University of Oxford’s Occupational Health Counselling Code of Practice

The University acknowledges the benefits both to individual employees and to its operation, of providing a counselling service for University staff in support of its policies on Stress at Work. The University has, therefore, established a counselling service for University staff to assist staff to maintain health at work. It is separate from the University’s Student Counselling Service, and is co-ordinated and run by the Occupational Health Service (OHS), whose purpose is to prevent work-related ill-health.

  1. The Staff Counselling Service is co-ordinated by a designated Occupational Health Adviser (OHA). The cost of the counselling will be borne centrally by the University from dedicated funding.
  2. The service is open to all University employees. It is for staff who are experiencing stress or mental health problems related to their work in the University, for example, during a period of University organisational change. It is intended to give early support to individuals who are experiencing difficulties which are affecting their work. It will try to prevent distressed individuals becoming ill, to improve their personal well-being and their ability to undertake their duties and responsibilities effectively. It is also to support managers, and other staff, and departments by minimising disruption to work.
  3. In some circumstances it may include staff with stress problems which may be exacerbated by work, or where the stress, although not work-related, is causing significant sickness absence. It cannot, however, substitute for support from General Practice. It is not appropriate for the clinical management of mental health disorders.
  4. Access to the Staff Counselling Service will be through the OHS. Managers and staff will not be able to access the counsellors direct.
  5. Staff may be referred for counselling assessment by managers or administrators as a management referral. The referring manager should explain the reason for the referral to the member of staff. There is no obligation on the member of staff to accept a referral. After a management referral the OHS will respond to the manager with advice and/or recommendations about the member of staff without breaching medical confidentiality. As with all management referrals individuals must know clearly why they are being referred to the OHS.
  6. Alternatively staff may directly request assessment for counselling for themselves. Any feedback from this to their department will be made only after discussion with and consent of the staff member concerned, if it appears to be appropriate.
  7. Staff will be seen by an Occupational Physician or an Occupational Health Adviser for an initial assessment. The assessment session, for which a one-hour appointment will be given, is to ensure that counselling is appropriate for the specific problem. It will also ensure that there is a work-related component, that the individual will benefit from short-term rather than long-term counselling, and match him or her to a counsellor who most closely meets his or her requirements.
  8. The initial counselling assessment will normally take place in the Occupational Health Service. Where it is appropriate up to six sessions of counselling will be provided for any one referral. If the clinical decision is that counselling is not appropriate the individual will be directed to his or her GP, to another member of the OHS, or to another University or external service, as appropriate.
  9. The OHS has a panel of external counsellors which offers a range of counselling skills. Each counsellor is qualified, accredited, experienced and participating in a continuing programme of counselling supervision. The counsellors will normally see staff for counselling sessions in their usual place of work.
  10. The OHS will respond to requests for appointments within two working days. Staff will normally be offered an Occupational Health assessment within one week and a counselling appointment within a week of the assessment.
  11. The counselling will operate on a completely confidential basis between the counsellor and the employee. The only exception to this will be where the counsellor believes that the individual may be an imminent danger to him/herself or to other people, including presenting a high risk of accidents at work, or potential harm to University staff, students or associates. In such circumstances the counsellor will notify the designated OHA or colleague who will ensure that an appropriate University manager is notified so that any necessary action can be taken.
  12. The counsellors will be required to send a final report to the OHS but it will not contain any counselling notes. The OHS will be informed that individuals have actually attended counselling sessions and there may be a brief summary of work related presentation and outcomes. After the final session individual cases will be reviewed by the OHS, and individuals will be contacted by the OHS for feedback on the counselling service they have received. They may also be followed up later by the OHS.
  13. The Staff Counselling Service will be audited to assess the University’s need for staff counselling to determine future funding. The audit will include an anonymised summary of the reasons for counselling referral.
  14. Employees who are unable to attend pre-arranged appointments for valid reasons should notify the counsellor as soon as possible. Counsellors will inform the OHS of individual non-attendance when advance notice has not been given as there is a cost to the University. Employees who cancel appointments without notice or valid reasons may forfeit the session missed and access to future sessions.
  15. Any complaint about the Staff Counselling Service should initially be referred to the Senior Occupational Health Adviser who will investigate promptly and respond to the staff member.
  16. Staff and managers are welcome to contact the OHS on (01865) 2-82676 or at enquiries@uohs.ox.ac.uk for more information about the service.