All Nuffield staff (and their dependants over sixteen years old) have free access to the BUPA Healthy Minds Employee Assistance Plan.

There is a 24/7 confidential telephone support line, providing advice, support and onward referrals and signposting, including to counsellors; mental health support such as online CBT; nurses and general health advice.

University employees may also have access to the Health Assured Employee Assistance Programme. This offers access to short-term counselling and stress management among other benefits.

Mischka Byworth, the Nuffield College counsellor, is usually based in College on Tuesdays and is available to staff for free short-term counselling with in-person and online sessions as appropriate. You can get in touch with Mischka via email at counsellor@nuffield.ox.ac.uk.

Staff are eligible to join the BUPA private healthcare scheme provided by the College. The College will pay for a single membership of the scheme, but you may upgrade your membership, at your own expense, to cover your partner/spouse or your family.

As this is a work benefit you will pay tax on the subscription rates.

For more information about the private healthcare scheme, please contact the HR Department.

University employees may also be eligible for special private medical insurance rates from EduHealth.

If your main employer is Nuffield College and you think you may need a period of time off for health-related reasons or to deal with personal matters, please discuss this with the Senior Tutor in the first instance. The College aims to be flexible and supportive as far as possible.

If your main employer is a Department of the University of Oxford, please refer to your local policies and procedures around time off.

  • Citizens Advice Oxford is an independent charity. They provide free, confidential, impartial and independent advice and information on a wide range of issues, including (but not limited to) benefits, consumer issues, debt and money, employment, family, health, immigration and the law and courts.
  • The Oxfordshire & Buckinghamshire 24/7 Mental Health Helpline can be reached by calling 111.
  • Oxfordshire Mind provides a range of non-clinical mental health services. You can book a free, confidential Options Session with them where you discuss your mental health, lifestyle and wellbeing and relevant services that may be useful for you.
  • TalkingSpace Plus is an NHS service providing psychological therapies in Oxford. They actively work with people struggling with depression and anxiety, helping them move forward and recover using psychological therapies that work. A GP referral is not necessary – you can self refer via their website or by phone.
  • The Samaritans - When life is tough, Samaritans are here to listen at any time of the day or night. You can talk to them about anything that's troubling you, no matter how difficult. Call free on 116 123 or email.
  • CALM (Campaign Against Living Miserably) - CALM is a charity that supports people who are feeling down or have hit a wall for any reason. Call their helpline on 0800 585858 or use webchat (5:00pm - midnight).
  • SANEline is a national out-of-hours mental health hotline offering specialist emotional support, guidance and information to anyone affected by mental illness, including family, friends and carers. They are normally open every day of the year, 4:00-10:00pm on 0300 304 7000. Email and text services are also available.