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Our Wellbeing Service offers support for your mental, emotional and physical wellbeing and facilitates building up resilience and coping strategies to support your journey through University. We can offer a broad range of support to students experiencing emotional, mental health and wellbeing issues.
To access support with our Wellbeing Adviser, Louise Gill you can either attend a drop-in session (based in Student Services) or email: wellbeing@qmu.ac.uk
It is always better to access support sooner rather than later. If at any time you are starting to struggle or would like to talk things through with the Wellbeing Adviser please do access the service.
Our opening hours are Monday to Friday, 9am-5pm.
What are some reasons that students access the Wellbeing Service For?
Meetings with the Wellbeing Adviser are confidential (please see Confidentiality policy for more details). The Wellbeing Adviser may direct you to helpful resources, other support services within QMU and/or external support services. Please access our further help and resource information on this page.
Telephone artwork by QMU student Adriana Baraldi
Drop In Sessions run daily:
| Monday | 1.15pm - 4.00pm |
| Tuesday | 1.15pm - 4.00pm |
| Wednesday | 9.30am - 1.15pm |
| Thursday | 1.15pm - 4.00pm |
| Friday | 1.15pm - 4.00pm |
No appointment is necessary, however, you may have to wait a short time until the Adviser is free.
Our Wellbeing Adviser is Louise Gill. Louise is managing the Wellbeing Service and the Stay-on-Course Programme. Louise is based in Student Services.
The Stay-on-Course Programme aims to provide rapid support to students who are experiencing difficulties in managing and coping with their academic studies.
If students experience personal issues, including mental health issues, this can impact on their wellbeing and ability to engage and cope with their academic studies.
Specifically, Stay-on-Course aims to promote:
How it works
The Stay-on-Course Adviser will engage with students who have self-referred or been referred to the Programme and offer them individual support. Each student will be routinely invited for a one-to-one appointment with the Stay-on-Course Adviser, Louise Gill.
During the appointment, the Adviser will work with the student to develop a Stay-on-Course Plan that will consider the concerns that the student has identified and suggest steps to address these. This can be done in a variety of ways, such as guided self help, resources and advice from the Stay-on-Course Adviser, support from other Student Services Advisers (such as Disability Services, Careers and Employability, Funding support) or University services such as Effective Learning Service. The Adviser may also suggest linking in to Community resources and support services.
The Stay-on-Course Adviser will offer students follow-up to support them. They will keep an individual case record and with the consent of the student, may link in with appropriate academic staff and/or other QMU staff/departments.
For Students
IF YOU ARE STRUGGLING TO STAY-ON-COURSE
If you are finding it difficult to Stay-on-Course with your studies, your Personal Academic Tutor (PAT) can offer you academic support and/or direct you to the most appropriate student support service. The Stay-on-Course programme offers support to students who need help to get back on track with their studies and student life.
HOW DOES IT WORK?
STEP 1 Your PAT might refer you toStay-on-Course or you can contact us directly to arrange an appointment by emailing stayoncourse@qmu.ac.uk or please fill in a Stay-on-Course Self Referral Form - to access this please click on this link and sign in to Student Central https://studentcentral.qmu.ac.uk/Form.aspx?id=25139
STEP 2 At the appointment you will meet with an adviser to discuss any issues or difficulties you might have and what support is available. We will help you build a Stay-on-Course Plan to support your progress.
STEP 3 We will offer you ongoing support to monitor your progress with your Stay-on-Course Plan.
STEP 4 With your consent, we will keep your PAT/School up to date with the progress you are making on the Stay-on-Course Plan, so they can offer you extra academic help, if required.
STAY-ON-COURSE Once you are back on track and things improve for you, we will keep in contact to ensure that you continue to progress in your studies.
You can also contact us at any time by emailing stayoncourse@qmu.ac.uk
For Staff
We know that there are students who are struggling but do not seek help or support. As a result, their academic performance may suffer. We are eager to offer such students early support, which could help them to quickly recover and Stay-on-Course, so the risk of them failing the module, the year, or their studies is reduced. Let us help you to help your students to Stay-on-Course. If you become aware that a student may benefit or is in need of support AND the case does not clearly require support and referral to any of the specialised Student Support units (such as Counselling, Effective Learning Service, Disability Services, Student Funding etc.) please do let us know so we can:
By putting the needs of the student at the centre, and working in cooperation with you, we can help them Stay-on-Course. The student must always be asked for their consent to be referred for support. Students can also contact the Stay-on-Course Team directly. Contact: stayoncourse@qmu.ac.uk
If you find yourself or someone you know experiencing a Mental Health Crisis or emergency, please know that support is available. Call one of the following numbers:
Call 999 if you or someone you know experiences an acute life-threatening medical or mental health emergency.
Contact NHS 24 – Free phone: 111
Book an emergency GP appointment - Your GP holds overall health responsibility. You may wish to make an appointment with them.
