Health, Wellbeing and Support for Study (HWSS) is to be used where students require additional support, which cannot necessarily be fulfilled by the standard support services or procedures in place, such as mitigation. Please see http://www.exeter.ac.uk/staff/policies/calendar/part1/otherregs/health/ for the policy regarding this process.
Prior to HWSS being used, students should be advised to engage with the following support services, if necessary, this can be done by any academic or PS staff.
Students can be signposted to support services such as Wellbeing Services, or the Student Health Centre/their doctor or www.fxplus.ac.uk/students/studentservices
Students can be signposted to the mitigation process (except PGR)
Students can be signposted to academic skills and engagement
Students can be signposted to Wellbeing Services or www.fxplus.ac.uk/students/studentservices re ongoing condition/disability
HWSS should only be initiated by an Education Welfare Advisor or nominee (appointed/agreed by EWA??) who will chair the meetings. Once a student is referred to HWSS they will be allocated a Level of the process and be requested to engage in meetings. A student can self-refer for possible HWSS support.
If you are unsure about the level of support that a student requires, please refer to the relevant Education Welfare Advisor. For more information on identifying and supporting students with risk, please see the Wellbeing Services Risk Policy: Risk Policy 2023.docx
HWSS is used when a student is experiencing health, wellbeing or disability related issues that are impacting on ability to study and/or time at University. Any issue that has an impact on a student’s learning and health/wellbeing which has not been resolved through initial welfare advice is also within scope of HWSS. This may include but is not limited to accommodation, academic and financial issues.
The student should always be at the heart of HWSS. The intention of the meeting is to create a constructive and positive dialogue between all supporting parties. There is therefore an opportunity for both department and student to identify and consider the key issues and concerns creating barriers to learning.
An HWSS meeting needs to be called when a student returns to study from an enhanced medical interruption. This is to ensure we continue to provide support to students that have already shown themselves to be struggling with their studies. This is particularly imperative where the interruption has been related to significant health and/or welfare reasons.
Students may sometimes raise complex concerns about academic processes/structure/procedures that are negatively impacting upon their wellbeing. These issues may be addressed initially within the HWSS meeting, however immediate solutions to more complex concerns may not always be possible to agree; in which case the HWSS meeting notes will document the concern raised as well as next steps identified to move toward resolution. The matter may then be considered after the HWSS meeting, and the Chair will update on the subsequent discussion at the next HWSS review or earlier if possible. If a matter is difficult to resolve, precisely what has been considered and why resolution may only be partial and not complete should be noted.
On occasion it may be helpful for an advisory discussion to take place without the student present, prior to or after the HWSS meeting to consider options.
Reviews should continue within the same supportive ethos of HWSS and are central to monitoring agreed actions under HWSS, including academic deadlines and follow up on health recommendations etc.
There is a need for awareness of the effects of fluctuating conditions on the student’s ability to abide by actions agreed.
If a student wishes to express any dissatisfaction with HWSS, request a change of attendee or to ask to be removed from HWSS and does not feel comfortable making this request known to the Chair, they should be directed to raise their concerns with the Education Welfare Team Lead/Students Guild Advice Service /FXU, FX Plus Student Support or https://fxplus.ac.uk/student-support/support-wellbeing, or Wellbeing.
If a student wishes to be removed from HWSS a final meeting should be held to ensure that they are aware of all support available and that they can re-enter into HWSS should they wish to do so at a later date.
Every effort should be made to facilitate student participation in meetings. Meetings can be held remotely via MS Teams, Zoom or telephone if student is not able to physically attend. Students can nominate a third party to attend with them and act on their behalf, with the student’s written permission, however, it is always preferable for the student to be present themselves