, Mr Wazir said: "The reasoning behind my son's demise is completely incomprehensible.

"Even with so many professionals being involved in his care, my son was unable to be saved. Each and every parent has the right to know if their child is in severe distress – I believe this concept should be paramount in any health care profession. There are so many questions and even now we do not know the answers."

Safeer first attended the university counselling service in June last year.

Counsellor Melissa Wraight told the inquest he had said he was "very unhappy and upset and feeling low" and had experienced suicidal thoughts.

Safeer, 20, of Faraday Road, Radford, next attended the service in March this year, and was encouraged to see his GP at Cripps Health Centre at the university.

From then Safeer saw his counsellor regularly, but on April 26 failed to turn up for an appointment. It was later discovered that he had driven to Beachy Head, a well-known suicide spot.

Safeer was taken by staff at Cripps Health Centre to the QMC and admitted to the care of a crisis assessment team.

He was discharged on June 14 and continued to attend counselling, but killed himself a month later.

A duty of confidentiality meant that the counselling service, health centre staff and QMC staff could not inform Safeer's parents of the situation without his permission.

But after the inquest last week Mr Wazir, from Stanmore in Middlesex, said confidentiality should be broken where life could be saved.

He said: "Even though my son may have felt he was unable to communicate his true feelings to his family, the professionals should have given some indication that my son was under severe depression.

"Ultimately professionals walk away from this and yet we, his family, who were totally disregarded and isolated, now have to live with the loss of our beautiful son."

A university spokesperson said: "All healthcare professionals are bound by strict rules of confidentiality which mean that details of treatment, or any discussions that take place during treatment, cannot be disclosed to anyone else without the patient's permission.

"It was suggested to Safeer on many different occasions that he should talk to his family about the issues that were troubling him. However on each occasion it was Safeer's wish that his family should not be involved.

"Senior representatives of the university and professionals who had supported Safeer met his family shortly after his death, at their request."

A Nottinghamshire Healthcare spokesperson said: "Safeer was seen intensively by a number of mental health practitioners over a short period of time and Safeer repeatedly stated that he did not want his family to be told about his difficulties.

"The coroner concluded that our staff acted professionally and that the care offered to Safeer was appropriate."

Notts Coroner Dr Nigel Chapman recorded a verdict of suicide.