Background: Peer support is support provided by and for people with similar experiences. As students turn to peers for support with their mental health, peer support may provide an opportunity to engage students at an informal level and avoid some barriers to help-seeking. Aims: The study aimed to identify students likely to attend peer support and evaluate the acceptability and impact of the intervention. Methods: A six-part peer-led course for mild depression, based on behavioural activation and implementation intentions, was evaluated across eight UK universities with 65 students participating in the evaluation. The evaluation focused on mental wellbeing. Results: Participants were predominately female and had been experiencing anxiety or depression for more than one year. Most participants had already approached professional services for support. At least 57% of participants attended more than one session and 34% completed the course. Students with lower levels of mental wellbeing were more likely to complete the course. For students returning, there was a significant increase in mental wellbeing. Conclusions: Structured peer support for depression may have benefits in improving student mental wellbeing. However, this is unlikely to have a substantive effect in improving early and preventative intervention.

Although mental health in higher education is increasingly recognised as a public health issue, postgraduate research students are often overlooked. Recent studies indicate a high prevalence of men...

Thousands of UK doctoral students and early-career researchers shared the repercussions of lockdown on their work and wellbeing.

Aims: To explore how academics on nursing and healthcare programmes are managing their roles and responsibility in relation to student mental health.Background: There is growing concern about the mental health of university students in general and healthcare students in particular. Shifts in Higher Education policy, encouraging a “whole university approach,” may place greater responsibility for student mental health on academics. However, little is known about the challenges that poor student mental health creates for academics on healthcare programmes.Design: A qualitative approach, using semi‐structured interviews and focus groups, provided the opportunity for in‐depth analysis.Methods: Fourteen academics on healthcare programmes, including seven lecturers from nursing programmes, were interviewed between May–June 2017. Constant comparison analysis was followed to support grounded theory.Results: Four key themes emerged. Academics had difficulty identifying and maintaining boundaries due to competing academic and professional identities. Student disclosures are accompanied by challenges arising due to professional responsibilities. Supporting student mental health on placement is difficult. Academics are aware and concerned about the potential negative impact of course content and practice on student mental health.Conclusion: This is the first study to explore in‐depth the challenges faced by academics on healthcare programmes by the rising prevalence of and concern for, student mental health. The findings indicate that leaders of nursing education programmes and their managers, need to be aware that academics face complex challenges in managing and responding student mental health and may struggle to maintain boundaries due, in part, to competing professional identities.

COVID-19 has impacted Higher Education worldwide. While several studies have examined the effects of the pandemic on students, few have addressed its impact on academic staff. Here, we present both survey (n = 89) and interview (n = 12) data highlighting the pandemic-induced effects on academics from various disciplines and career stages. Data was collected between May and September 2020, aiming to capture and understand the immediate effects of the U.K. lockdown on the academics examining demographic and employment factors, digital abilities and confidence, and mental wellbeing. Analyses revealed that most academics were satisfied with the support they received from the university and colleagues, and they had adequate equipment and space at home to work. However, half incurred additional financial costs to maintain access to technology and many felt an altered relationship with the university. There were discrepancies in digital abilities and confidence according to employment status, age, faculty, and social identity as an academic. Teaching workload did not increase across the board, rather seniority predicted increases. Levels of wellbeing were low but were not significantly predicted by workload increase or abilities and confidence in working digitally as might have been expected. Stronger social identity as an academic may predict higher mental wellbeing with qualitative data suggesting teamwork and collegiate activities helped. Furthermore, interviewees identified several positive aspects to working remotely. These findings suggest universities should consider carefully how to support all staff to work digitally and consider flexible working post-pandemic.