Mental Health

There are a variety of counselling options available to staff provided by the University or elsewhere. Please see more information below to help you choose which service is best for you. These services are all free.

This is a brief guide to help you understand what is available and decide what is right for you. You are welcome to contact the Occupational Health Team if you would like to talk through your options. There are many more resources and tools in the Mental Health and Stress Toolkits and on the Colleague Wellbeing pages.

Community Mental Health Teams

The Mental Health Assessment Team manage new referrals and provide a single point of assessment and access to adult community mental health services in Devon. In Cornwall, this service is provided by the Integrated Community Mental Health Teams. Please contact your GP if you require a referral to these services.

I need help urgently

Mental health emergencies, including if you are feeling suicidal
Call

First Response Service (Devon) on 0300 555 500
Cornwall service on 0800 038 5300
The Samaritans can be contacted 24 hours a day on 116 123

If you are feeling suicidal but are safe and have someone with you for support, please request an emergency appointment with your GP.

If you have concerns about your immediate safety or the safety of someone else, please call 999.

If you are not based in Devon or Cornwall, you can find an urgent helpline here.

Spectrum Life - 24 hour advice, counselling and in-the-moment support

Spectrum Life is an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) which is a confidential, neutral service provided by an external company to support colleagues at the University. This is just one wellbeing support option for colleagues.

Spectrum Life: Find out more and access

NHS Talking Therapy Services

You can self-refer to local Improving Access to Psychological Therapy (IAPT) Services, a national initiative to make evidence-based psychological therapy accessible to as many people as possible.

IAPT services are free, confidential NHS talking therapy services that can provide support for stress, low mood, anxiety, depression, and help people living with long term health conditions.

IAPT services can help you to feel better and give you tools and techniques to improve your mental and physical wellbeing using Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT) - a time-limited, structured, problem-solving approach that can help you manage anxiety or depression by changing how you think and behave.

Under normal circumstances, groups/courses, face-to-face, telephone and online support are available, although this provision is restricted during the COVID-19 shutdown. There is more information on the NHS website, including evidence on the outcomes of treatment in IAPT. These services are independent from the University, so discussions will be entirely confidential and will not be fed back to your employer.