Note: release drafted and distributed by Bath and NE Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire ICB
The NHS in Bath and North-East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire has a wide range of resources available to help any students feeling overwhelmed at the prospect of receiving important exam results during August.
A-level students in the region will find out how they fared in this summer’s exam season on Thursday 17 August, while GCSE students will open the envelope containing their results on Thursday 24 August.
With many young people’s university and college hopes dependent on exam results, this time of year can prove stressful which, in some extreme cases, can snowball into periods of anxiety, isolation and depression.
To help avoid such scenarios, students are being encouraged to make use of the mental health resources available locally, details of which are listed on the website of Bath and North-East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board.
Among the help on offer in the region is Kooth,com, a digital mental health platform for young people up to the age of 25. The service offers access to experienced counsellors and wellbeing practitioners via one-to-one text-based chat sessions that are available from midday to 10pm at weekdays and from 6pm to 10pm on the weekend.
Running alongside is a fully safeguarded and pre-moderated Kooth.com community of peer support including:
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Helpful articles: written by other young people in the community, alongside the Kooth team. They cover a variety of topics that are age-appropriate, such as personal experiences and helpful tips to support student around exam results time
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Discussion boards: where young people can seek advice from their peers or join - and start - pre-moderated conversations. The topics covered are those that are on the minds of the young people including stress around exams results
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Daily journal: offers a place for young people to track their feelings or emotions and reflect on how they're doing
Gordon Muvuti, Executive Director for Mental Health, Bath and North-East Somerset, Swindon, and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board, said: “Exam season can be particularly hard on young people, with everything from revision and sitting the exams, to getting the results and then preparing for either university or college happening in the space of just a few short weeks.
“It’s no surprise that many students begin to feel run-down, exhausted, and just plain worried by the whole situation.
“These sorts of emotions are normal and usually pass in time, but some may want a little help to stop these negative feelings from becoming something unmanageable, and that’s where the NHS can help. “The help available in our region comes in a variety of shapes and sizes, with some options based solely online or over the phone, and others happening face-to-face.
“These services are there to be used, and many will only need to ask for help once, but doing so is often all it takes to relieve the stress that could lead to something worse.”
Dr Lynne Green, Chief Clinical Officer at Kooth, added: “Reaching out and asking for help and support with mental health and wellbeing concerns is not always easy at any age or time. This is especially true when you are a young person awaiting your exam results.
“This is when a digital mental health support such as Kooth.com can help. With services available around the clock and at a range of levels, it can offer young people access to timely and effective mental health care when and how they need it. No matter the issue or situation, Kooth is here to help."
To find out more about local mental health services, including details of how to access help, visit www.bsw.icb.nhs.uk/your-health.
Notes to Editors
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For further information or to arrange an interview with a spokesperson from Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board, please email bswicb.media@nhs.net
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Bath and North East Somerset, Swindon and Wiltshire Integrated Care Board is a statutory organisation that is responsible for developing a plan of how to meet the health needs of 940,000 people, managing the local NHS budget and arranging the provision of local health services
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BSW ICB is part of the wider BSW Integrated Care System, which brings NHS providers, local authorities, community providers and voluntary sector partners together to collaboratively plan and organise how health and care services are delivered. The ICB has a Board made up of representatives from various organisations across the BSW health and care system
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The local integrated care system is known as BSW Together and is home to 87 GP practices, two mental health trusts, three local councils, a single ambulance provider, three acute hospitals, a number of other NHS providers and more than 2,800 voluntary organisations and community groups