Supporting students’ mental health

A new NHS mental health service for all students living in Cardiff and studying at one of the city’s universities is being piloted.

The Mental Health University Liaison Service will provide support for students from Cardiff University, Cardiff Metropolitan University, University of South Wales and The Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama who experience sub-crisis mental health difficulties, or those who have long-standing complex needs.

Students can access this service – which is based on campuses - through referral from their University Student Services department, Adult Liaison Psychiatry, or their GP.

The pilot has been developed by the South East Wales Mental Health Partnership and will address a gap which has been identified between the mandate for Student Support Services at each university and the threshold for NHS Secondary Care Mental Health Services, where students require an NHS referral or assessment.

Phase one of the pilot will cater for students living in the Cardiff area, who’s healthcare is supported by the Cardiff and Vale University Health Board. Initial funding has been provided by the Higher Education Funding Council for Wales (HEFCW) until December 2022. Plans to secure funding for a phase 2 to continue to develop and assess the team are agreed until summer 2023. If the pilot is successful, a joint funding model and partnership agreement will be developed to keep the new team operational from September 2023.

The pilot will also look at improving links with the neighbouring health boards of Aneurin Bevan University Health Board and Cwm Taf Morgannwg University Health Board, for students living outside Cardiff to help improve the ability to refer to the appropriate mental health services as needed by the student.