Student claims of poor mental health double

Watchdog’s report shows number of cases seeking help at universities rises to 3.5pc of total in five years

THE proportion of students declaring mental health issues has doubled in the past five years, figures from the higher education watchdog show.

Last year, 3.5 per cent of undergraduates in England told their university that they suffer from mental health conditions, up from 1.4 per cent in 2012-13.

Female students are more than twice as likely to say they have mental health issues – such as depression or anxiety – than their male peers, according to analysis by the Office for Students (OFS)

But the watchdog cautioned that these figures are likely to be an underestimate because many students choose not to disclose whether they have any pre-existing conditions.

“The increased awareness of mental health and wellbeing issues among students, the increase of the student population to the point where half of young people attend university or college, and the year-on-year rise in students seeking support for their mental health, have all put pressure on universities’ and colleges’ support services and on their staff,” a report by the OFS said.

“While there has undoubtedly been an increase in students seeking out help, this is not necessarily evidence that the current generation of young people (who make up the majority of entrants to higher education) is more prone to mental ill health.”

The regulator examined five years of data and found that students who say they struggle with their mental health are more likely to drop out of university.

Among part-time students, those from the most deprived areas were more likely to report mental health conditions, the data showed. Students from middle-class areas were least likely to.

Universities have come under pressure to step up their efforts to assist students with mental health issues.

Ministers have written to vice-chancellors urging them to prioritise the wellbeing of new students. However, in a report published earlier this year, the Higher Education Policy Institute said institutions must distinguish between wellbeing issues and mental health conditions so that students are given the correct support.

Students with mental health issues may need to see a councillor or potentially be referred for treatment on the NHS. Meanwhile, those who have low levels of wellbeing could do more to help themselves, for example, by joining a club or society, taking up a new hobby or confiding in a friend.

Sir Simon Wessely, chairman of the Government’s independent review of the Mental Health Act, last year urged universities to stop aimlessly throwing money at mental health initiatives when “very few” have been tested and some may make things worse.

Nicola Dandridge, chief executive of the OFS, said: “For too many students it is seriously impacting their ability to succeed academically, thrive socially, and progress into fulfilling careers.”

She said that while there is no “simple solution” to helping students with mental health conditions, more work is needed to investigate how it relates to other issues.