Regulations Governing Wellbeing and Fitness to Study

The University maintains a positive, inclusive and supportive education and research environment for all.

The Wellbeing and Fitness to Study Policy outlined in these Regulations is designed to support students experiencing health or wellbeing difficulties that are negatively impacting their academic progress, daily life at the University, or experiences during placements. The purpose of this policy is to provide proactive support and engagement to help students continue their studies, while also considering whether they are currently well enough to do so.

The Student Support Directorate oversees the Regulations and the process that accompanies it. It has two teams: Student Wellbeing and Student Disability and Inclusion. When these Regulations mention the Student Support Directorate, either team can act based on an individual student's situation. The Student Wellbeing Team handles the process and ensures compliance with the University’s Regulations Governing Student Discipline.

All students agree to abide by a set of Regulations when they enrol which includes Regulations relating to how they should act as members of the University community. The Regulations Governing Student Discipline can be found at the following link: /about/governance/regulations-policies/student-regulations/student-discipline. Under those Regulations, the student is encouraged to work in partnership with the University and use the support offered. 

Section A: The Policy

1. Purpose and Scope

1.1 These Regulations replace the Student Support Review Regulations.The Wellbeing and Fitness to Study Regulations aim to help students and staff to manage incidents and longer-term concerns that may affect a student’s ability to engage in their studies.This policy encourages a collaborative approach intended, whenever possible, to help the student to continue their studies with the appropriate support in place.The safety of the student and of others will always be the primary concern when applying this policy. The wellbeing of the student will remain central to all decisions and actions made under the Wellbeing and Fitness to Study process. 

1.2 Incidents or concerns raised with the Student Wellbeing Team will be reviewed based on the information received and any further information gathered by the team. A decision on whether to initiate the Wellbeing and Fitness to Study Process will be made following an assessment of this information. 

Circumstances in which the Wellbeing and Fitness to study process may be considered include:

  • impact of a student’s health, wellbeing or behaviour on academic progress.
  • Concerns of a risk of harm to the student themselves.
  • Difficulties in managing daily academic or non-academic activities, leading to concerns about the student’s ability to function effectively at the University.
  • Behaviour that affects the safety, wellbeing, or educational experience of others.

1.3 A student may be supported to engage with the Wellbeing and Fitness to Study process simultaneously with the application of other processes so that due consideration can be given to their health and wellbeing. For example, the Student Discipline team, can refer students for support under this process. This approach does not override the fundamental principle that students are responsible for their actions. However, it does recognise that in some cases a more supportive approach is needed to manage the situation.

1.4 Students can also be referred for review under this process if a Special Consideration Board recommends it.

1.5 The University has separate Regulations for Fitness to Practise. They apply to programmes with a practice component. Details of those Regulations and the associated process can be found at the following link: Regulations Governing Fitness to Practise 2024-25 | University of 天发娱乐棋牌_天发娱乐APP-官网|下载. 

In instances where the student is also being assessed under the Regulations Governing Fitness to Practice the Student Wellbeing team may decide to join these processes and make the necessary adjustments to either Regulation to ensure that information is shared with all relevant people involved in both, that the matter is handled efficiently and that the student is treated fairly.

2. Data Protection Compliance and Confidentiality

2.1 The University and its staff are governed by the requirements of the Data Protection Act 2018. Under this Act, all data relating to an identifiable person’s health is regarded as special category (‘sensitive’) personal data and must be handled with extreme care because it requires added legal protection. For the purpose of these Regulations, such sensitive data is deemed to be inclusive of all information given in confidence to the University concerning a student’s ill-health or disability, including physical or mental illness. 

2.2 The University processes all personal information including sensitive data in accordance with its Data Protection Policy: /about/governance/regulations-policies/policies/data-protection 

2.3 Wellbeing and Fitness to Study meetings will only share personal information when necessary. They will follow the University’s privacy notice: /about/governance/policies/privacy-policy.page 

2.4 Rare occasions may exist when confidentiality may lawfully be breached: if it is necessary for the establishment, exercise or defence of legal claims; when it is needed to protect the student’s or another person’s vital interests; or the student is not capable of giving their consent.

2.5 Student Support has escalation processes that it will follow to determine whether to breach confidentiality. University staff who consider that this might be required should contact Student Wellbeing via the Student Hub. 

3. Appeals 

3.1 If a student has valid grounds, they can appeal a decision made under the Wellbeing and Fitness to Study Regulations. They should follow the process in Section B. 

3.2 Students may only appeal against a decision if they can show that on the balance of probabilities:

  • they have new information which was for good reason not previously available, and this information may have affected or altered the original decision had it been available at the time.
  • the original decision lacked proper due process and the student thinks this affected the outcome.

