Mental health of students in higher education

Appendix 4An account of the workof a university psychiatristBy Dr Leonard Fagin, Consultant Psychiatrist to Student CounsellingService, London Metropolitan University, October 2006 to February 2009I joined the student counselling service at London Metropolitan University atthe beginning of October 2006, offering a maximum of 2 half days a week.The role of the consultant psychiatrist in this service is to offer psychiatricexpertise in the management of students with mental health problems thatpresent to the service for help. Following initial assessments by one of thecounsellors, or during the course of their interventions, any students raisingconcern are discussed at the weekly team meeting, where suitability for apsychiatric assessment is looked into. Part of my initial contribution wasto try to refine the criteria for psychiatric assessments, a process that isongoing.Gathering and collection of basic reliable demographic and contactdata is essential in this process, particularly if referral to other services isrequired. Particularly important are details of general practitioners (GPs)and any other mental health services that may be involved, the results andfindings of previous assessments and interventions that have been tried, aswell as medication that is being taken or has been taken in the past.Once a decision to see the student has been agreed, I have madearrangements to see students at both university campuses. At the momentthere is no waiting time, and students are seen within 1 week or earlier. Iusually see students for an hour, and then immediately dictate my findingsonto a history template that I have prepared. Reports are then typed anddistributed via email to the counsellor concerned, and when appropriate,the GP or other services likely to be involved. The assessments are usuallyalso followed up by feedback with the counsellor concerned, either one toone or in team meetings, when a strategy is discussed and agreed. I haveon some occasions also had to communicate directly with GPs or psychiatricservices when this is relevant or urgent, to secure follow-on appointmentsor to discuss issues such as medication. I have participated actively in teammeetings on both clinical and management matters. During the course ofteam meetings I have also contributed my views regarding other studentsseen and discussed by counsellors, but who do not necessarily requirepsychiatric assessments. I have also contributed a training session forcounsellors on personality disorders, and facilitated two away-days for thecounselling team, reviewing the role of the service and producing a reportto help in the recruitment and induction of a new manager to the service.80 http://www.rcpsych.ac.uk