The University is working in Partnership with MCL Medics to provide access to counselling and wellbeing services for staff. Counselling can be offered by telephone, virtual face to face or in-person* face to face (*based in clinical assessment) What is an Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) An Employee Assistance Programme is an employee benefit programme that aims to support employees with personal problems and/or work related problems that may impact their job performance, health, mental and emotional wellbeing.EAPs are often delivered by external providers to large organisations such as the University. How does it work?You will be able to access up to 6 free counselling sessions (Short Term Therapy), with trained MCL Medics Counsellors, through this Employee Assistance Programme. Key InformationCounselling through MCL Medics is available free of charge to all staff (with a staff number), plus any partners or dependents over the age of 18 (living under the same roofThe sessions are delivered by telephone and virtual face to face or in-person* face to face (*based in clinical assessment) The counselling available is “time limited” targeted therapy, the same as that offered by the University, which means it is delivered within a set allocation of sessions, to a maximum of 6 sessions.The counselling is tailored and suited to supporting you with singular presenting issues that affect your daily living and ability to maintain good well-being in work. By using this external provider, staff will have access to timely counselling services. At times you may be signposted to other services depending on your needs, and that will be explained at the time of your first callThis is a confidential counselling service. You can access MCL Medic's privacy notice here Privacy Notice - MCL Medics (mcl-medics.com) How to access the EAP Accessing the serviceTo register for an appointment, you will need to contact MCL Medics via their email address eap@mcl-medics.com or phone number 0808 196 1441. They will then arrange a short 20-minute phone call with you to discuss your requirements/needs (within two working days of you getting in contact with them) and schedule your counselling which will be within 7 days from your initial call if this is convenient for you.Please note that in your initial contact with MCL Medics you will be asked to confirm the following information:Your first name and surnameContact telephone numberContact emailReason for the call (your presenting issue)Your employer (i.e. University of Edinburgh)MCL Medics welcome pageFor more information about MCL Medics, including how to get started with the App please see: https://www.mcl-medics.com/the-university-of-edinburghThis page is password protected the first time you activate it. The Password is: WelcomeUOED Additional services and resources to support your wellbeing The EAP provides access to a legal and financial helpline which supplies information and financial advice on a range of issues you may need help with. An online portal and App offer a library of health and wellbeing resources.Legal information and financial helplineThe EAP programme can also provide clients with a one off legal signpost call to provide advice and information around legal matters. This covers a range of issues;Employment issues within the workplaceCommercial and Company lawData protection (GDPR)Housing (owner occupied and rented)Consumer issuesFamily and relationship difficultiesPersonal injuryRoad traffic accidents and Motoring OffencesSmall claims court proceedingsPensions, Tax and welfare benefitsNeighbour issuesCriminal lawPower of attorney, Wills, Probate and BereavementThe service is available during the working week. 08:30am - 5:00pm Mon-Fri. Frequently Asked Questions Do I have to pay to access the services provided by the EAP? No, the EAP is funded by the University of Edinburgh. Will you make the referral to the EAP for me? No. The EAP works on a self-referral only basis. Who is the EAP provider? The EAP is provided by MCL Medics. MCL Medics are an established EAP provider who work with a range of employees across different organisations. How long will I have to wait to receive counselling from MCL Medics? MCL Medics aim to arrange a short 20-minute phone call with you to discuss your requirements/needs (within two working days of you getting in contact with them) and schedule your counselling within seven days from your initial call if this is convenient for you. I’ve contacted MCL Medics to enquire about accessing the EAP and haven’t heard back within this timescale. What should I do? Please contact Mandy Philips (MCL EAP Manager) at: mandy.phillips@mcl-medics.com and she will chase this up for you. How to provide feedback If you have any questions about the service you are receiving from the EAP (e.g. when you can expect to hear about an appointment) then please contact MCL Medics direct via their email address eap@mcl-medics.com MCL Medics routinely seek feedback from clients about their experience for evaluation purposes. If you are unhappy with any aspect of the EAP service then please raise any complaints/concerns with the Service Manager at MCL Medics: eap@mcl-medics.com If you wish to provide feedback to the University of Edinburgh about the EAP then you can do so via email to Dorileen Forbes, Deputy Director Health and Wellbeing at Dorileen.forbes@ed.ac.uk This article was published on 2025-03-10