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The University Clinic works closely with a number of other projects and organisations.
Partnerships
PsychUP for Wellbeing
PsychUP for Wellbeing seeks to improve the mental health of students and staff at universities.
The University Clinic works in close collaboration with PsychUp for Wellbeing in order to support the delivery of the peer support project currently being delivered and evaluated by the PsychUp team and the UCL Students' Union. Many students will experience difficulties during their time at university, which may negatively impact on their mental health and wellbeing. However, many students do not seek support and when they do, finding the right support can be challenging. Navigating available services can be confusing and students may experience barriers, such as long waiting lists. Peer-led research within the department suggested that students would welcome peer support in order to navigate some of these challenges.
Peer support means providing students with capability and capacity to help each other through a range of worries, practical and academic challenges, or wellbeing and mental health difficulties. This kind of support may also help them navigate the range of professional support and services available - acting as a bridge between universities and the NHS. As an initial pilot project, a number of peer supporter students at UCL were trained with a core set of knowledge, relational and supportive skills, to provide one-to-one and group support to other UCL students online. The evaluation of this project has now led to the development of a wider peer support project named TRANSACT, an exciting new project in which tools and guidance are being developed to empower students to create and run their own peer support initiatives. Peer support that is designed and led by students has the potential to create solutions that truly meet the needs of the communities they serve.
The peer support scheme is being led for PsychUp for Wellbeing by Professor Steve Pilling and is managed by Rosie Ellis, in collaboration with a team of students.
Useful Links
The National Collaborating Centre for Mental Health (NCCMH) reviews evidence relating to mental health care and co-produces guidance, standards, workforce competences and quality improvement (QI) initiatives to enable the delivery of high-quality, equitable mental health care.
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) works to improve outcomes for people using NHS and other public sector health and social care services by producing evidence-based recommendations.