Health and Welfare
Comprensive and detailed information about all the services offered by the Advice Centre are on the Advice Centre site. Below is a summary of the most used services of interest to new and propective students.
Dyslexia/dyspraxia, long-term health conditions and disabilities
The College is committed to ensuring that students with disabilities, dyslexia/dyspraxia and/or health conditions are fully supported. Our Disability Adviser (disability@rvc.ac.uk) is available once a week at each campus to talk to current or prospective students about any access issues or support that you might need. She can assist with dyslexia screenings/reports, DSA applications (i.e.Disabled Student Allowances for home students: http://www.direct.gov.uk/en/disabledpeople/educationandtraining/highereducation/dg_10034898) and advice and guidance for international students,
Please inform the College about any access needs you might have as soon as possible, so that support can be put in place before you arrive. Note down anything we need to know on your application form, and rest assured that all information will be treated sensitively and in the strictest confidence.
Financial or welfare-related matters
General welfare and financial advice to students and prospective students is offered by the fMoney and Welfare Adviser (moneymatters@rvc.ac.uk) who is available one day a week at each campus. He can assist with student funding and loan entitlements; initial legal advice on a range of issues (small claims, etc); consumer problems; debt issues; housing or homelessness problems and welfare benefits.
Counselling
Student life and professional training can be both exciting and stressful. The RVC offers a free confidential counselling service to help you with any emotional or psychological difficulties that may prevent you from making the most of your time while you are here. The counsellors are available at least one day a week at each campus (rvccounselling@herts.ac.uk)
Telephone 01707 284453 for queries or appointments – please make sure you state that you are a student/prospective student at the RVC.
Pastoral care, regardless of religious belief
The College Chaplain, Revd Philippa Turner, (chaplain@rvc.ac.uk) offers independent support and advice to everyone, regardless of religious belief. And of course, your tutors are always on hand. Information and help can be offered on personal matters, relationships and ethical decision-making, matters of social action and justice, and activity in the University and wider community. She is available two and half days each week. She is often out and about in the college community so the best way to contact her is by email. The college has quiet rooms for reflection and prayer at each campus.
Occupational Health Service
Thereferral ofstudents to the OHS, to ensure their health, safety and well-being is not jeopardised by their being physically or mentally unfit to practice, is determined by the Chairs of the Apricot Committee includingthe Supervisor/Course Director or the Advice Centre (Disability Adviser, Advice CentreManager and Student Adviser).
A student may be referred to the OHS as a result of an Apricot Committee decision or by the Advice Centre, with discussion between the referring Committee Chair (Senior Tutor), Advice Centre and student regarding the referral.In addition if a supervisor/course director is concerned about the health of a student, he/she should consider referring the person concerned to the Occupational Health Service (OHS). Alternatively, if a student believes their health is being adversely affected by their work they should discuss this with their supervisor/course director in the first instance and can then request a referral to the OHS. Human Resources may be involved as necessary.
National Health Service
All students from the UK and EU, and overseas students who are studying in the UK for longer than six months, are eligible for treatment by the UK National Health Service, although we do recommend that you arrange some personal accident insurance for added protection.
If you are not already registered with a doctor in the London area, you must do this as soon as possible on arrival. Students in halls of residence on the London Campus can register with a local practice.
Those in University Intercollegiate Halls or private accommodation in the Bloomsbury area may register with the University’s Central Institutions Health Service. Dental services are also available from the University Dental Clinic. Students living on the Hertfordshire Campus should register with the local medical practice.
For a list of local GP surgeries, and more information on how to register with a doctor or dentist, see http://www.nhs.uk/.
