FAQs (including information on urgent help)

The term ‘Mental Health’ covers a person’s wellbeing; social, psychological and emotional.   It is important at all stages in our life.  The World Health Organisation defines mental health as “a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.”

Mental Health is important because it affects all areas of our lives – impacting on our ability to concentrate, learn and be successful, as well as our capacity for building and sustaining relationships.  It can also impact our ability to cope with change and transitions.

Please get in touch with our Student Wellbeing Advisor, Sandra Roscoe.  She can be contacted for one-one sessions to discuss your situation and if necessary, advise on who else can support you.  She works part-time on Monday, Wednesday and Friday.  For emergency situations please see relevant FAQ below.

Email Sandra Roscoe at s.roscoe@imperial.ac.uk. 

Office: Room 323A, Royal School of Mines bulding 
Tel.  +44 (0)20 7594 5181

Any support given will be confidential and discreet unless there is a concern about risk, in which case we may need to talk to your GP or include another member of staff in the department.  We will always try and talk to you about this first.

No, the College sees accessing support a sign of strength not something to be punished for. In fact, reaching out to support within the department may help if you have fallen behind with your studies or are not doing as well on your course as you had hoped.

The wellbeing support is for any student in the department who feels that it may benefit for them to speak to someone.  Most people can benefit from talking to someone and sharing any worries they may have.  It is best to access support as early as possible as waiting can make recovery much harder than it needs to be.  Don’t wait for a crisis point to seek help.

Coronavirus

If you have a concern related to Coronavirus or you think you may have it, please read this guidance.

Mental health crisis

If you are a student and need urgent help please contact your doctor. You can also ask to see someone at the Accident and Emergency department of your nearest hospital. Information about your local A&E services can be found here.

Call 999 if you need help straight away.

Other urgent out of hours mental health support:

• Samaritans - for people experience high levels of distress including suicidal feelings. Call 116 123 or email jo@samaritans.org, this service is 24 hours. 
• Nightline - offers a confidential listening, support and practical information service for students in London. They are open from 18:00 overnight to 08:00, Monday - Thursday during term. Call 0207 631 0101, text 07717 989900, or email listening@nightline.org.uk.
• Shout crisis text service - offers a 24 hour text service, free on all major mobile networks, for anyone in crisis anytime, anywhere. Text 85258.
• Soho NHS Walk-in Centre - provides assessment and treatment of acute illness and injuries.
• Imperial College Health Centre - doctors surgery nearest to South Kensington Campus. Call 020 7584 6301 or email imperialcollege.hc@nhs.net.
  
  

Medical help

South Kensington Campus

Imperial College Health Centre has  an Emergency Triage Clinic held at the Health Centre Monday - Friday between 8:30 - 10.00 whereby you can walk in without an appointment for all registered students at the South Kensington, St Mary's, Royal Brompton campus and all medical students. Please contact the Health Centre directly on +44 (0)20- 7584 6301 (24 hour telephone service).

Silwood Park

Contact Kings Corner Surgery on +44 (0)1344 623 181.

Hammersmith Campus

Students currently need to register with a GP local to their residential address at this campus. Students can obtain advice on how to do so from their local pharmacy or NHS Choices or from reception at the Imperial College Health Centre.

For non- urgent situations Call 111 and speak to a highly trained NHS adviser, supported by healthcare professionals. They will ask you a series of questions to assess your symptoms and immediately direct you to the best medical care for you.

Crisis Lines

• Students living in Westminster, Kensington and Chelsea, Hillingdon, Brent,  Camden and Harrow with a mental health crisis can contact the NHS 24 hour Crisis Line number on +44 (0)800 0234 650

• Students living in Ealing, Hammersmith and Fulham and Hounslow with a mental health crisis can contact the NHS 24 hour Crisis Line number on +44 (0)300 1234 244 

• Students living in Wandsworth  with a mental health crisis can contact the NHS 24 hour Crisis Line number on +44 (0)20 3513 4421
  
  

• Students living in Berkshire with a mental health crisis can contact the NHS 24 hour Crisis Line number on +44 (0)300 365 9999

Find more information about support available on the Student Support Zone pages.

A comprehensive list of crisis lines worldwide can be found via this link: https://www.suicidestop.com/call_a_hotline.html