Wellbeing

STUDENT SERVICES

We offer a variety of student support services to ensure all of your wellbeing needs are catered for. Here you will find an overview of all our services:

Student services

Counselling and mental health

Counselling:

Our Counselling Service is run by a team of professionally trained male and female counsellors.

You might have a specific problem, feel confused or unhappy, or find it hard to focus on your studies. Often, emotional issues can block your ability to meet your full potential.

Counselling is a confidential space where you can talk about anything you are finding difficult. Talking with a professional may help you to self-reflect and learn more about yourself, understand and remove barriers in order to help you to achieve your best, and assist you to improve your expression and communication skills.

Use of this service is free and available to all students (and on occasion, staff).

The Counselling Service offers the following services:

Drop-ins (where no appointment is needed)
One-off and on-going counselling sessions (face-to-face)
Online counselling (via email, Skype or text)
Workshops on a variety of topics about mental wellbeing
Signposting to other services and self-help materials

Mental Health:

Our Mental Health Advisers are a team of professionals who can provide you with practical advice and support on a range of mental health needs, including diagnosed mental health conditions, or where you might otherwise be experiencing worries or concerns about your mental wellbeing.

Mental Health Advisers will provide you with a confidential space where you can share about your experiences and gain advice and support that suits your individual needs.

Use of this service is free and available to all students (and on occasion, staff).

The Mental Health Advisers offer the following services:

Drop-ins (where no appointment is needed)
One-to-one advice and guidance
Advice on strategies to make studying more manageable whilst living with mental health conditions or distress
Liaison with external agencies
Signposting to other University and community support services
Help to manage urgent mental unwellness

Contact us

For further details about either service, please ring Student Services Reception on 01962 827 341 or email:

Counselling:

counselling@winchester.ac.uk

Mental Health:

mentalhealth@winchester.ac.uk

Disability and learning diversity

Who do we support

We welcome disabled students and are committed to improving access to all aspects of student life through:

A range of confidential services for disabled students and staff. This includes services for those with physical and sensory impairments, medical conditions, mental health difficulties and specific learning differences such as dyslexia
Information and guidance for disabled applicants
Helping with access to the Disabled Students' Allowances or similar funds for equipment
Working with other agencies who can provide help such as Mobility and Orientation Trainers
Helping with arranging assessments, such as dyslexia assessments, and supporting applications for assistance
Helping to set up appropriate exam arrangements including extra writing time or rest breaks
Staff training opportunities on disability awareness issues
Providing help and advice to academic staff on how to provide an inclusive learning and working environment

The Disability Advisers can offer support and guidance to you if you have a disability that affects your ability to study. This would include:

A learning difference, for example dyslexia, dyspraxia or ADHD
A mental health condition like anxiety or depression
An Autistic Spectrum Diagnosis
A physical disability, for example if you’re partially sighted or have to use crutches
A long-term health condition such as cancer, chronic heart disease or HIV

The Disability Adviser role also encompasses disability in its broadest sense. This includes making arrangements for students who need support as a result of injury or illness.

What support is available?

The University of Winchester is registered with the Disabled Students Allowances (DSA) Quality Assurance Group as a Non-medical Help Provider. These are the following types of DSA funded support available:

Specialist Study Skills for students diagnosed with dyslexia or other learning differences

Specialist Study Skills to support students living with an Autistic Spectrum Diagnosis impacting their ability to study

Mentoring support for students living with an Autistic Spectrum Diagnosis or a Mental Health Diagnosis impacting their ability to study

Assistive Technology training and support for students awarded equipment and software through the DSA. This support will train students to use the DSA equipment. Support can also be found online via our virtual learning environment.

Assistive Technology training and support

The team can also arrange non-funded support. This includes access to lecture notes, extra time for examinations and buddy support during welcome week.

Get in contact with the disability team as soon as possible if you are an international student or not eligible for the Disabled Students Allowances funded support. We will discuss your needs to make sure you are confident that the University can meet them.

How do I access support?

If you have applied or are thinking of applying to study at Winchester we recommend that you let us know of any additional requirements as soon as possible. We consider applications from disabled students on the same academic basis as all other applications. If you disclose your disability in your application you will receive an additional requirements questionnaire. By completing this questionnaire you can tell the disability team and the housing team more about your specific requirements.

If you want to apply for university accommodation please also contact the Student Housing Services team as early as you can. This helps us to check the availability of suitable accommodation.

Our ability to meet your needs is dependent on establishing a clear understanding of what your needs are, what the University can reasonably offer and where there are any gaps. We will make reasonable adjustments to address any gaps. Where any gaps remain we ensure that you are aware of them. This way you can take an informed view of whether our University and housing are suitable for you.

Medical and supporting evidence

To provide appropriate support, we need evidence of your specific requirements. This is usually a letter from a GP, consultant or another appropriate report from a medical professional. To apply for support for a learning difference, such as dyslexia, you need a full adult diagnostic assessment dated after your 16th birthday.

If you need a specific type of accommodation or adaptations to our accommodation, such as en-suite, or specialist furniture, the letter or report from a medical professional should refer specifically to why your condition requires this rather than just confirm a condition.

How do I fund my support?

