The University of Hertfordshire has been working closely with Hertfordshire Partnership University NHS Foundation Trust (HPFT) to enhance its mental health and wellbeing services, including linking students with appropriate expert support and referring students for fast assessments if they are seriously unwell.
In short:
- Two years ago HPFT appointed a Community Mental Health Nurse/Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) Therapist to work with students on the university campus every week, which provides consistency of support for students.
- Working closely with the University of Hertfordshire Student Wellbeing team and the Community Mental Health Nurse, HPFT can handle referrals from the university’s mental health team more speedily and work together with student service users in a more holistic way.
HPFT’s Community Mental Health Nurse/CBT Therapist Monika Lee said “Working together for the students is making an incredible difference to them and we’re continually looking for ways to make it even easier for them to access services.”
A University of Hertfordshire postgraduate student who has received support from both HPFT and the Student Wellbeing team commented:
“Although I did well in my first year at university, during my second year I started to struggle as the past caught up with me. A GP at the University of Hertfordshire Medical Centre referred me to HPFT’s Community Adult Mental Health Services. I was offered almost a year of psychological therapy, which has helped me cope better with the past and also with the present. When my sessions ended my Mental Wellbeing Advisor suggested I see a mental health nurse at the University Wellbeing Centre. She has given me some really good advice and ways to deal with my low mood and strategies to help me get through the day and try and do the things I need to do, such as attending lectures.”
HPFT’s Director of Quality and Safety and Chief Nurse Dr Jane Padmore said: “At HPFT we’re always looking for ways to improve our services and it’s great that working more collaboratively with the mental health teams at the University of Hertfordshire is working so well and helping their students to receive the support they need, when they need it.”
For more information, visit the Hertfordshire Partnership University website.
