Investing in mental health support

In 2016 the University of York announced they would invest up to £500,000 in mental health care provision over the next three years to further enhance student support services.

The investment followed a six-month review of University mental health support, prompted by an increasing demand on services from students and disruptions to mental health provision in the city.

The University is expanding its in-house counselling service, with the addition of two new members of staff, to ensure that those who need urgent appointments can be seen quickly.  

Commenting, York’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Koen Lamberts said: “Promoting positive mental health is an important responsibility for universities, but also society as a whole. As the number of students considering higher education grows, we must work hard to encourage openness between staff and students to talk about these issues in a supportive environment.

“Working together with our partners in the NHS, we aim to strengthen our mental health support and raise awareness amongst our staff and students on how to identify signs of ill health and what resources are available to help.”

Improvements have already been made in the delivery of support services online and by telephone, and the University has committed to continue funding student-led initiatives such as Nightline.   

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