Student Guidance: Contacting your trusted contact
A summary of when staff will attempt to contact your trusted contact
All students, both new and continuing, are required to complete an annual registration process as part of matriculation to ensure that the University has accurate and current personal details for you and your nominated trusted contact. You can still change these details throughout the year by accessing 'MyEd' under 'Profile and personal details'.
If the University becomes aware that a student is unwell, causing us to have concerns for their welfare, it may, where it regards it as appropriate, seek to engage with third parties to address those concerns as set out in the guidance below. The NHS and other statutory agencies are responsible for the provision of care to our students. It is expected that students who are unwell will engage with these agencies according to their needs. The University, as a provider of higher education, is not the appropriate agency and does not have the expertise or capacity to closely monitor students’ mental or physical health, nor to provide health care
Useful information
Your trusted contacts should be over 18, ideally be able to speak English and be contactable by phone. The University would only contact them in the event of a personal emergency relating to your immediate health or safety. Please ensure these details are kept up to date and that you inform your nominated contacts.
Having this information allows the University to contact a responsible adult nominated by you so that we can inform them of situations where there are concerns about your health and wellbeing that need action. This may be in the case of, for example, a life-threatening situation or a situation where staff are concerned about your wellbeing, and being able to contact the right people quickly enables the University to take appropriate action to ensure your safety and wellbeing.
All data entered by students are securely stored in EUCLID. Staff with appropriate permissions can access these data in accordance with our Data Protection policies.
Staff will only attempt to contact your named trusted contact if:
- You have not responded to all attempts made to contact you, or
- In an emergency where there is an urgent risk to your safety.
Reasons for contact would include a medical emergency such as admittance to hospital, concern for your wellbeing, a student has gone missing or is displaying symptoms of serious physical or mental illness or concerning behavior.
Staff must make sure that the situation warrants this, and seek authority from a number of named ‘Authorisers’ within the University. Wherever possible, University staff should consult with you prior to communicating with your Trusted Contact.
If you have any questions regarding this guidance, please contact Rebecca.Shade@ed.ac.uk (Senior Policy & Projects Adviser- Students).