Dear colleagues,
For the new academic year, we are asking all students, at point of registration on Pegasus, to provide additional details of a ‘wellbeing contact’ who they agree to the University contacting if we have serious concerns about their wellbeing.
This initiative will enhance our capacity to respond to and support students in instances that are not emergencies but where significant concerns about their mental health or wellbeing have been raised.
Decisions to get in touch with the wellbeing contact will be made on a case-by-case basis, taking into consideration all available information about a student’s situation.
These decisions will be taken by, where practicable, two Student Experience senior staff following consultation with relevant staff members e.g. academic colleagues. The professional judgement of the senior staff concerned will be used in deciding whether to alert the wellbeing contact of a concern.
The Emergency and Wellbeing Contact Procedure and Guidance, as well as the accompanying Guidance for Staff provides full details of how and when the wellbeing contact initiative may be applied.
We are asking all staff to familiarise themselves with this new procedure and, for those involved in induction activity, to encourage students to provide details of their wellbeing contact on their Pegasus record.
In the coming week, we will also be sending an email to all students outlining all the student wellbeing services available. We will share this with all colleagues at the same time to assist you in signposting students to support services whenever this is required.
Best wishes,
Gill Watt,
Director of Student Experience