Mental Health and Wellbeing Service

Here to help

We know studying can sometimes be challenging. If you're going through personal difficulties, we want to help you.

University College Birmingham provides a Mental Health and Wellbeing service, dedicated to helping you access all the support and information you need. Take a look below at some of the areas and issues we cover.

If you need to access the service, you can book an appointment for an initial assessment – this is a brief chat in a safe, supportive environment, where you can talk confidentially with a member of our team about what concerns you have. We can then discuss what service or support is appropriate for you, which may include a personalised treatment plan.

Book an appointment

Need support from our team? Register for Mental Health and Wellbeing support below:

Not sure if the service is right for your needs? Get in touch for more information:

Email: wellbeing@ucb.ac.uk
Phone: 0121 232 4020

What we can support you with

Our team can provide you with support for a wide range of issues and difficulties you may be experiencing. These may include:

Feeling stressed
Struggling with low mood/feeling depressed
Feeling worried or anxious
Finding it difficult to make friends
Issues around your identity
Relationship issues

Problems sleeping
Eating difficulties
Bereavement
Problems with self-esteem
Feeling homesick
Experiencing mental illness

Unsure how you feel? You can try the Mood Self-Assessment tool on the NHS website. If you're not sure whether our service is able to help you, we encourage you to contact our team (see details above) who can give you guidance to make a decision about your needs. Please get in touch – no problem is too small.

Please note: We cannot guarantee support/therapy will be offered directly through our Health and Wellbeing service – our team may signpost you towards external services where you can get help, if this is more suitable for your needs.

Speak to our adviser

Students who may be experiencing personal difficulties or emotional/psychological distress can get support from our Mental Health and Wellbeing adviser.

The adviser can help by supporting you to identify what you need, provide you with guidance, and signpost you to the appropriate therapy, wellbeing or medical services. They can also help coordinate support if you have a mental health condition, acting as your point of contact throughout your studies with us.

Before joining University College Birmingham, you may choose to disclose a mental health condition and look into disability support options to which you may be entitled.

If you need more information about what services are available, please contact the team by emailing wellbeing@ucb.ac.uk or calling 0121 232 4020.

Counselling

Counselling is a talking therapy. It gives you the space and opportunity to talk about things that may be affecting you, whether they are related to your studies or something personal.

Counsellors are trained to help you better understand why you think and feel the way you do, and help you to make changes. They are not here to tell you what to do, or judge and criticise you. Counselling is instead about being accepted, valued and listened to.

Help in an emergency

Please be aware that our Mental Health and Wellbeing service is not for emergency situations. The service works in addition to, rather than in place of, services provided by the NHS.

If for any reason you are unable to wait for an allocated appointment with us, or you are concerned for your safety or the safety of anyone else, please get in touch with one of the following services immediately:

Listening services

The following services can be contacted on the phone or in person if you need someone to talk to as soon as possible:

Samaritans helpline: 116 123
Papyrus helpline (HOPELineUK): 0800 068 41 41
Visit your nearest Samaritans Branch

Urgent GP appointment

If you need urgent support for your mental health but there is no immediate danger to yourself or others, your registered General Practitioner (GP) can help. If you need information about how to register with a local GP practice, please visit NHS Choices or contact our Nursing Service at University College Birmingham.

Emergency support

If you are in need of immediate medical help – such as if you have self-harmed and require urgent medical attention, or believe you may act on suicidal thoughts – please contact the following:

Emergency services: 999
Accident and Emergency (A&E) at your local hospital
NHS non-emergency service: 111 (if you need medical help quickly but it is not a 999 emergency)

"I spent 5 years at University College Birmingham and the mental health and wellbeing support and understanding I received were excellent. I am so grateful for the support I received, it really helped me to flourish and focus on my studies. All staff are very friendly, kind, and helpful."

Gemma Chandler Culinary Arts Management BA Hons

Is the service confidential?

Our Mental Health and Wellbeing team follow the guidelines issued by the British Association of Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP), which state that confidentiality is essential.

Due to the environment the service operates within, there may be times where complete confidentiality cannot be guaranteed. For example, the team may be required to pass on information to University College Birmingham's Single Point of Contact for Safeguarding, who may need to refer any concerns to external agencies in accordance with our Safeguarding policies and procedures (see the link below).

If you require further information on the confidentiality of this service, please contact a member of the Mental Health and Wellbeing team.

Safeguarding procedure

Drugs

It is a possibility that at some point during your time as a student, you may encounter illegal drugs. All drugs cause some form of change in the way the body works, and the availability of most drugs is controlled by law. Examples of controlled drugs are as follows:

Class	Examples	Maximum penalty in UK
Class A	Heroin, LSD, ecstasy, cocaine, crack, hash oil, injectable class B drugs	Illegal possession: seven years in prison Trafficking: life imprisonment
Class B	Cannabis, amphetamines, barbiturates, mephedrone	Illegal possession: five years in prison Trafficking: 14 years in prison
Class C	Tranquilisers, steroids, benzodiazepines	Illegal possession: two years in prison Trafficking: five years in prison

Anyone prosecuted for use of illegal drugs won't necessarily be sent to prison, but they could get a criminal record, which can make it difficult to get a job.

If a police officer has reason to suspect you are in possession of a controlled drug, they can search you and your home or vehicle, as well as seizing anything that may be deemed evidence of a criminal offence.

Please remember: The use of illegal drugs may cost you your place at University College Birmingham.

University College Birmingham will adhere to the law, and action will be taken if any student is found in possession of illegal drugs, or is found involved in the use or supply of illegal drugs.

Advice on drug problems

The Mental Health and Wellbeing Service at University College Birmingham offers confidential advice on drug problems. They can also provide details of local organisations that can help.

Support is also available through FRANK, the National Drugs Helpline, by calling 0800 776 600.

Our commitment to you

We are a proud member of Student Minds' University Mental Health Charter. This shows our commitment to supporting the mental health of our community and proactively creating an environment to promote wellbeing. Institutions who sign up to the charter have a shared goal of ensuring that no student is held back by their mental health.

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