ED PINKNEY WESTMINSTER BRIEFING, LONDON JULY 10, 2013 Mental Health: How To Encourage Openness And Meet Higher Demand For Services? For references / queries visit

IN FIFTEEN MINUTES… Key issues in student mental health What students think about them Five things for every institution to do Whether there are limits to openness Wider cultural factors that we need to work on Based on consultation with: Chris Brill, ECU; Annie Grant, MWBHE; Kate Tindle, HUCS; Dan Doran, UMHAN, and Twitter. For references / queries visit

THE LANDSCAPE… 1.Concerns about student mental health have increased 2.Support services are overstretched 3.Disclosures are disproportionately low Meanwhile… ££££££

WHAT TWITTER THINKS… “Universities need to reassess distribution of resources- support services can't cope with demand and are letting students down” “disgusting considering how much we pay to attend, and can't even access support” “Stigma, lack of understanding and lack of knowledge of support systems available.” “stigma, feeling unsupported by their uni. Lack of services that work. Need I say more” “I dont think many people r aware u can get DSA if u disclose mh problems so r missing out on support “I think self-care info should be provided for all students” “I think if students are being encouraged to disclose there needs to be the support there otherwise more people are just going to be put off”

THE FIVE THINGS EVERY INSTITUTION CAN DO… 1.Restructure services to offer stepped approach (e.g. ‘open door’ team) 2.Have an ‘agreement’ in place with students (a mental health policy) 3.Setup a stakeholder committee 4.Invite student involvement 5.Build communication channels with management

WHOLE-INSTITUTION APPROACH CounsellingNightline Mental Health Advisor Welfare Officer Welfare Advisor GP Information Centre (e.g. Open Door Team / Wellbeing Hub) Information Centre (e.g. Open Door Team / Wellbeing Hub) Wellbeing Committee Mental Health Policy Students Management

OPENNESS ABOUT WHAT? / WITH WHOM? WITH PEERSWITH AUTHORITIES ABOUT MY ISSUES RELATING So that we can share experiences and find comfort DISCLOSING So that we get support from the institution Requires a safe environment. (Trust) ABOUT GENERAL ISSUES DISCUSSING So that we know how to help others and ourselves in the future LOBBYING So that policies are put in place and students are protected Requires a forum (Pathways)

OBSTACLES TO OPENNESS: 1. SUPPLY & DEMAND ‘Support services are already overstretched, so there’s no point in talking about them. Right?’ NO! More openness can mean… More self-care Better ‘quality’ clients (i.e. service-user fit) More resourcing for services

OBSTACLES TO OPENNESS: 2. COST / BENEFIT “If I’m open about my mental health then people will think worse of me” “What’s the point in mentioning it? My university/employer can’t help me” Should we be open about everything, with everyone? Probably not. ProsCons

A CULTURE OF OPENNESS ‘Blind Men and the Elephant’ For references / queries visit