Emergency Contacts

Guidance of who to contact if a student needs immediate assistance.

In a medical emergency phone Emergency Services on 999.

Outside of normal working hours (evenings, weekends and public holidays) when your GP is closed, NHS 24 can be contacted for free on 111.

The University's Support in a Crisis webpage can point you to resources and organisations that can help in the event of a mental health crisis or crime.


If you are concerned a student may be at risk of harm to themselves or others, for any of the following reasons: 
  • Risk of self-harm
  • Violent or threatening violence to people or property
  • Difficulty functioning in day-to-day life as they normally would
  • Disorientated or out of touch with reality.
  • Behaving out of character
  • Expressing suicidal thoughts. 

Refer to the guidance below and the Helping Distressed Students guide

In all situations remember to: 
  • Try and stay calm,
  • Engage with the student, if possible, but prioritise your own safety and the safety of others at the scene.
  • Make sure you debrief by talking through the situation with a colleague, your line manager, or the Student Counselling Service
  • Keep a written record.
Guidance on communicating with student trusted contacts

On some occasions, it is appropriate to contact a student’s trusted contact if you have exhausted attempts to contact the student, or in an emergency where there is an urgent risk to the student’s immediate health or safety.  You must make sure you have considered whether the situation warrants contacting this, and have sought the appropriate authority to make contact from a designated ‘Authoriser’ as listed in the Student Trusted Contacts, Guidance on When to Contact (held on Policy Directory).


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