Freedom of Information request - Staff Counselling Services and Occupational Health Referrals

The request was partially successful.

Dear Buckinghamshire New University,

Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, could you please provide me with the following information:

COUNSELLING AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES - UNIVERSITY STAFF

1. The total number of staff that accessed University counselling and mental health services in the last eight academic years (please present in a table showing figures for each academic year and breakdown by category (e.g. anxiety, bereavement loss, work-related etc...))

a) How many were academic staff?
b) How many were professional services staff?
c) How many were male?
d) How many were female?

2. Where data are available in the last eight years, please detail what was the average wait time for a staff member applying to see a counsellor to seeing a counsellor?

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

3. During the last eight academic years how many staff members were referred to Occupational Health (please highlight whether these were self-referrals, management referrals, or referrals falling into different categories)?

a) How many were academic staff?
b) How many were professional services staff?
c) How many were male?
d) How many were female?

4. How many staff members are currently on the waiting list to see Occupational Health?

If the decision is made to withhold some of this data using exemptions in the Data Protection Act, please inform me of that fact and cite the exemptions used.

If you need any clarification then please do not hesitate to contact me. If some parts of this request are easier to answer than others, I would ask that you release the available data as soon as possible.

I would be grateful if you could confirm in writing that you have received this request, and I look forward to hearing from you within the 20 working day statutory time period.

Yours faithfully,

Nicky Michaels

FOI Officer, Buckinghamshire New University

Dear Nicky,

Thank you for your FOI Request. In answer to your request, the information we capture about the usage of our Staff Counselling Services and Occupational Health service by staff and students is very high level. We do not record this information in a way that can be used to answer your question to the level of the detail it is requesting.

Kind regards,

FOI Officer________________________
Buckinghamshire New University
Queen Alexandra Road
High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire HP11 2JZ

> -----Original Message-----
> From: Nicky Michaels
> [mailto:[FOI #419105 email]]
> Sent: 17 July 2017 20:49
> To: FOI Officer <[email address]>
> Subject: Freedom of Information request - Freedom of Information
> request - Staff Counselling Services and Occupational Health Referrals
>
> Dear Buckinghamshire New University,
>
> Under the Freedom of Information Act 2000, could you please provide me with the following information:
>
> COUNSELLING AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES - UNIVERSITY STAFF
>
> 1. The total number of staff that accessed University counselling and
> mental health services in the last eight academic years (please
> present in a table showing figures for each academic year and
> breakdown by category (e.g. anxiety, bereavement loss, work-related
> etc...))
>
> a) How many were academic staff?
> b) How many were professional services staff?
> c) How many were male?
> d) How many were female?
>
> 2. Where data are available in the last eight years, please detail what was the average wait time for a staff member applying to see a counsellor to seeing a counsellor?
>
> OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH
>
> 3. During the last eight academic years how many staff members were referred to Occupational Health (please highlight whether these were self-referrals, management referrals, or referrals falling into different categories)?
>
> a) How many were academic staff?
> b) How many were professional services staff?
> c) How many were male?
> d) How many were female?
>
> 4. How many staff members are currently on the waiting list to see Occupational Health?
>
> If the decision is made to withhold some of this data using exemptions in the Data Protection Act, please inform me of that fact and cite the exemptions used.
>
> If you need any clarification then please do not hesitate to contact me. If some parts of this request are easier to answer than others, I would ask that you release the available data as soon as possible.
>
> I would be grateful if you could confirm in writing that you have received this request, and I look forward to hearing from you within the 20 working day statutory time period.
>
> Yours faithfully,
>
> Nicky Michaels
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
> [FOI #419105 email]
>
> Is [Buckinghamshire New University request email] the wrong address for Freedom of Information requests to Buckinghamshire New University? If so, please contact us using this form:
> https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/change_re...
> _new_university
>
> Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
> https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/offi...
>
> For more detailed guidance on safely disclosing information, read the latest advice from the ICO:
> https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/ico-...
>
> If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.
>
>
> -------------------------------------------------------------------
>
> <PDF Counselling Service Report 15-16 FINAL.pdf>

hide quoted sections

Dear Buckinghamshire New University,
I would be grateful if you could reconsider the request for information and assess what information you can provide in respect of access to counselling and occupational health services. Please note that other Universities in the UK have positively responded to this request (and many in quite some detail) and have been extremely helpful.
Yours faithfully,

Nicky Michaels

FOI Officer, Buckinghamshire New University

Dear Nicky,

Apologies, there appears to have been a miscommunication. I have been informed that the relevant teams are currently working to put together a response for your FOI Request.

Apologies for the inconvenience and confusion.

Kind regards,

FOI Officer________________________
Buckinghamshire New University
Queen Alexandra Road
High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire HP11 2JZ

-----Original Message-----
From: Nicky Michaels [mailto:[FOI #419105 email]]
Sent: 01 August 2017 15:31
To: FOI Officer <[email address]>
Subject: Re: Freedom of Information request - Freedom of Information request - Staff Counselling Services and Occupational Health Referrals

Dear Buckinghamshire New University,
I would be grateful if you could reconsider the request for information and assess what information you can provide in respect of access to counselling and occupational health services. Please note that other Universities in the UK have positively responded to this request (and many in quite some detail) and have been extremely helpful.
Yours faithfully,

Nicky Michaels

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #419105 email]

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/offi...

For more detailed guidance on safely disclosing information, read the latest advice from the ICO:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/ico-...

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

hide quoted sections

FOI Officer, Buckinghamshire New University

Dear Nicky,

Thank you for your FOI Request. Please see the university's response in red below.

