Colleague Wellbeing
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Support for you

It’s always important to look after your own wellbeing and mental health, particularly if you have been helping a distressed student. There is stepped support available to you if you have concerns following the training or anxiety following contact with a suicidal student.

If you feel you need urgent help and/or you are feeling suicidal – call 999 and ask for an ambulance, or ask someone else to do this for you. Alternatively go to your nearest Accident and Emergency Department.

Alternatively the First Response Service (FRS) provides access to urgent mental health care, advice and guidance 24/7, providing a service seven days a week, 365 days a year.

If you're Devon based (excl Plymouth): Devon Partnership NHS Trust - 0808 196 8708.

If you're Plymouth based: Livewell Southwest - 0800 923 9323.

If you're Cornwall based: Cornwall Partnership NHS Foundation Trust - 0800 038 5300.

If you're Somerset based: Somerset NHS Foundation Trust 0800 138 1692.

You can have a supportive conversation about concerns you have with:

  • The person you report to, or a senior leader
  • Some teams have a local Mental Health First Aider. If this is the case, you can contact them direct
  • A Colleague Mental Health Champion. Please be mindful that our Champions are not trained to provide ongoing listening support but are very happy to signpost key internal and external support resources
  • Our Employee Assistance Programme for a confidential single session of ‘in the moment support’ – Spectrum Life freephone UK: 0808 196 2016/ International: 00353 1 518 0277
  • Exeter: Exeter Chaplaincy Cornwall: Cornwall Chaplaincy
  • The Samaritans - call 116 123

You can access this support before or after speaking to Wellbeing Services Welfare Team as you wish.

If concerns or anxiety remain after the above options have been used, contact the EAP Spectrum Life who can provide up to six sessions of confidential free counselling if clinically appropriate. This is available 24/7, freephone UK: 0808 196 2016 / International: 00353 1 518 0277

If after the above support has been accessed, there are continued concerns which impact on your work and/or health, speak to your line manager about a fast track to an Occupational Health Management Referral for advice on reasonable adjustments to support you.

For student facing colleagues, a Community of Practice Hosted Network will be available for regular structured group meetings to enable discussion and guidance for any difficult cases where a colleague has had contact with a suicidal student. This will be hosted and led by a Student Wellbeing Practitioner. To access these sessions, please contact the Student Wellbeing Team for more information on wellbeing@exeter.ac.uk. Please do access the above support available if you have concerns.