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Be Well at Bath

The University's approach to mental health and wellbeing, informed by our staff and students.

Have your say on our wellbeing provision

Be Well at Bath video

Hear about Be Well at Bath and its aims from Professor Cassie Wilson, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Student Experience), and Professor Jane White.

About Be Well at Bath

Be Well at Bath is our whole University approach to mental health and wellbeing, providing a strategic framework to embed wellbeing considerations across all our activities and functions.

Be Well at Bath aims to embed good practice around wellbeing across the University. We strive to consider wellbeing in all our activities and functions, touching on all aspects of student and staff life at Bath.

Be Well at Bath is led by Professor Cassie Wilson, Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Student Experience), with senior leads across our remaining four key principles:

  • Catherine Bailey (Head of Be Well (Live) and Deputy Director - Student Retention & Development, Student Support & Safeguarding)
  • Professor Nathalia Gjersoe (Associate Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Student Voice))
  • Nic Streatfield (Director, Student Support & Safeguarding)
  • Nicola Riley (Staff Health & Wellbeing Manager, Human Resources)

Taking a strategic approach to our community's wellbeing will have long-ranging benefits and positive outcomes for all.

Ongoing feedback from the whole University community is vital. Have your say on Mental Health and Wellbeing at the University or contact one of the named leads above to discuss further.

Our five Be Well principles

1 Together with staff and students, we aspire to create an organisational culture of care that enhances mental health and wellbeing across our diverse community. Led by Cassie Wilson.

2 Deliver a rich learning experience that supports wellbeing at every stage of the student’s progression into, through, and on from their studies. Led by Nathalia Gjersoe.

3 Ensure our physical and virtual spaces and activities promote an inclusive community where everyone can thrive and feels they belong. Led by Catherine Bailey.

4 Create a thriving, sustainable, safe and supportive workplace that proactively enables staff to protect their health and wellbeing. Led by Nicola Riley.

5 Promote and support good health and wellbeing for all and empower our community to access high quality services when they need them. Led by Nic Streatfield.

The University Mental Health Charter

The Mental Health Charter was created by Student Minds to shape a future in which everyone in higher education can thrive.

The University Mental Health Charter logo

In October 2024, our community became one of the first 15 UK universities to achieve the University Mental Health Charter Award. We will continue to use the Charter framework and feedback from our community to shape our strategic approach for Be Well at Bath.

Supporting the ongoing commitment to the University Mental Health Charter programme, Professor Phil Taylor, Vice-Chancellor and President commented:

The mental health and wellbeing of our staff and students is a key priority for our institution and the Mental Health Charter programme allows us to look critically at our practices and provision and ensure that the University is a safe, satisfying and happy place to work, study and research. Achieving the Award Mark is a huge achievement for our community and I look forward to seeing further progress over the coming years through Be Well at Bath.

Promote, Prevent, Support

We follow the Promote, Prevent, Support pathway for wellbeing:

  • Promote: taking a proactive approach to promote health and wellbeing
  • Prevent: helping people to be aware of wellbeing and prepared to take action
  • Support: spotting the signs and responding with appropriate support

Below are just a few examples of what we offer for staff and students.

Promoting

The University hosts a number of groups for staff and support groups for students for networking and support, including LGBTQ+, Autism, Bereavement, and more.

We post regular blogs for staff and Be Well student blogs, to help promote this topic frequently to the community.

We have groups of people on campus who are there to promote wellbeing to their peers. These are the Staff Wellbeing Champions and for students we have Wellbeing Ambassadors.

people walking up stairs on campus

Preventing

We offer courses on mental health and wellbeing for staff and social prescribing groups for students, to encourage people to take a proactive approach to their mental health.

To help people stay aware of their health and wellbeing on a regular basis, we have the Be Well app for students. Staff can access free professional counselling 24/7 with Health Assured.

The staff Coaching programme and student Peer Mentoring schemes offer peer-to-peer support for our community.

Supporting

For staff we offer counselling via Health Assured, and for students we have our Wellbeing, Mental Health and Therapeutic services in Student Support. The SU also offer independent SU Advisors to give practical advice.

Students can use the 24/7 Be Well Talk Now service, and for staff there is the Education Support Partnership helpline, to speak to an adviser for support about any issues you may be facing.

All our Security staff are Mental Health First Aid trained and will support any member of our community in need 24/7.

reflections in a window of people walking on campus

Wellbeing support

Find more information on the support you can access, visit our Staff Wellbeing and Student Wellbeing web pages.

Be Well resources for staff

Access a variety of tools to help with your Be Well work at the university

Find out more

You can read about our approach and priorities in the e-booklet and contact the leads for more information.