From academic stress to social pressures, university life can be difficult to navigate. In recent years, student demand for support for a range of issues has grown. This includes general well-being concerns, increased self-identified neurodiversity and more complex presentations of mental health such as depression, eating disorders and self-harm.
The impact of Covid-19 from 2020 onwards has significantly heightened demand for support services, mirroring the 50 per cent increase in demand for NHS services nationwide between 2019 and 2022 for individuals under 25.
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We’ve scaled up our services to allow for the provision of support across the spectrum of issues students may experience, in addition to tailoring our services to meet the demands of the current landscape.
In this resource, we’ve highlighted some of the ways we’ve adapted our services to better support students in managing the pressures they face throughout their university experience.
Increased staffing
Since 2020, we’ve increased staff across our mental health and well-being teams by more than 65 per cent. The addition of skilled, experienced professionals has added more capacity, reduced waiting times and strengthened our expertise to better meet the evolving needs of our students. One example of this is the creation of a Neurodiversity Mental Health Team, designed to address the rise in identified neurodiversity presenting alongside complex mental health difficulties.
Increasing prospective work
A vital part of the support provided by our mental health and well-being teams occurs over the summer months. We support prospective students with diagnosable mental health conditions to plan for their arrival on campus via the Disability and Health Portal. This online system, alongside support appointments with our teams, allows applicants to share information about their mental health, explore appropriate adjustments, apply for Disabled Students Allowance and access support to make their transition to university easier. It also provides a valuable touch point for us to offer reassurance and advice around the transition to studying and living independently.
Improving visibility and access
Scaling up the visibility of our services has also been central to students accessing support.
We’ve used key messaging platforms, including online newsfeeds, digital screens, social media and communications through academic departments, to raise awareness and understanding of our services across the university.
Our well-being team continually works to increase its presence across campus, with large-scale events such as University Mental Health Day helping to increase awareness and reinforce our commitment to mental health.
In addition to one-on-one support, our advisers offer group workshops to facilitate peer support and address common issues such as sleep, anxiety, low mood and motivation. A recent focus has been a dedicated group series for our doctoral researchers, covering topics such as challenging imposter syndrome, motivation and self-compassion – recognising that a researcher’s experience can be distinctly different to that of an undergraduate.
The introduction of well-being drop-ins in our university library and student services has been very successful, providing on-the-day access to address issues and reaching students who may have less knowledge about available support.
Working with external providers
A vital part of the support students receive comes from their GP and other specialist NHS mental health services. To improve access, manage risk and provide the full spectrum of support – from prescribed medication to crisis support, regular input from a community psychiatric nurse, specialist neurodiversity occupational therapist provision and support through their university life – working in close partnership with these services is key.
Our management teams have worked closely with the local Integrated Care Board to review student pathways, address barriers and prioritise accessible, timely treatment. This has improved access to crisis services, urgent assessments, rapid GP registration and an information-sharing agreement, especially in cases where risk is present. Our local Eating Disorder Services, NHS Talking Therapies, Living Without Abuse and a Neighbourhood Mental Health Cafe hold clinics on campus, aligning with student-specific pathways.
Collaboration and training
One of our key objectives in student well-being is to build an inclusive mental health and well-being culture across the wider university. We approach this by raising staff awareness through training, consistent and clear communications and collaborating with key stakeholders within the institution. We offer regular “Supporting Students” training through our organisational development team and provide bespoke sessions for key stakeholders, including our warden teams, security, sport execs and registry.
We also work closely with other teams that support students, tailoring support and opportunities in collaboration with colleagues in our careers network, recreational sport, LU Arts, programme administrators, academics and the Students’ Union.
An ever-evolving landscape
With 40 per cent of young people in higher education, alongside a higher rate of mental health difficulties within this age group, universities are in a position to make a real difference.
Scaling up has led to increased visibility, improved access, greater impact and a cultural shift towards a more inclusive and understanding environment. We know, however, that the needs of our student population are constantly evolving, and we will continue to respond to these changing demands – both in terms of the issues faced by our students, and in the design and structure of our services.
Kate Wigham is mental health and well-being manager at Loughborough University.
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