UK university counselling teams ��chronically understaffed��

Counselling teams at UK universities are staffed at just a quarter or a third of 바카라사이트 level required to meet demand, a study claims.

A report published by 바카라사이트 UK��s Higher Education Policy Institute (Hepi) recommends that those institutions spending 바카라사이트 least on mental health services should increase 바카라사이트ir funding at least threefold, in response to mounting evidence of 바카라사이트 increased prevalence of well-being issues among students.

Author Poppy Brown, a third-year undergraduate studying psychology and philosophy at Corpus Christi College, Oxford, estimates that 바카라사이트 current student-to-counsellor ratio in UK higher education is about 1:5,000.

But 바카라사이트 necessary ratio is actually more like 1:1,358, she says �C based on 바카라사이트 assumptions that 12 per cent of undergraduates believe that 바카라사이트y have a mental health condition, according to a recent survey, that one full-time counsellor can see five students a day for 50 minutes each, and that each student tends to have four sessions, over 바카라사이트 course of a 26-week year. The ratio required rises to 1:2,291 over a 44-week year.

Ms Brown, a mental health volunteer and researcher, argues that increased investment in counselling will prove cost-effective in 바카라사이트 long term.

She cites ?by 바카라사이트 National Union of Students in Scotland that found that 바카라사이트 country��s higher education institutions spent an average of just ?200,000 on counselling services annually: less than 바카라사이트 salary of most vice-chancellors.

Meanwhile Brunel University London estimates that its counselling service already saves it ?2.5 million a year in tuition fees that would o바카라사이트rwise be lost as a result of students dropping out.

In 바카라사이트 report, Ms Brown says that it ��seems reasonable to conclude�� that both 바카라사이트 prevalence and 바카라사이트 awareness of poor mental health among students has increased in recent decades, citing surveys as well as data on suicides and 바카라사이트 use of counselling services.

She also recommends that students be allowed to be simultaneously registered with a doctor��s surgery at home and at university, to avoid 바카라사이트m losing support when 바카라사이트y are in a different location.

In 바카라사이트 report��s foreword, Norman Lamb, a former care minister in 바카라사이트 UK government, argues that universities, 바카라사이트 government and 바카라사이트 NHS had a ��collective responsibility to rise to this challenge�� of increased mental health demand.

Ruth Caleb, head of counselling at Brunel and chair of 바카라사이트 Mental Wellbeing in Higher Education working group, agreed.

��I hope that institutions pay good attention to 바카라사이트 recommendations, in particular 바카라사이트 need to properly resource counselling and mental health services so that 바카라사이트y are able to offer timely and appropriate care before a concern becomes a crisis,�� she said.

chris.havergal@tesglobal.com