Disabled Students' Allowance (DSA)

Most UK students with a physical disability or mental health difficulty, long term health condition or specific learning difficulty will be able to apply for Disabled Students' Allowances (DSAs). These are a non-means tested and a non-repayable source of funding for disabled students' who incur additional expenditure as a direct result of attendance on their university course.

There may be other options available for international students.

DSA can help towards the cost of:

Specialist equipment (e.g. digital voice recorder, assistive software)
One-to-one support (e.g. specialist study skills, specialist mentoring)
Other costs you have to pay because of your disability

Personal Care cannot be funded through DSA. If you need Personal Care support we would encourage you to contact Adult Services in your area.

The DSA process can take up to 12 weeks and so we encourage you to start to apply before you start university.

International students

All students with additional requirements are eligible to receive advice and support from the Disability team regardless of funding. Although non-UK based students are not eligible for funding through DSAs, there may be other sources of funding. Many students coming to the UK to study are eligible for funding through their home government. This is usually applied for before you begin your programme of study.

More information about how to apply for Disabled Students' Allowances

If you are a UK student you can find out more about DSA funding and download the application form online at the Gov.uk website

Students from Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales

If you live in Northern Ireland, Scotland or Wales and are studying anywhere in the UK, your application for student finance is dealt with by the authorities in your own region.

Please follow the links below for the relevant website:

Northern Ireland: Student Finance NI
Scotland: Student Awards Agency Scotland
Wales: Student Finance Wales

Students from the Channel Islands and the Isle of Man

The States of Jersey and Guernsey and the Isle of Man also provide support packages for disabled students'. Please click on the links below for more information:

International students

All students with additional requirements are eligible to receive advice and support from the Disability team irrespective of funding. Although non-UK based students are not eligible for funding through DSAs, there may be other sources of funding. Many students coming to the UK to study are eligible for funding through their home government; this is usually applied for before you begin your programme of study. You are advised to speak with a Disability Adviser before accepting your place to study.

Other financial support

If you cannot get the money you need to do a course from official or statutory sources, trusts may be able to help you. Each trust has its own eligibility criteria, so it is important that you make sure you meet the trust's criteria before you apply:

Student Health Association Assistance Fund
The Snowden Trust
The Mike Devenney Scholarship

After arrival at Winchester

Once you have started at Winchester we encourage you to meet with a disability adviser as soon as possible. If you need to have reasonable adjustments put in place or need to arrange specialist support the disability adviser will assist you. They will make sure your needs are met and will work with you to put guidance in place for staff who may need to know about your needs. Please make sure you have been in touch as early as possible to alert us to any needs you may have once you arrive at Winchester.

How to contact us

If you wish to discuss your support requirements with a member of the disability team, please email disability@winchester.ac.uk. If you would like to have a campus tour, visit housing or meet with academic staff as well as meeting with a disability adviser, please contact opendays@winchester.ac.uk to arrange your visit.

Health and medical advice

We encourage all our students to register with a GP practice. There are three GP practices in Winchester. These are St Clements Practice, The Friarsgate Practice and St Paul's Surgery. All three practices offer most of the NHS services including advice on sexual health, repeat prescriptions and general consultation.

All three practices have information specifically for students on their websites. You can choose to register at any of these GP practices. Please click on the practice name below to get to the website for each surgery:

St Clements Practice: St Clements Practice offers an on-site, confidential medical service to all students registered with them. The surgery is located in the Main Building within the Student Services department. To make an appointment students should ring 01962 852211. The practice main surgery is located in Tanner Street, Winchester
The Friarsgate Practice: The Friarsgate Practice has surgeries in Weeke, Badger Farm and Kings Worthy. Registered students can book appointments at any of these locations
St Paul's Surgery: St Paul's Surgery operates from a purpose-built surgery in Alison Way, Winchester. The surgery offers confidential, off-site medical services to students registered with them. To make an appointment students should ring 01962 853599.

To assist you in choosing a GP practice, or insourcing other medical support in Winchester, you may also wish to look at the NHS Choices webpage.

Dentists

Students are encouraged to continue with regular checks with the family dentist during the holidays. However, should an emergency arise whilst at University, the Dental Helpline should be able to help.

Meningitis

All university students are advised to have the Menigitis ACWY vaccine. This is available from your home GP and our local GPs will also be offering the vaccine to students throughout the academic year. All first year undergraduates are now advised to have a Meningitis (ACWY) booster if they were less than 10 years of age when they received their first Meningitis C injection. If you have not had the vaccination, or if you are unsure, speak to your GP.

The University of Winchester has a comprehensive Managing Menigitis Policy, developed with the support of the Health Protection Agency and this is followed should there be a suspected/confirmed case of meningitis at the University.

The Meningitis Research Foundation (www.meningitis.org) runs a 24 hour helpline: 080 8800 3344

No vaccine protects against all types of meningitis, so it is important to remain vigilant and aware of the symptoms.

For more information regarding the Meningitis ACWY vaccine, please click here

For more information regarding the symptoms of Meningitis infection, please click here

Further information and support for students is available from Meningitis Now

Influenza A (H1N1)

The University has a comprehensive policy in place should the H1N1 virus affect the day to day running of the institution. Information will be regularly communicated to students and staff via the internal website should the University be affected. For the latest information see the Department of Health website.