COUNSELLING AND MENTAL HEALTH SERVICES - UNIVERSITY STAFF

Unfortunately we are unable to provide the information requested in questions 1 and 2 as we are unable to distinguish between staff and student users of the service. We do have statistics for staff only which detail use of the service on a monthly basis, but the data would include significant duplications as follow-on appointments would also be included. We do not record gender.

We can provide overall figures (i.e. jointly for staff and students) for the period 2011 – 2016 in response to question 2 if required.

1. The total number of staff that accessed University counselling and mental health services in the last eight academic years (please present in a table showing figures for each academic year and breakdown by category (e.g. anxiety, bereavement loss, work-related etc...))

a) How many were academic staff?
b) How many were professional services staff?
c) How many were male?
d) How many were female?

2. Where data are available in the last eight years, please detail what was the average wait time for a staff member applying to see a counsellor to seeing a counsellor?

OCCUPATIONAL HEALTH

3. During the last eight academic years how many staff members were referred to Occupational Health (please highlight whether these were self-referrals, management referrals, or referrals falling into different categories)?

a) How many were academic staff? 50
b) How many were professional services staff? 37
c) How many were male? 40
d) How many were female? 47
All referrals are made via HR to an external agency.

4. How many staff members are currently on the waiting list to see Occupational Health? 2

Kind regards,

FOI Officer________________________
Buckinghamshire New University
Queen Alexandra Road
High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire HP11 2JZ

-----Original Message-----
From: Nicky Michaels [mailto:[FOI #419105 email]]
Sent: 01 August 2017 15:31
To: FOI Officer <[email address]>
Subject: Re: Freedom of Information request - Freedom of Information request - Staff Counselling Services and Occupational Health Referrals

Dear Buckinghamshire New University,
I would be grateful if you could reconsider the request for information and assess what information you can provide in respect of access to counselling and occupational health services. Please note that other Universities in the UK have positively responded to this request (and many in quite some detail) and have been extremely helpful.
Yours faithfully,

Nicky Michaels

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #419105 email]

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/offi...

For more detailed guidance on safely disclosing information, read the latest advice from the ICO:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/ico-...

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

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Dear Buckinghamshire New University,

Thank you for your response. I would be very grateful if you could breakdown the OH referrals by year (e.g. 2010-11, 2011-12 etc). Then I will consider this FOI satisfied to the best of your ability and within reasonable limits. Thank you for all of your help.

Yours faithfully,

Nicky Michaels

FOI Officer, Buckinghamshire New University

Dear Nicky,

Thank you for your response. May you please reply to the email sent in answer to the request, so we are able to track which request you are referencing to by its reference number?

Kind regards,

FOI Officer________________________
Buckinghamshire New University
Queen Alexandra Road
High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire HP11 2JZ
-----Original Message-----
From: Nicky Michaels [mailto:[FOI #419105 email]]
Sent: 11 August 2017 18:04
To: FOI Officer <[email address]>
Subject: Re: Freedom of Information request - Freedom of Information request - Staff Counselling Services and Occupational Health Referrals

Dear Buckinghamshire New University,

Thank you for your response. I would be very grateful if you could breakdown the OH referrals by year (e.g. 2010-11, 2011-12 etc). Then I will consider this FOI satisfied to the best of your ability and within reasonable limits. Thank you for all of your help.

Yours faithfully,

Nicky Michaels

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #419105 email]

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/offi...

For more detailed guidance on safely disclosing information, read the latest advice from the ICO:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/ico-...

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear FOI Officer,
You can find the document trail via the following link.
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/f...

Yours sincerely,

Nicky Michaels

FOI Officer, Buckinghamshire New University

Dear Nicky,

Thank you for your additional request of information. Please see the Universities response, in relation to the follow-up request “Thank you for your response. I would be very grateful if you could breakdown the OH referrals by year (e.g. 2010-11, 2011-12 etc). Then I will consider this FOI satisfied to the best of your ability and within reasonable limits. Thank you for all of your help.“ below.

Academic Year Number of referrals
2009-10 9
2010-11 10
2011-12 12
2012-13 1
2013-14 8
2014-15 6
2015-16 13
2016-17 28
Grand Total 87

Kind regards,

FOI Officer________________________
Buckinghamshire New University
Queen Alexandra Road
High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire HP11 2JZ

-----Original Message-----
From: Nicky Michaels [mailto:[FOI #419105 email]]
Sent: 14 August 2017 16:58
To: FOI Officer <[email address]>
Subject: RE: Freedom of Information request - Freedom of Information request - Staff Counselling Services and Occupational Health Referrals

Dear FOI Officer,
You can find the document trail via the following link.
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/request/f...

Yours sincerely,

Nicky Michaels

-----Original Message-----

Dear Nicky,

Thank you for your response. May you please reply to the email sent in answer to the request, so we are able to track which request you are referencing to by its reference number?

Kind regards,

FOI Officer________________________
Buckinghamshire New University
Queen Alexandra Road
High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire HP11 2JZ

-------------------------------------------------------------------
Please use this email address for all replies to this request:
[FOI #419105 email]

Disclaimer: This message and any reply that you make will be published on the internet. Our privacy and copyright policies:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/offi...

For more detailed guidance on safely disclosing information, read the latest advice from the ICO:
https://www.whatdotheyknow.com/help/ico-...

If you find this service useful as an FOI officer, please ask your web manager to link to us from your organisation's FOI page.

-------------------------------------------------------------------

Dear FOI Officer,
Thank you so much for this information.
Yours sincerely,

Nicky Michaels