NHS Emergency Mental Health Assessment (same day) can be available through contacting the Mental Health Assessment Service on 0131 537 6000. This is a self-referral service and is based in the Royal Edinburgh Hospital, Morningside Place so you can contact the service directly.
Penumbra run The Edinburgh Crisis Centre and they can be contacted directly on 0808 801 0414 if you want to discuss a mental health crisis.
Other information regarding services for people who are experiencing mental health difficulties can be accessed through Edspace
Listening services
Breathing Space Helpline
Free phone: 0800 83 85 87
Opening hours: Monday – Thursday 6pm to 2am, Friday 6pm – Monday 6am
breathingspace.scot
Samaritans
Free phone: 116 123 - National Line
Open 24/7
Email: jo@samaritans.org
samaritans.org
Walk and Talk
Led by Sarah Whelan, 12-1pm on Fridays, Meet at Maggie's - for more information email Swhelan@qmu.ac.uk
Mindfulness Course (free for students)
Starts 5th Feb 2020, every Wednesday, 8 sessions in total. Taken by Michele Hipwell. for more information email: Michele.hipwell@gmail.com
Mindfulness Drop in Sessions, QMU
Tuesdays 12.15-1.15pm, Semester 2, Room 3105 wks 19-22, wk 24, wk 27, wk29-36, Room 0050 wk 23, Room 2174 wk 25 & 28, Room 0056 Wk 26
Changes 'Stress Control Course'
Congregational Church, Musselburgh, Starts 24/01/20 - 28/02/20, 10-11.30am. For more information contact Changes on 0131 653 3977 or email info@changesechp.org.uk
Changes Relaxation Workshops
First Thursday every month, 6-8pm, Musselburgh, Comfy clothing. Contact Changes as above for more info.
Changes Nordic Walks
24/02/20 - 28/04/20 Musselburgh Sports Centre, Mondays 2-3.30pm
Mental Health Crisis
Mental Health Assessment Service
Listening Services
Breathing Space Helpline
Free phone: 0800 83 85 87
Opening hours: Monday – Thursday 6pm to 2am, Friday 6pm – Monday 6am
breathingspace.scot
Samaritans
Free phone: 116 123 - National Line
Open 24/7
Email: jo@samaritans.org
samaritans.org
Edinburgh Night Line
Phone: 0131 557 4444
Opening hours: 8pm to 8am every night of term
ednightline.com
Counselling
Queen Margaret University counselling service
The Edinburgh Counselling Agencies List website provides details of an array of low cost, free, and private counselling, for general and issue specific needs and different time frames (long term, short term).
edinburghcounsellingagencies.co.uk
Edspace is Edinburgh online source of mental health and wellbeing information.
Edspace: Counselling and Therapies
For counselling in Musselburgh:
CHANGES Community Health Project
Overall wellbeing
Edspace: Edinburgh online source of mental health and wellbeing information
Mental Health Information Station
Five ways to Wellbeing
Ten keys to happier living guidebook
Northumberland Tyne and Wear NHS Trust have created a series of booklets that can support you in managing your mental health
Specific issues
Please note: This material is presented for orientation, and cannot be considered a substitute for professional assistance.
Stress
Stress: Moodjuice self-help guide
Northumberland Tyne and Wear NHS Trust self-help guide
The UK mental-health charity Mind provide guidance on maintaining mental health as a student.
Coping with depression
Northumberland Tyne and Wear NHS Trust self-help guide for depression and low mood
Depression: Moodjuice self-help guide
Coping with self-harm
Penumbra, one of Scotland’s mental health charities provides informal emotional support for people who self-harm as well as their families and carers: penumbra.org.uk
The UK mental-health charity Mind offers information and support for coping with self-harm.
Northumberland Tyne and Wear NHS Trust self-help guide for coping with self-harm
Coping with bereavement
Self-help guide for Bereavement
Northumberland Tyne and Wear NHS Trust self-help guide for coping with bereavement
Mindfulness
The information you choose to share within the meeting with the Wellbeing Adviser will be treated as confidential.
However, the Wellbeing Adviser is part of QMU Students Services therefore with your consent your attendance and information may be shared with other Student Services staff to ensure you receive the most effective support. This includes Extenuating Circumstances requests.
The Wellbeing Adviser will not discuss you with anyone outside the Student Services team except in the following circumstances:
Data Protection and Record Keeping
The service works according to the requirements of the Data Protection Act 1998.
Notes taken during the meeting with the Wellbeing Adviser may record background information and key issues worked on in the session. These will vary in length and detail. Points of concern are also noted.
The notes are stored securely within the Wellbeing Adviser’s office and are kept for a period of five years.
Access to notes
Under the Data Protection Act 1998, students have a right of access to all notes kept on them by the Wellbeing Adviser.
Liaison and correspondence
With the express permission of the student it may be appropriate for the Wellbeing Adviser to liaise with, or write to, a third party - for example a personal tutor or GP. In the case of telephone calls, the purpose of the call, and the nature and extent of the information to be given will be agreed with the student prior to the call. Requests for evidence should be discussed with the Wellbeing Adviser.
