Celebrity doctor talks to students about mental health
By Gemma Raw
A&E and TV doctor Alex George spoke at the University of Leicester back in March as part of his role as the Government's Youth Mental Health Ambassador. The former contestant on the dating game show Love Island became an advocate for better mental health support after his brother committed suicide in 2020 at the age of 19. Dr George's campaigning brought him to the attention of Prime Minister Boris Johnson, who appointed him to the post of Youth Mental Health Ambassador in 2021.
Drawing on his clinical and personal experience, Dr George is on a self-professed mission to make mental health education compulsory in schools and has worked with charities such as YoungMinds, the Anna Freud Centre and Mind. In his unpaid government advisory role he will help shape policy, as well as signposting existing sources of support to his two million Instagram followers. Dr George also sits on the Mental Health in Education Action Group, a coalition of health and education experts. The Group had its first gathering in March to look at the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on the mental health and wellbeing of children, young people and education staff across England.
The post-pandemic mental health picture
Research by Student Minds gives a snapshot of the mental wellbeing of university students in January 2022, as they began their second term of the academic year. 64% of respondents felt that the COVID-19 pandemic had a negative impact on their mental health and wellbeing and 43% said that they needed support to manage their own wellbeing. The proportion of students who reported that they currently have a mental health issue had increased from 53% to 59% since the beginning of the autumn term.
The risk of suffering mental health issues is particularly acute for those training to work in healthcare jobs, who are often balancing academic studies with work placements and other commitments such as part-time employment. A University of Hull review of nursing students' wellbeing during the pandemic found that over half of student nurses reported suffering from depression, nearly one-third reported stress and/or anxiety and over a quarter experienced sleep disturbance.
Many students were struggling with mental health issues well before the pandemic struck. In an interview with the RCN Magazine website in 2018, Dr Debra Porteus, Senior Nursing Lecturer at Northumbria University, commented on the importance of providing mental health support in academic institutions. "We need to really look after our students as they come into higher education and ultimately move into the nursing profession – transitions that many really struggle with," she said. "There needs to be much more awareness of the challenges encountered and recognition of the support that students require."
Enhanced mental health support in universities
As well as encouraging open discussion of mental health issues through events such as Dr George's presentation to students, universities across the UK are putting in place enhanced ongoing support for mental wellbeing. For example, Leicester University has a dedicated Mental Health Hub, which promotes healthy habits for positive mental health. This includes the MyWellbeing app, which empowers students to make different kinds of physical, mental, social and financial changes in their lives.
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