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Help a student in a mental health crisis – PLEASE ACT IMMEDIATELY

A mental health emergency should be taken as seriously as a physical health emergency. This guide will help you to know what constitutes a mental health crisis and what steps to take if you become aware of a student in crisis.

Before you start

Signs of a potential crisis include:  

  • A student mentioning suicidal thoughts, along with plans and the means to act on these, or immediate plans to harm themselves;
  • A student mentioning an intention to harm others; and/or
  • Extreme emotional distress. 

If a student has plans and the means to act on suicidal thoughts and is worried about keeping themselves safe, you must:

  • dial 222 from any landline UCL phone and request an ambulance. They will help get the ambulance to your location; or 
  • call 9 999 from a UCL phone or 999 from a mobile; or  
  • escort the student to the closest A&E (this is UCLH if you're at UCL's main Bloomsbury campus).

If the student is not in immediate danger, but requires urgent support you should help them: 

  • contact their GP for an emergency appointment; or  
  • call NHS 111 for guidance and/or an urgent appointment with the closest available GP.

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