Gambling problems
Dear Heriot-Watt University,
Please can you tell me how many students - in the past three years - your university has:
i) treated for depression/anxiety caused by gambling addiction;
ii) encountered with financial problems caused by gambling debts.
Thank you.
Yours faithfully,
John Cairns
Dear applicant
Thank you for you information request dated the 24th June 2019 regarding
student gambling problems. Your request has been handled by our country's
own legislation: the Freedom of Information (Scotland) Act 2002 (FOISA).
In response to your first question, this information had been readily
available on this website last year in response to a similar request, but
it has subsequently been removed (not by us). I am afraid we do not make
a distinction within the addiction issues category for summarising the
presenting issues within the counselling service statistics we report and
so this information is exempt from release under the Section 17 of the Act
(FOISA). We have though been advised by our Counselling colleagues that
anecdotally there may be less than 5 students per year who present with
gambling as their main reason for seeking support. Support is provided as
outlined on our student wellbeing website. Our counsellors would also
refer patients to Gamblers Anonymous.
In response to your second question, our systems do not break down to
information to the level required and so this information is exempt from
release under Section17 of FOISA.
Your right to seek review of our decision
If you are not satisfied with our response or our reasoning set-out above,
you have forty working days from today in which to request a review of our
decision. Any request should be put in writing and should be sent to Ann
Jones, Head of Heritage and Information Governance, at the address
detailed at the bottom of this email. The request should:
(a) detail your request for a review of our decision to be undertaken;
(b) describe the nature of your original request; and
(c) explain the reasons why you are dissatisfied with our response.
If you remain dissatisfied with how your request for information has been
dealt with, you also have the right to apply to the Scottish Information
Commissioner for a decision as to whether we have handled your request
properly.
Information relating to your right to seek review is available from the
Scottish Information Commissioner's web page at:
[1]http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/YourR...
or by contacting the Scottish Information Commissioner's Office at the
following address:
Scottish Information Commissioner,
Kinburn Castle,
Doubledykes Road,
St Andrews,
Fife KY16 9DS
Telephone: 01334 464610
Fax: 01334 464611
E-mail: [2][email address]
Website:
[3]http://www.itspublicknowledge.info/home/...
Contact us
Finally, should you wish to discuss the contents of this email, please do
not hesitate in contacting us via [4][Heriot-Watt University request email]
Information Governance
Governance and Legal Services
Heriot-Watt University
Edinburgh Campus
Riccarton
Edinburgh EH14 4AS
[5]https://www.hw.ac.uk/services/informatio...
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