Bristol Uni Reveals 94% Of Students Sign Up To 'Mental Health Alerts' For Parents

Bristol University has overhauled its pastoral care for students following a series of sudden deaths.

A leading university, which has been hit by 11 suspected suicides in two years, has said almost all new and returning students have signed up to a scheme to provide mental health alerts to parents.

Bristol University, home to 22,000 students, told HuffPost UK on Monday that 94% had opted in to a new initiative to allow staff to contact their guardians if they were experiencing mental health problems.

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The opt-in scheme, among the first of its kind in the UK, is completed at the point of registration. It asks students to name a person who can be contacted should they experience difficulties during the academic year.

Campaigners and bereaved parents have argued that the system is one way vice-chancellors can immediately address growing concerns around student mental health.

The Universities Minister, Sam Gyimah, has said the issue is a “non-negotiable” priority after research found a near five-fold increase in the number of students seeking mental health support since 2006-7.

HuffPost UK reported last week on the wildly differing approaches to data protection, which sees some universities only contact third parties in “life or death” emergencies.

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Many universities analysed as part of the research cited data protection laws as a barrier to providing an “opt-in” system, with disclosure of information only approved in limited circumstances and only among parties deemed critical to a student’s health, such as the NHS.

Bristol has defended its pastoral care and mental health support amid growing scrutiny following a series of sudden deaths. In October 2017, the institution announced a £1 million pound investment in support and launched a policy overhaul.

University of Bristol Vice-Chancellor Professor Hugh Brady said the institution was “implementing a university-wide approach to wellbeing” in an effort to reach students more proactively.

He said: “Our students are adult learners with all the rights of privacy enjoyed by other adults.

“However, we believe that where a student is experiencing difficulties they can benefit hugely from the early involvement of a parent, former teacher, friend or guardian – involvement that vitally requires the student’s unequivocal consent.

“We are delighted that 94% of all our students, both those new to Bristol and those returning, have signed up to this new policy.”

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This article is part of HuffPost UK’s series investigating student mental health across the UK. If you would like to get in touch with our reporter, email George.Bowden@huffpost.com.