The mental health crisis and the crisis in the NHS are only symptoms of our generation being poorly paid, stressed, and the oppression we face. We need to address both the mental health crisis right now and the root issues that are making us unwell.

Make the UK a health superpower

• Fund students, NHS workers, research, and facilities so that we can lead the world in
  health education and research
• Unapologetically extend transition-related healthcare

A revolution in mental healthcare response and prevention

• Tackle the causes of mental illness including eliminating student poverty
• Increase capacity in NHS services, invest in healthcare professionals, and continuous development
• Deliver a revolution in preventative care and harm reduction, funding community organisations to tackle loneliness and tackling the causes of mental ill health e.g. poverty and stress

Current present & future

The NHS used to be the world’s leading health system – and after years of systemic underfunding, it is on its knees.

As students, we are both users of the NHS and trainee nurses, doctors, paramedics, surgeons, anaesthetists, midwives, psychiatrists, and radiologists.

A mental health crisis is impacting young people and students across the UK. It is unthinkable that our NHS is now at a point where children in crisis cannot get the care they desperately need.

Alternative present & future

In 1937, 11 years before the invention of the NHS, it was students who worked together to secure free healthcare on campus for each other.

We could have a future where high-quality healthcare is available free for every single person in the UK – and an NHS which taxpayers are proud to fund and staff are proud to work in.

If everyone were able to book a GP appointment, access the healthcare they needed without long waits, and all NHS staff were paid fairly, not only would we be a healthier society but we’d be more productive, with greater opportunity and access to our full potential.

Policy Ideas

Make the UK a health superpower

Deliver a revolution in research, funding high-level facilities, publicly funding all healthcare students and investing in research students and postdoctoral training so that we can harness the global technology revolution and lead the world in healthcare.

Unapologetically extend transition-related healthcare, investing in training for current and future NHS staff, and giving GPs and nurse prescribers powers to prescribe hormones for gender-affirming healthcare.

Fund those who work in the NHS: pay all healthcare workers fairly, including funding bursaries for all healthcare students.

A revolution in mental healthcare response and prevention

Significant capacity increase in services, recruitment and retention to meet growing mental health service needs in the NHS long term.

Innovation and investment in research and training for healthcare professionals and others working in frontline roles with those experiencing mental ill health.

Deliver a revolution in preventative care and harm reduction: tackle the causes of physical and mental illness e.g. poverty and stress, and fund community organisations to tackle loneliness.

Tackle the causes of mental illness including:

• Eliminate poverty and stressors like not being able to afford food and housing
• Fund community organisations, including students’ unions, that build friendships, tackle loneliness and improve self-esteem

What Students Think

• 98% of students want to see NHS waiting times reduced.
• 77% of students believe that investment in mental health and wellbeing services in the NHS, in education and online should be a main priority.
• 62% of students saw the extension of the provision of transition-related healthcare as a priority issue.