4. Other Relevant Regulations and Policies 

4.1 The University’s document Transfer, Pause in Study, Withdrawal, and Termination of Study outlines how a taught student can pause their programme of study temporarily.

4.2 Guidance for students on the Return to Study following a period of Pause in Study.

4.3 The Regulations Governing Special Consideration outline the policy and process to be followed when taught students wish to apply for Special Consideration, including requests for deadline extensions. The Regulations Governing Special Considerations and Pause in Study for Postgraduate Research Students outline the policy and process to be followed when research students wish to apply for Special Consideration and a Pause in Study.

4.4 Any programme of study which has a practice component that will lead to a professional registration will be governed by a requirement that students demonstrate their Fitness to Practise. A student's Fitness to Practise may be challenged when their behaviour, health and/or professional conduct gives cause for concern. In these circumstances, a student should be considered under the Regulations Governing Fitness to Practise.

4.5 For Postgraduate research students (PGRs) attention should be paid to point 5 of Section B: The process.

Section B: The Process

1. Concerns Raised

1.1 Staff who believe that a Wellbeing and Fitness to Study meeting may be necessary are encouraged to provide information via the dedicated Wellbeing and Fitness to Study page on the Raising Concerns and Safeguarding SharePoint site: https://sotonac.sharepoint.com/teams/Raisingconcernsandsafeguarding.

1.2 Once a concern has been raised, the Student Wellbeing Team will acknowledge receipt, review and gather information and assess whether to start the Wellbeing and Fitness to Study process. They will also provide appropriate feedback to the individual who raised the concern.

1.3 A member of the Student Support Directorate will then be appointed to act as Chair.If the process is initiated and the student is not already being supported by teams within the Student Support Directorate, a specialist practitioner will usually be assigned to support the student during this time. 

1.4 Before a Wellbeing and Fitness to Study process is initiated for a Postgraduate Research student, the student Wellbeing Team should seek guidance from the Faculty Director of Graduate School as to whether the issue would be better addressed via an Exceptional Progression Review. If this is the case, the Faculty Director of Graduate School will liaise with the Postgraduate Research students’ supervisory team to start the review process. 

1.5 A wellbeing concern for a student that falls outside of these Regulations should be shared with the Student Hub at studenthub@soton.ac.uk or staff may call the dedicated staff line for student wellbeing on 023 8059 1555. Wellbeing concerns received via the Student Hub are treated as a priority. They are immediately referred to the Student Wellbeing Team.

2. Wellbeing and Fitness to Study Meetings

2.1 There are three levels to the Wellbeing and Fitness to Study process. These are based on the degree of concern and the perceived seriousness of the situation.

  • Level 1 - Informal Meeting
  • Level 2 - Formal Wellbeing and Fitness to Study Meeting
  • Level 3 - Urgent Wellbeing and Fitness to Study Meeting

The process may begin at any level, depending on the circumstances.

  • Level 1 meetings are likely to take place where a student’s behaviour or wellbeing has raised cause for concern. These meetings are intended to be collaborative and should be seen as the start of engaging the student with the support provided through this process.
    • Level 2 meetings are likely to take place where either:
      • a student poses a risk to their own wellbeing or that of others, or: a level 1 meeting has not resolved the situation, and the student has not progressed or accepted the support provided.
    • Level 3 meetings will take place when the situation is deemed urgent. Appropriate circumstances include, but are not limited to:
      • imminent risk of significant harm to the student.
      • imminent risk of significant harm to other(s).
      • where there is a risk that an impending academic deadline or outcome is likely to have a negative impact on the student’s wellbeing.

2.2 Notice periods vary for the different levels of the process. At Level 1 and Level 2 the student will be given a minimum of 10 working days’ notice. Due to the urgent nature of a Level 3 meeting, the student will be given a minimum of 24 hours’ notice.

2.3 Where possible, during each level of meeting an action plan will be created. This plan will be created with the student, relevant University staff and other members of the student’s support network. The aim of the action plan is to address the concerns that have been raised.

2.4 In certain situations, involving the student’s emergency contact during the meeting can help the student to undertake tasks or actions set under the action plan made during the Wellbeing and Fitness to Study meeting.Where this is considered the case, this will be discussed with the student prior to contact with the emergency contact and will be done with the consent of the student where possible. 

2.5 At any point during the process, students can bring someone to support them during the meetings. The role of this person will be to aid the student in line with the purpose of the meeting and these regulations, particularly where the student may otherwise have difficulty attending alone or without support. This can be a staff member, parent, caregiver, relevant professional, or an advisor from the Students' Union Advice Centre. If the student wishes to bring someone who is not a university staff member or the Student Union advisor, they should inform the Chair of the meeting in advance.

