Information and documents relating to staff wellbeing in higher education
Dear Heriot-Watt University,
I am writing to request information under the Freedom of Information Act 2000. I would be interested in any information held by your organisation regarding my request on staff wellbeing in Higher Education (HE).
I would like to request the following information, covering the last 12 months:
1. The job title of the senior manager with lead responsibility for staff wellbeing in the University.
2. The number of mental health specialist staff available within the university to support staff wellbeing.
3. A copy of the University’s Policy (procedures)/other relevant document(s) to support the wellbeing of staff.
4. The type of services offered to support staff wellbeing in the University
5. The number of referrals to services offered where staff wellbeing was a primary reason for the referral
6. Staff take up (number) by each service offered to support staff wellbeing.
Please provide the above information in the form of electronic files.
If it is not possible to provide the information required due to the information exceeding the cost of compliance limits identified in section 12, please provide assistance under section 16, obligation of the Act, as to how I can refine my request.
Thank you for your time and I look forward to receiving the above information.
Yours faithfully,
Vida Douglas
Dear Heriot-Watt University,
Further to my recent FOI request. I do not appear to have received a response which I should have received by 24th December.
I would be grateful if you could advise me on the progress of my request.
Yours faithfully,
Vida Douglas
Dear Vida Douglas
Thank you for your request for information received on the 25^th of
November 2018. We have considered your request in accordance with our
duties as a Scottish Public Authority under the Freedom of Information
(Scotland) Act 2002. I am sorry that due to the volume and complexity of
information requests we have received we were unable to respond to your
request within 20 working days.
Please find below the information you have requested relating to staff
wellbeing in Higher Education (HE).
1. The job title of the senior manager with lead
responsibility for staff wellbeing in the University.
The University Executive member is the Deputy Principal (Engagement &
Staff Development)
The functional lead is the Global Director of Human Resources.
2. The number of mental health specialist staff available
within the university to support staff wellbeing.
These services are provided under contract by external specialist
organisations, rather than in-house, so we do not directly employ mental
health specialist staff. Details of our counselling and Occupational
Health Services are in the attached leaflets.
3. A copy of the University’s Policy (procedures)/other
relevant document(s) to support the wellbeing of staff.
Our staff Mental Health Policy and other HR policies and procedures to
promote staff wellbeing and an appropriate work/ life balance are
published on our website here:
[1]https://www.hw.ac.uk/services/human-reso...
4. The type of services offered to support staff wellbeing in the
University
Heriot-Watt University values the health and welfare of all staff. We aim
to create a safe working environment from recruitment onwards and to
promote processes and practices to protect, and where possible enhance,
the health of employees. The University has a range of wellbeing services
and support available to staff. These include Occupational Health (OH)
Services and free, confidential, telephone and face to face counselling
services (details in the attached leaflets), coaching, support for
exercise, including a cycle to work scheme and staff membership of
[2]Oriam sports and exercise facilities and classes, flexible working and
family friendly policies, staff development opportunities and the
[3]Chaplaincy and prayer rooms to promote spiritual and social wellbeing.
5. The number of referrals to services offered where staff wellbeing
was a primary reason for the referral
Referrals for Face to face counselling – November 2017-October
2018 = 50
Telephone counselling does not require referral so numbers not
known
Referrals to OH for mental health conditions - 3rd January –
3rd December 2018 = 40
6. Staff take up (number) by each service offered to support staff
wellbeing.
Face to Face counselling take –up = 34
Referrals to OH taken up = 36
I hope that this information is helpful.
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 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:
[4]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: [5][email address]
Website:
[6]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 [7][Heriot-Watt University request email]
Kind regards
FOI Team
Information Governance
Heriot-Watt University
Governance and Legal Services
Edinburgh EH14 4AS
Email: [8][email address]
[9]https://www.hw.ac.uk/services/heritage-i...
[10]Heriot-Watt%20Email%20Signature%20October%202017
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