Key support to signpost to

Spectrum Life

One of the most important support resources we have available is Spectrum Life, our Employee Assistance Programme (EAP). Spectrum Life is a confidential and professional service provided to support colleagues at the University of Exeter, as well as their partners and their dependants over 16 (at the same address).

Colleagues can contact Spectrum Life by freephone UK: 0808 196 2016 / International: 00353 1 518 0277. They can also go through the Spectrum Life online portal using the code EAPSPECTRUMLIFE.

Spectrum Life offers assistance with:

Counselling: free access to eight sessions
24/7 freephone line with a mental health professional for in the moment support
Legal information
Financial information
Consumer information
Career guidance
Life coaching
Mediation
Health information
Cancer support
Autism support
Infertility & pregnancy loss
Elder care support
Parent coaching
International employee support

Urgent support (including suicide risk)

For all the information you’ll need regarding urgent support please visit:

You can find your local Urgent Mental Health Line by visiting the NHS website. The First Response Service (FRS) puts you and your mental health first, 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.

As mentioned, Student Wellbeing has provided some online suicide awareness training which will be helpful for you to do. It will only take 20-30 minutes but will give you a good foundation of knowledge in this area.

Occupational Health

The Occupational Health (OH) Team provides an advisory service to support employees’ workplace needs and managers with their duty of care. We recommend the individual speaks to their manager who can refer them for support with their physical or mental health. Occupational Health will provide impartial and confidential advice and guidance on reasonable adjustments to work to enable employees to remain healthy at work or return to work following illness. Alternatively, they can make a self-referral to have a confidential discussion on any health-related matter. Occupational Health doesn’t provide a report for the manager with self-referrals, so where health is impacting on work, or work on health, a management referral may be preferable. If you have any questions, contact the Occupational Health team via email.

Here are the relevant links:

Manager referral link: https://www.exeter.ac.uk/staff/occupational-health/referrals/management/
Self-referral link: https://www.exeter.ac.uk/staff/occupational-health/referrals/self/

External free psychological support

Here are two free external support offerings you could signpost colleagues to, alongside Spectrum Life:

NHS Talking Therapies (previously IAPT) offers evidence-based psychological treatments including Cognitive Behaviours Therapy, counselling and guided self-help. Colleagues can self-refer to this free service. Local IAPT services are listed below.

NHS Talkworks (Devon)
NHS Cornwall (Cornwall)
Steps2Wellbeing (Dorset)
Plymouth Options (Plymouth)
Somerset Partnership Talking Therapies (Somerset)
VitaMinds (Bristol, N.Somerset, S.Gloucestershire)
B&NES Talking Therapies (Bath & N.E. Somerset)

The Access to Work Mental Health Support is a confidential free service delivered by Remploy is available at no charge to any employees with depression, anxiety, stress or other mental health issues affecting their work. Colleagues can self-refer to this service.

Speaking out against bullying, harassment, intimidation and discrimination

Speak Out

The University of Exeter is an inclusive community, where everyone has the right to be treated with respect. Harassment, bullying, intimidation and discrimination (for example racism, homophobia and sexual discrimination) go against all we stand for and will not be tolerated. If someone you speak to has experienced or witnessed any of the above, please encourage them to report it via the Speak Out tool.

Dignity and Respect Advisors

Additionally, colleagues can contact our network of Dignity and Respect Advisors, who are colleagues from across the University who have volunteered and are trained to undertake the role. They provide a confidential and informal service for anyone involved in cases of harassment or bullying (including those facing allegations about their behaviour).

Safeguarding

As a Mental Health Champion, there may be rare occasions where someone discloses information to you which causes safeguarding concerns.

The following link to the Safeguarding Framework sets out the details of policy, process and responsibilities if there are any significant concerns for the safeguarding of children, young persons (i.e. those aged under 18) and adults in a vulnerable situation.

Key link: Safeguarding - Compliance, Governance and Risk - University of Exeter

If there are any safeguarding concerns for an individual (child or adult), the Safeguarding Officer should be notified. In emergency circumstances (for example, where there is certain immediate and significant danger to an individual or a criminal act has been witnessed), University staff should make referrals to the police, social services or other appropriate authorities themselves prior to consulting with the Safeguarding Officer. Where this is necessary, the Safeguarding Officer should be informed immediately afterwards.