Student mental health action plan: Fairer Scotland Duty summary

Summary of Assessment Findings

Action One: Better access to local and national prevention and early intervention services.

Stakeholders raised the issue of, and underscored the importance of, student access to local and national early intervention and prevention services.

The Action Plan will do this by bringing together colleges and universities to facilitate connections, and signposting to services and supports available locally and to national organisations that offer prevention and early intervention services.

Institutions are encouraged to put in place suicide prevention plans and to integrate mental health and wellbeing, including awareness of suicide and self-harm, into their teaching programmes.

Action Two: Robust institution-wide planning, local cooperation, and support for students through Think Positive and Student Mental Health Agreements.

The Scottish Government already supports the NUS Think Positive initiative which brings together institutions and their student body to set out all existing mental health and wellbeing initiatives.

Action Three: Facilitate and enhance access to mental health resources and training for all university, college, and PBSA staff to continue to become ‘mental health aware’.

Public Health Scotland, NHS Education Scotland, NHS 24 already have in place a range of materials for workforces which will also be of relevance and use to colleges and universities.

The Scottish Government will lead a joint effort with Public Health Scotland, NHS Education Scotland, NHS 24 and institutions to increase awareness and use of available resources.

Action Four: Explore mechanisms to improve data sharing between schools, colleges and universities.

Stakeholders raised the need to explore data sharing between schools, colleges and universities in relation to mental health.

The Scottish Government will work with institutions, UCAS and local councils to explore mechanisms to improve data sharing between schools, colleges, and universities.

Action Five: Better access to clinical support and acute services

Stakeholders raised the issue of better student access to clinical support and acute services already provided through local General Practice and NHS Scotland Secondary Care Services.

The Action Plan addresses this by, amongst other things, bringing together institutions, NHS Boards, and Health and Social Care Partnerships to improve how students access the support they need from NHS Scotland primary and secondary care services.