Mental Health Advisor

The Role and Department

The Counselling & Mental Health Service is a multi-disciplinary central specialist service for student and staff mental health and wellbeing provision in the University. It sits within the Student Support and Wellbeing Directorate. The Service provides individual and group interventions, advice for College and academic department staff, complex case-management, and the development and delivery of psychological wellbeing initiatives. The Service exists to enable students to make the most of the academic and social opportunities that the University affords, and operates within ethical and professional guidelines.

Mental Health Advisors play a key role in managing the increasing incidence of student mental health issues, the increasing numbers of students pre- disclosing mental health disabilities and the management of complex mental health risk across the University. Mental Health Advisors are members of the Counselling & Mental Health Service but work closely with colleagues in Disability Support, academic departments and our Colleges.

The primary purpose of the role is to ensure assessment and coordination of student support need, linking University and community-based health support. The post holder will provide advice to students to ensure that they obtain the appropriate treatment, support and, where applicable, the necessary reasonable adjustments. The post holder will undertake assessment of students’ fitness to study and support needs where there is a concern regarding their mental wellbeing, including fitness to participate in offsite activity such as field trips. The post-holder will initiate and lead or participate in multidisciplinary support meetings.

Mental Health Advisors also offer guidance to all members of University staff on the management of complex mental health need and risks.

We provide independent supervision, and continuing professional development opportunities, for all staff in our Service to ensure compliance with professional registration.

Contact details

For a chat about the role or any further information please contact Kate Augarde, Head of Service, at: katharine.augarde@durham.ac.uk

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