2.6 The Student Support Directorate will work with the student to consider reasonable adjustments to the process. This will depend on the student’s needs and any recommendations, such as those in any existing Student Support Recommendations. 

2.7 The Chair will communicate to the student, by letter, who has been invited to the meeting. When determining meeting membership, the Chair will consider several factors. These include: 

  • minimising attendance to avoid overwhelming the student and to maintain confidentiality.
  • each meeting, at a minimum, will include at least one specialist from the Student Support Directorate, one academic representative from the student’s School, and the student. This is to ensure a holistic approach to student support where all aspects of living and learning needs are considered.For example, including relevant stakeholders can help bring in expert knowledge on visas or finances.

2.8 The chair will review any requests from students or staff about altering attendees or meeting location. This helps prevent conflicts of interest and ensures everyone can fully participate in the meeting.A request for review of invited attendees must be made in advance of the planned meeting time.It may be necessary to delay meetings to ensure appropriate attendance and representation.

2.9 The student must make every effort to attend the meeting either in-person or on an online platform.If the student fails to attend a planned meeting without good reason, a decision may be made based on the available information.

2.10 There may be exceptional circumstances when it is not possible for the student to attend the meeting, for example if they are in hospital. In these situations, the meeting will take place in their absence. During the meeting, attendees will consider all the options available, including a pause in study. When appropriate, the student’s wider care and support network will be consulted with at the time of the meeting to ensure that the interests of the student are taken into account. Once an outcome is decided, consideration will be given to the most compassionate approach to informing the student about the meeting and the outcome. 

2.11 This process is intended to be supportive, and students are expected to cooperate with the process. If a student decides not to attend, the meeting will go ahead without them. This helps reduce any risks to the student or others. It also allows University staff to better support the student in engaging with their studies. 

3. Outcomes of Wellbeing and Fitness to Study

3.1 For all levels of meeting, an action plan will be discussed, agreed and shared with the student and relevant attendees. Where appropriate, a specialist practitioner in Student Support will review the action plan with the student and will work with them and other stakeholders from the meeting to monitor it if required.

3.2 There are multiple outcomes of a Level 2 or 3 Wellbeing and Fitness to Study meeting. These may include: 

  1. monitoring of the action plan by a specialist practitioner in Student Support.
  2. a follow-up Wellbeing and Fitness to Study meeting to monitor the situation and agreed actions.
  3. a Pause in Study when a student is supported to pause themselves.
  4. a Pause in Study decision made by members of the Wellbeing and Fitness to Study meeting. This will usually be when an initial action plan is unable to sufficiently address the concerns raised.
  5. no further action. All concerns are sufficiently managed or resolved.

3.3 The outcome of the Wellbeing and Fitness to Study meeting will not be communicated to the student during the meeting. For students who have been able to attend the meeting, the agreed course of action will normally be communicated to the student and academic representative in writing within 5 working days of the decision.

4. Return to Study 

4.1 The Student Wellbeing Team will oversee the return to study process if a Pause in Study begins under the Regulations Governing Wellbeing and Fitness to Study. 

4.2 If the student wants to return to their studies, following a pause under the Wellbeing and Fitness to Study process, they should inform the University via the Faculty. Once they agree on a proposed return date, the Student Wellbeing Team should be notified, review the information and decide which level meeting is appropriate based on the information which has been shared.The meeting must happen before the student resumes their programme. The meeting attendees will look at the programme's academic requirements and will also consider any support measures including reasonable adjustments. Consideration will be given to any on-going support needs to assist the student return to study.A joint action plan will be made with the student, academic team, and the specialist from Student Support. 

4.3 When the student wishes to return to university following a pause in study not overseen by these Regulations, they should contact the Faculty by telephone or email to advise when they plan to return.This will usually be toward then end of agreed period of pause. 

4.4 If the Faculty have wellbeing and academic concerns about a student returning to study who had not been part of a Wellbeing and Fitness to Study process, these concerns can be raised to the Student Wellbeing Team via the Student Hub. The student wellbeing team will then review all this information and decide whether it is appropriate to attend the faculty’s Return to Study Meeting.

5. Postgraduate Research Students

5.1 Concerns for the wellbeing of Postgraduate research students (PGRs) received by the Student Wellbeing Team where there is a concern about the student and academic progress should be copied to the student’s lead supervisor and Faculty Director of the Graduate School (FDoG), unless there are exceptional reasons why this would not be appropriate.

5.2 Before a Wellbeing and Fitness to Study process is initiated for a PGR, the Student Wellbeing Team should seek guidance from the FDoG as to whether the issue would be better addressed via an Exceptional Progression Review. If this is the case, the FDoG will liaise with the PGR’s supervisory team to start the review process.

