In a report from 2017, it was revealed that student suicides had never been higher. Also, the number of students seeking help is “overwhelming” student mental health services. The Institute for Public Policy Research published details of a study covering several years. Has anything changed?
What IPPR Found in 2017
The report published in January contained a number of concerning findings. Much of the data goes back several years:
- In 2015, there were 134 student suicides in a single academic year, the highest on record
- 2017 recorded 95 student deaths. This is lower than in 2015, but more needs to be done
- Presently, over 15,000 students are accessing university mental health services, also the highest on record and stretching services to their limits
However, the latter point is not necessarily bad news. IPPR suggested (and so have several other media outlets) that openness about mental illness and awareness of services have led to greater use of those available. Nevertheless, the first point is definitely cause for concern.
But What About Now?
Has much changed since the IPRR report in 2017? In August 2018, Top Universities pointed out that 1,330 students had taken their own lives in the space of a decade. Over 1,100 were undergraduate students while around 200 were postgraduate students. It was also noted that the majority were male students, reflecting the general population where men take their own lives by a proportion of more than 3-1 against female suicides.
Also, last summer, Bristol University was one of many institutions to have come under fire for a lack of provision. That university is particularly noteworthy because in the run up to exams in the spring, several students took their own lives. 11 students took their own lives in the space of 18 months at the Russell Group University. Protests took place across campus when it was revealed that £30m was being spent on new campus facilities while mental health services received just £1m investment in comparison.
At Crisis Levels
The average student at most universities now must wait an average of six weeks to see a counsellor. Some reports suggest that the counsellors themselves are so overworked and overstressed that they are receiving counselling while many are on antidepressants.
In light of the issues surrounding student suicide and mental health in general, Universities UK announced a plan to work with the NHS to offer improved mental health services. Although student suicides are proportionally lower by head of population, academic institutions must act to offer services that students can access. Some have even gone so far as to including mandatory student wellbeing courses as part of their degree programmes. However, this remains fairly limited.