National Student Story: Bournemouth student dies after not being able to afford treatment

Bournemouth University student dies after delaying seeing her GP for an ear infection because she couldn’t afford a prescription.

First-year undergraduate Victoria Hills, 20, was found dead in her student halls in February after complaining about an ear infection to friends, but not seeking treatment because she could not afford it.

It has now been reported that she postponed visiting her campus GP because her student loan had not come through and she couldn’t afford a prescription.

She had asked her friends for painkillers on the night of her death, but was not discovered until more than a day afterwards as her housemates had gone home for the weekend.

She had been studying music and sound production technology at Bournemouth University. Her mother, Tracey Hills, has since been outspoken on the issue of student health at university, encouraging students to visit a GP no matter how trivial the illness may seem.

Mrs Hills also shared: “Victoria was so full of life. Everyone has a story about how she helped them. She even saved her friend’s life, but never mentioned it.

“The irony is that that week I’d started on an immunosuppressant drug and she hadn’t wanted to come home and make me ill.”

She continued: “She started getting colds from when she moved to uni. She always caught them and everyone had fresher’s flu and this carried on the whole first term.

“At some point she thought she had an ear infection, but she said there was no point going to the doctor because she couldn’t afford a prescription.

“The last thing she said to me, on January 31 was ‘Right, I’m going to dose myself up on painkillers, then try and eat and get some sleep’ and told me she loved me.”

If any students feel like they cannot afford day-to-day expenses, please go to the student hardship fund from the University, or go to the SU Advice Centre

– Liam Jackson, Education Officer

Although the Bournemouth student’s cause of death has not yet been fully explained, medics suspect sepsis, or blood poisoning, which occurs in response to an infection, usually bacterial. One of the symptoms seen in such instances is light-headedness, of which Victoria complained she was experiencing on the night of her death in February.

It has also been reported that Victoria had experienced recurrent ear infections, but had not sought treatment as she had very little money and did not want to bother her mum.

The Sepsis Trust is currently campaigning to promote education and help concerning the illness, as it says that students are particularly at risk from sepsis.

Chief executive of the Trust Dr Ron Daniels BEM said: “Stories like Victoria’s remind us of the devastating human cost of sepsis. Anyone with flu-like symptoms and one or more of the key signs of sepsis must present to healthcare immediately, either by calling an ambulance or going to an emergency department.”

The Sepsis Trust is hosting a 10k run in Birmingham on Sunday 6 May 2018 to raise money for their work.

For students from lower income families, the University of Warwick provides the Warwick Bursary, an annual payment to help with the costs of studying.

Current Education Officer and future SU President Liam Jackson shared his concerns around the issue with The Boar:

“Whilst I don’t know the specifics of the case, it goes to show that sometimes, albeit this being an extreme case, students’ lives are hugely negatively impacted when feeling financial hardship.

“The government should and must do more to provide an accessible and affordable education for all. Universities also have a role to play. They need to be more proactive with supporting students from disadvantaged backgrounds.

“If any students feel like they cannot afford day-to-day expenses, please go to the student hardship fund from the University, or go to the SU Advice Centre.”