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Welfare

Hi!

I’m Jontie, your ClinSoc Welfare Officer.

An integral part of being a medical student means keeping yourself happy and healthy! No matter how small your worries, there is always someone at the Clinical School you can turn to for support.

Please feel free to contact me if you have any problems, want to know what support is available to you or simply to have a chat. My email is welfare@nullclinsoc.co.uk or please contact me on Facebook. I understand that sometimes you may not want to talk to another clinical student so we have put together a little guide to all the support that is available to you.

In addition to improving your day-to-day wellbeing, I also arrange events such as a bake-off and drop-ins throughout the year to help you relax and unwind in the middle of what can be quite a hectic clinical school schedule.

There’s also a whole host of welfare information on MedEd. Here is a link to the page (you’ll need to login via Raven).

What Welfare is Available to you as a Clinical Student?

 
In the Clinical School

Me! Your Welfare Officer, Jontie. You can email, message, or facebook me, or find me around Clinical School (I am always up for a game of table tennis). No problem is too small!

Your Clinical School Family!
Hopefully, you met them in the first term of fourth year. As medics from the year above, they can have useful tips about exam stress and placement organisation.

Your Pastoral Advisor
They will be able to advise on how they decided on FPAS locations, SSC/SSPs, post-graduation specialities. Clinical placements can be daunting, so your pastoral advisor will also be a good person to talk to if you are struggling on the wards and are unsure how to make the most out of them.

Clinical Sub-dean for Student Welfare, Dr Fiona Cooke
 “I started as SubDean in October 2020, having been a Director of Studies at Girton for over 15 years. I work as a Consultant Medical Microbiologist at Addenbrooke’s, and is also involved with SpR training and Royal College of Pathologist exams. My favourite bacteria is Salmonella (not from personal experience – it was the subject of my PhD!)”

Deputy Lead for Student Welfare, Dr Roger Petter
 “I am an experienced GP and have worked in medical education for a long time. I have been a GP Trainer for 20 years, supervise at Queens’, and teach at the Clinical School. As well as working as Deputy Lead for Student Welfare, I also provide welfare support to CUH doctors as part of the “Doctors for Doctors” team. I play the violin and enjoy outdoor pursuits, particularly sailing, walking and cycling.”

The Clinical Student Mental Health Service 
This is a Mental Health Service that has been commissioned by the Clinical School for Clinical Medical Students. It has been realised that as medical students we have an increased need for mental health services and need access to help quicker than other students.

The service provides confidential access to a Psychiatrist, and where appropriate a Psychologist, for any Clinical Student with a mental health problem requiring specialist advice. A referral is made from a student’s GP or via the University Occupational Health Service. Whilst the clinical school provides the funding and access, the school does not know who has accessed this service.

In Cambridge

The same support you had as an undergraduate is still in place, including the following:

Helplines

Cambridge Nightline (https://cambridge.nightline.ac.uk/)
Provides non-judgemental anonymous listening between 7PM and 7AM during term (hours may be reduced during lockdown).

Linkline (by email or telephone: 367575)
Offers confidential, anonymous, non-directive and non judgemental support. In operation everyday of Full Term, 7 pm to 8 am.

Samaritans (by telephone: 08457 909090)
In operation 24 hours a day.
Address for drop-in: 4 Emmanuel Road, Cambridge, CB1 1JW
Hours for drop-in: 10:30am to 10:30pm

If you’re interested in other Cambridge Resources (including resources for urgent help), Student Minds Cambridge have an amazing website at https://studentmindscambridge.wordpress.com/find-urgent-support/.

As a Doctor

BMA Counselling and Doctor Advice Service
This is a confidential, nationwide, non-stop advice and counselling for doctors and medical students. Talk through any issues which may be worrying you in total privacy, confident that you are getting the best possible support.
Visit their website or call them on 01455 254 189. They also have a good list of external websites where you may find help.

GLADD representatives
This is the Gay and Lesbian Association of Doctors and Dentists – this is a link to the GLADD website: http://www.gladd.co.uk/.

The British Doctors and Dentists Group for drug and alcohol users http://www.bddg.org/

The British International Doctors Association
Where cultural or linguistic problems may be a contributing factor, doctors can access the health counselling panel
Telephone: 0161 456 7828
Send them an email: oda@nulldoctors.org.uk

Doctors’ Support Network
Self-help group for doctors with any form of mental health concern. They also have a confidential, anonymous peer support telephone line (call 0844 395 3010). https://www.dsn.org.uk/

Sexual Health

Student Advice Service’s page on sexual health

iCash
The new integrated Cambridgeshire sexual health service is iCash and they can be found at the Lime Tree clinic at Broomfileds hospital on Mill road.
Telephone: 0300 300 3030
Website: http://www.icash.nhs.uk/

Beeline
Offering non-judgmental, confidential information and support from fully-trained male and female volunteers, on pregnancy, sexual health, HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted infections, being a student parent, childcare, abortion, adoption, contraception and emergency contraception
Send them an email or call (3)33179. Dial the first 3 if you are calling from a non-University phone. Free from University extensions In operation: Sat and Sun, 15:00 to 17:00, during Full Term. Recorded information at all other times.

Some more general resources: