Mental health of students in higher education

Higher education contextMental health advisors provide self-help information and offer guidanceand support to help students better manage their mental well-being, drawingon a variety of techniques and interventions depending on their particularskills and experience. This one-to-one support can provide students withthe tools to overcome anxiety, panic attacks, manage self-injury and copewith depression. If a student’s mental health is causing concern to thestudent and/or others, the advisor can liaise with the student’s GP (with theconsent of the student) and can support students in accessing local mentalhealth services. If consent is not forthcoming and the student presents asa risk to themselves or others then procedures for breaching confidentialitywill be followed. These will usually include discussion with the student andconsulting with a senior member of staff and/or clinical supervisor.LiaisonLiaison with NHS services is an important part of the role. Many studentsfind accessing mental health services challenging, particularly if it is the firsttime they have required a formal mental health assessment. The advisorcan act as a bridge between higher education and NHS and other providersoutside the higher education sector, often playing a key role in coordinatinga network of support services and acting as a central focus for externalagencies wishing to share information or consider support plans for students.When appropriate, they will be active in sharing issues of concern with GPsand statutory services involved in a student’s treatment, particularly whensupporting the student in accessing services.As the majority of mental health advisors are not employed by theNHS, they do not have access to medical records of any kind. Sometimes itis necessary to assess and manage risk in liaison with local mental healthservices and GPs. Accessing NHS support can be particularly challengingfor higher education institutions when there are different perceptions of theurgency or seriousness of a case. Frustrations can arise when a student’sbehaviour is seriously affecting others on campus, but from the healthprofessional perspective their ill health is not considered to be seriousenough to warrant urgent action.Within higher education institutions, staff often require support orreassurance regarding their contact with students who are causing concern.The advisor can offer guidance, advice and training for staff in relation tosupporting and responding to students presenting in distress or those whosebehaviour is causing concern.Other responsibilitiesMental health advisors are often involved in developing and delivering stafftraining as outlined above. They contribute to policy development and policyreviews to ensure that potential reverberations for student mental well-beingare fully considered. They may also be expected to take the lead with mentalhealth promotion within the university, researching and developing materialsto promote mental well-being alone or in collaboration with external agenciesor internal services such as disability advisors, counsellors or the studentunion. They may also run therapeutic groups or facilitate support groups forstudents.As most universities currently have just one full- or half-time mentalhealth advisor post, their resources are limited and it is often a demandingrole. However, it is very rewarding when students are able to progress andRoyal College of Psychiatrists47