Universities minister urges student mental health as top priority

Sam Gyimah, universities minister, has warned vice-chancellors across the country to consider prioritising the importance of student health.

The minister said: “There are some vice-chancellors who think that university is about training the mind and all of these things are extra that they don’t have to deal with.

“They can’t do that, they’ve got to get behind this programme. It can’t be something that belongs to the wellbeing department of the university. This requires sustained and serious leadership from the top.”

Current data shows that in some institutions, one in four students seek help from counselling services; it has been reported by the Coventry Telegraph that in 2016/2017 at the University of Warwick, 2,372 students registered with counselling services.

As a result of rising concern, Gyimah has suggested introducing a new policy of asking students – in their first week of university – to voluntarily opt into an alert system authorising the university to contact their parents in the event of a mental health crisis during their studies.

James Murray, whose son Ben took his own life last month while in his first year at Bristol university, has been backing Gyimah’s call for a change in the relationship between universities and students’ parents concerning mental health issues.

He said: “I do feel like this is a turning point. I’m thrilled that Sam Gyimah has decided that this is something that could help save the lives of others and avoid the situation we experienced with Ben. We will think of this as Ben’s Rule.”

The Office for National Statistics reported recently that in the last 12 months 95 students killed themselves, which equates to 4.7 suicides per 100,000 students.

In addition to Gyimah’s scheme, the Department of Education is also launching a review on the transition between school and university to ensure vulnerable students are getting adequate support in their first year.

Professor Steve West, the vice-chancellor of the University of the West of England and chair of the Universities UK mental health in higher education advisory group, said: “Universities cannot address these complex challenges alone. Partnership working with students, staff, government, schools, colleges and employers, the NHS, local authorities and third sector organisations is vital if we are to help students and staff to thrive.”