(OfS) and Nous Group | Series of action learning sets

This work will take place across all seven NHS regions across the 2022/23 academic year.

To discuss how we can work together to deliver great applicant experiences, get in touch today.

Why are action learning sets being set up?

HE institutions and healthcare providers recognise the challenge of providing effective, joined-up support for students’ mental health. One part of the solution to this challenge will be to develop closer collaboration between HE and healthcare providers. Action learning sets provide an invaluable opportunity for the HE sector and NHS providers to identify shared challenges and opportunities in delivering mental health services. The sets will help build lasting and collaborative relationships to improve student mental health outcomes. On 20 June 2022 the Department for Education and the Department for Health and Social Care held a ministerial summit on joint working between the higher education and health sector to support student mental health. The summit explored new and innovative models of joined up care to support students. Attendees included representatives from the OfS, NHS England and from OfS-funded mental health challenge competition projects. The OfS committed to funding an action learning project to encourage joint working between higher education and NHS partners on student mental health.

The OfS is taking a variety of actions to support joint working on student mental health. Along with funding the action learning sets, they are making provision of funding to HE providers and have made available case studies from OfS mental health projects.

What are action learning sets?

Action learning sets comprise a series of confidential facilitated discussions that encourage reflection through exploring new and different perspectives, create space to share leading practice and help participants develop actions that will lead to improvement on student mental health outcomes. There will be two rounds of action learning sets with a distinct focus for each:

Explore Participants will reflect on current issues in joint working and delve deeper with questions to gain a better understanding of what drives these challenges.

Develop Participants will focus on one challenge in-depth and will work together to ideate and develop solutions.

Action learning sets will create an inclusive and open culture, with a focus on nurturing existing relationships where they exist and build new ones between HE institutions and healthcare providers.

What will actually happen?

The action learning sets will run monthly from February to September 2023, with two opportunities for participants from across the country to come together in a larger forum. Each meeting will last approximately 1.5 hours. Participation will be via an online platform. More details to follow.

Who is supporting this work?

The OfS has appointed Nous to run the action learning sets. Nous is an international management consultancy firm that has significant experience working across both the higher education and health sectors on a range of issues. Some of Nous's recent work includes:

I am interested, how can I get involved?

We are recruiting participants now and are keen to engage those involved in supporting student mental health from both HE and healthcare provider perspectives from across England’s seven NHS regions. If you are interested in finding out more, want to be able to share this opportunity with colleagues, or are keen to participate, please register to receive more information. The action learning sets will close for registration on 5th January 2023

Signing up at this stage will ensure you get further details, it does not commit you to participating.

Learn more about OfS' work in this area

Working with Health Education England to build perinatal workforce capability Developing a strategy to improve access and participation for underrepresented students at a UK university Helping the Integrated Care System for Devon connect with BAME communities.

The Office for Students (OfS) and Nous Group (Nous) are pleased to announce the launch of a series of action learning sets to encourage improved collaboration and relationships between higher education (HE) and NHS providers on student mental health. More information about the action learning sets is provided below including how HE institutions and NHS providers can be involved.

Action learning sets on student mental health