The University of East Anglia (UEA) in Norwich announced last week that it was cutting its mental health training courses – a pretty significant step. Their proposal includes cutting three of their core courses and cutting a total of 10.9 FTE positions. This decision has alarmed local unions and mental health advocates alike. They think it undermines the area’s capacity to address often critical mental health crises.
The university’s plan would see the university cut out its own CAPs course, which the government says qualifies for level-seven apprenticeship funding. If passed, this course – as well as the other seven courses up for imminent termination – will stop running by January 2026. The decision was met with fierce opposition from the University and College Union (UCU). They say UEA is shirking its responsibility to train the next generation of mental health professionals, particularly when these services are needed so desperately right now.
The UCU spokesperson expressed their concern, stating, “By closing these programmes, in the midst of a regional and national mental health crisis, UEA is turning its back on the region and abandoning its responsibility to train the mental health workers that our region desperately needs.”
UEA is now the only university in the entire East of England able to provide these advanced specialist training programs. That’s why the proposed cuts are particularly alarming for communities on the ground. The nearest other independent institution with comparable courses is located in Essex. This distance imposes heavy barriers on students seeking to become mental health professionals right in their own communities.
UEA’s Ziggurats building, dedicated to student accommodation, reflects the university’s commitment to providing a supportive environment for its students. This latest move begs important questions about the institution’s priorities. It arrives at a critical juncture where talk about the need for greater provision of mental health services throughout the region continues.
These cuts and their devastating impact on educational programs have created a shifting landscape of mental health education. Now, stakeholders need to wrestle with what this means for the future of mental health services. The long-term effects on the pipeline of new mental health professionals and the state of care in communities is unclear.
