Student mental health in the healthcare professions: exploring the benefits of peer support through the Bridge Network
| Pages | 84-94 |
| Date | 26 December 2019 |
| Published date | 26 December 2019 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JMHTEP-03-2019-0015 |
| Author | Anne Felton,Marissa Lambert |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Mental health,Mental health education |
Student mental health in the healthcare
professions: exploring the benefits of
peer support through the Bridge Network
Anne Felton and Marissa Lambert
Abstract
Purpose –Student mental health is a major challenge for higher education in the twenty-first century.
Students undertaking healthcare professionally affiliated courses can experience additional pressures
that negatively impact on their well-being and can make it more difficult to access support. The paper
aims to discussthis issue.
Design/methodology/approach –To address some of these challenges, the Bridge Network was
established in one healthcare school in a higher education institution. It is a peer support network co-
produced with students studying on healthcare courses to provide group-based support to promote
mental well-being. Student peer group facilitators draw on their own lived experience of mental health
challengesor of being a carer. The groups providea safe space for students who may experiencemental
health difficultiesto share, gain support and connect with each other. This paperexplores the journey of
settingup the Bridge Network.
Findings –Although the group has been well received and various factors have supported its
establishment, there are several difficulties that the network has faced. Power imbalances between
students and academic staff have been challenging for the co-produced design, alongside enabling
positive and safediscloser for healthcare students. However, the networkhas raised the profile of mental
well-being for healthcarestudents and encouraged supportive conversations about the issueas well as
providingenriching volunteer opportunities.
Practical implications –The Bridge Network is an innovative development reflecting best practice
within mental healthcare. However, to ensure spread and sustainability, alignment with organisational
strategyis required.
Originality/value –The paper explores the strengths and challenges of establishing peer support for
studentsundertaking vocational healthcarecourses.
Keywords Higher education, Peer support, Well-being, Co-production, Peer support groups,
Student mental health
Paper type Case study
Introduction
Higher education institutions are faced with an increasing challenge to effectively support
students who experience mental distress (Universities UK, 2015). Healthcare courses
incorporate educational experiences in the service setting which can place additional
pressures on students in terms of hours, assessment, professional body requirements and
the emotional strain of healthcare work (Royal College of Psychiatrists, 2011;Lo et al.,
2018). Innovative ways of ensuring that students who experience mental health difficulties
are supported to manage their well-being and achieve their potential at university are of
growing importance in this context. This paper explores the co-design, development and
implementation of a peer support network for students undertaking nursing, midwifery and
physiotherapy degrees. Evaluation data from the initiative are not available at this stage,
Anne Felton is based at
School of Health Sciences,
University of Nottingham,
Nottingham, UK.
Marissa Lambert is
Education and Practice
Consultant at
Nottinghamshire
Healthcare NHS Trust,
Nottingham, UK.
Received 18 March 2019
Revised 28 June 2019
Accepted 15 November 2019
PAGE84 jTHE JOURNAL OF MENTAL HEALTH TRAINING, EDUCATION AND PRACTICE jVOL. 15 NO. 2 2020,pp. 84-94, ©Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 1755-6228 DOI10.1108/JMHTEP-03-2019-0015
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