University of Cambridge mental health services questioned after recent student deaths

The University of Cambridge’s fitness to study evaluation and broader wellbeing support has come under sharp focus after the recent deaths of six students, two of which were confirmed suicides and the rest suspected suicides.

An external review of the university’s mental health services recently found it to be  ‘ineffective’, ‘untargeted’, and ‘unsustainable’.

Minutes seen by BBC News of public health meetings show concern over a potential link between the deaths and the university’s fitness to study evaluation.

A year ago former and current Cambridge University students alerted BBC News about the fitness to study process.

One student claimed that, at the university’s probation hearings, “they felt… like I was on a trial, talking to complete strangers about stuff I hadn’t properly unpacked with therapists yet”.

The university did not officially comment to the BBC, citing the need to wait for upcoming results of internal inquests.

12 months ago, Cambridge’s head of student support, Natalie Acton, said the university had “invested significantly more resources in student support”.