Pdf Version (1333Kb) - Quality Assurance - University of Stirling

Mental Health and Wellbeing: Supporting Students
Introduction
General Principles
The University of Stirling
is committed to a student
experience which is inclusive
and gives students the best
possible opportunity to realise
their potential and to these
ends in relation to mental
health we endeavour to:
• Foster mental well being
through the creation of
academic and organisational
arrangements which
minimise mental health
problems
• Ensure that those members
of staff such as lecturers,
advisers, tutors, residences
managers, student support
personnel, whose work
involves ‘pastoral’ contact
with students receive
guidance to carry out their
duties appropriately
• Make clear to all categories
of staff when and how
matters should be referred
on to other agencies,
whether inside or outside
the University
• Provide effective support
to students experiencing
difficulties or requiring
academic adjustments
• Raise awareness among
students and staff of mental
health issues, services and
procedures
• Create a non-stigmatising
ethos in which
confidentiality and dignity
are respected
• Monitor and review policy
and practice.
It should be noted that as
an educational community
there are limits to the support
that can be offered, given
our resources and the need
to balance the needs of
individuals with the needs of
the whole student and staff
bodies.
Confidentiality
The University respects
the right of its students to
confidentiality and a full copy
of the Policy on Confidentiality
can be found at: http://
www.guides.stir.ac.uk/
dataprotectionguide.htm.
The general principle is that
personal information about
a student will not be shared
within the University or with
external bodies without the
student’s consent. However,
there may be circumstances
in which it is necessary to
override that general principle
as follows:
• Operation of law: in rare
cases, information about
a student may have to be
disclosed to the Police or
to the courts without his or
her consent. However, this
is not an automatic duty of
disclosure and staff must
contact the Data Protection
Officer for guidance before
acting.
• Emergency situation: if the
student’s mental health has
reached the point that he
or she poses an actual or
imminent danger or threat
to himself or herself or to
others then disclosure may
be required without his or
her consent.
• Fitness to practise: some
programmes of study require
staff to sign a student off
as being ‘fit to practise’. In
these cases please refer to
the respective departmental
guidance.
4