We Have Listened To Your Feedback
You Said We Did:
As a team we value your experience and have been listening to your feedback over the last 12 months. As a result, we have implemented some changes in the way we do things at the Counselling and Mental Health Service.
You said: You struggle to call for appointments and would prefer booking on-line:
Some students may feel okay to call but for others picking up the phone and starting a conversation about mental health can feel daunting. In response to this we have now created a system that allows you to book your initial appointment on-line.
You said: We want to be involved:
We understand when developing a service for students, we can’t do this without hearing the ‘student voice’ and actively involving students in service development. We have therefore been looking at ways in which we can bring students on board. Examples of how we have done this include having student representatives on our interview panels and including them in the recruitment process. We are also including students in our design of psycho-educational materials.
In 2023 we are hoping to develop our student involvement further. If you are interested in getting involved or have an idea on how we may improve please email counselling.service@manchester.ac.uk and your email will be passed on to the Head of Service.
Request to change practitioner/ express a general concern/ making a complaint:
Request to change practitioner: We acknowledge that there may be times when a relationship with a staff member doesn’t work or may not be what you expected. In the first instance you may want to raise this with the practitioner you are working with as there may be a way of resolving the concern. If, however you want to request a change of practitioner without expressing a concern or complaint please email: counselling.service@manchester.ac.uk Please title your email ‘Request to change practitioner’. This request will be dealt with by senior staff. This may involve a straight swap or we may call you to discuss what you may need. If you make more than one request to change practitioner then this will be passed on to the Head of Service as this may suggest a more thorough review of your needs is required.
Please note: You can make a request to see a practitioner from a Minority Ethnic Group and we will aim to accommodate this where possible. You may also make a request based on gender.
Expressing a Concern: If you are unsure about making a more formal complaint but want to raise a concern about the service. You can email your concern to counselling.service@manchester.ac.uk This will be passed on to the relevant managerial staff member.
Making a Complaint: The University has a complaints procedure which have a number of stages, both formal and informal. If you need assistance with your complaint, then you can contact the Student Union Advice Service.
If you are considering making a more formal complaint in the first instance please do email Claire Francis, Head of Service, who will be happy to discuss this with you: claire.francis@manchester.ac.uk
Please Note: A complaint should be made as near as possible to the events concerned usually within 40 working days and in exceptional circumstances no later than within a year of the incident to which it refers.