5.3 If a Wellbeing a Fitness to Study process is agreed, the FDoG should be consulted by The Chair (for Level 1-3 meetings) or Student Wellbeing Team (for Return to Study meetings) as to the most appropriate member of staff to be in attendance.

5.4 No Pause in Study for a PGR should initiated without consultation with the PGR’s supervisory team to consider funding or visa issues.

5.5 The result of any Wellbeing and Fitness to Study process (and any subsequent appeal) should be communicated to the PGR’s lead supervisor and FDoG.

6. Appeals Procedure

6.1 Students may appeal a decision made under the Regulations Governing Wellbeing and Fitness to Study if they have valid grounds. The reasons must meet the criteria in Section A: The Policy 3.2.

6.2 Students wishing to appeal should make this request within 10 working days of receiving the outcome letter from the Wellbeing and Fitness to Study meeting. A form is available for students to submit their appeal. A link to this form can be found here - Wellbeing And Fitness to Study - Appeal.The appeal must state the reasons, the desired outcome, and include any evidence.

6.3 The appeal will be reviewed by the Student Wellbeing Management Team. If new and substantive information has been provided or there is evidence of due process not being followed, they may decide to either:

  1. re-open the Wellbeing and Fitness to Study meeting and reconsider the outcome
  2. recommend that the appeal is considered by a Wellbeing and Fitness to Study Appeals Panel
  3. decline the appeal on the basis of insufficient evidence

6.4 A nominee of the Director of Student support that has not previously been involved in the case will act as the Chair of the Appeals Panel.The Appeals Panel must include the Associate Dean (Education) from the Faculty (or nominee). It should also include a Director, Associate Director, or Head of Service from the Student Experience Directorate Leadership Team.

6.5 The Appeals Panel must hear the appeal within 14 working days of receiving the submission.

6.6 Once the appeal date is set, the student will receive a communication. This will include the meeting date and time, and the names of the panel members. They will also be sent copies of the Regulations Governing Wellbeing and Fitness to Study. Students must also be advised at this time that they can be accompanied, to the Appeals Panel.

6.7 Students can be accompanied to the Appeals Panel. This can be a member of University staff, or an advisor from the Students' Union Advice Centre. A student should inform the Student Wellbeing team if they want to bring someone who isn’t from the University or a Students' Union advisor, such as a family member, relative, or a statutory professional who is leading on their care. The role of this person is to support and aid the student during the meeting where the student may otherwise have difficulty attending alone or unsupported.

6.8 All documents from the Wellbeing and Fitness to Study meeting, and the Appeal form and associated documentation, must be sent to all attendees at the Appeals Panel at least 5 working days before the Appeals Panel meeting. 

6.9 If the student is unable to attend the Appeals Panel meeting, the Appeals Panel reserves the right to proceed in their absence. If the student gives valid reasons ahead of time for missing the meeting, the panel chair should consider rescheduling.

6.10 The outcome of the Appeals Panel will not be communicated to the student during the meeting. The Appeals Panel will consider the case, after the meeting and will make one of the following decisions:

  1. uphold the case and agree to implement the outcome the student is seeking.
  2. uphold the case but offer an alternative outcome.
  3. uphold the original decision of the Wellbeing and Fitness to Study meeting.

6.11 The outcome of the appeal will be sent to the student within 5 working days of the meeting.Other key stakeholders will be notified on a need to know basis.

6.12 A Completion of Procedures letter signifies to the student that the University's Appeals procedure has been completed.If the appeal is not upheld, the student will be issued with a Completion of procedures letter which will provide information about bringing a complaint to the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education (OIA). The letter should normally be sent within 28 days of the University's final decision. If the appeal is upheld or partially upheld, the student will beadvised that they may request a Completion of Procedures letter and that this request must be made within one month of the appeal outcome.

6.13 Information about (OIA) procedures may be found at http://www.oiahe.org.uk/ or in the OIA leaflet ‘Introduction to the OIA for Students’. Students wishing to submit a complaint to the OIA must do so within the timeframe set down in the OIA Scheme Rules which is normally 12 months from the date ofthe Completion of Procedures letter. A complaint must be made in writing using the MyOIA secureonline portal or the OIA Complaint Form. Where a student requests a Completion of Procedures letter more than one calendar month following the date of the outcome letter, the deadline for bringing a complaint to the OIA will normally be 12 months from the date of the University’s final decision, rather than the date of the Completion of Procedures letter. 

Contact details for the Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education are: 

Office of the Independent Adjudicator for Higher Education 

Second Floor, Abbey Wharf 

57-75 Kings Road 

Reading RG1 3AB

Telephone: 0118 959 9813 

Email: enquiries@oiahe.org.uk