Harm Reduction Service

• Book a Drug and Alcohol Advice and Guidance appointment through MyWellbeing – go to the Appointments section and scroll to find the Drug and Alcohol Advice and Guidance appointment option - click on this to show the available slots, in person at Newton Park or Locksbrook campuses or online via Teams
• If the listed slots don’t suit your availability, contact studentwellbeing@bathspa.ac.uk, requesting a Drug and Alcohol Advice and Guidance appointment, giving dates and times that work for you.

• You can request contact with our Advisor by emailing studentwellbeing@bathspa.ac.uk or calling +44 (0)1225 875875
• You don't have to say what you want to talk about. All you have to do is give is your name and student number and request an appointment or to be contacted
• You can also contact us by submitting a 'Support from an Advisor' form on the Report and Support website
• Our Advisor will contact you to arrange an appointment
• If you're not ready for an appointment, that's ok - you can let us know that and ask any questions you have
• You can also use the anonymous two-way messaging feature on Report and Support to have contact without disclosing your identity.

Our Advisor will speak with you in person, on the phone or by video call (camera on or off) depending on your preferred option.

Appointments are 45 minutes but may be shorter if less time is needed.

In the meeting the Advisor will:

• Explain their role
• Check in with how you are
• Have an open conversation about any substance or substances you wish to discuss. This initial conversation may cover what you are using, how you are using it, how often and in what social or private context
• Explain the Harm Reduction information you will be given and explore what you want from the meeting (harm reduction, reducing consumption, abstinence, concern for someone else, etc.)
• Explore next steps (there is no need to make any decision in the appointment about how you would like to move forward)
• The Advisor will run through options for future appointments. Students can access as many appointments as needed or wanted but we aim to start with a set of six, helping you to take on and embed the advice and guidance given to you and a chance to ask any questions.

Take your time and do what feels right for you.

If you're not ready for an appointment but would like to make some kind of contact or access specialist resources, the following options may be of interest:

• Contact us anonymously via Report and Support - the anonymous report form has a two-way messaging system which allows you to be in touch with us without disclosing your identity
• Book a Drug and Alcohol advice and guidance appointment on MyWellbeing and tell us in the free text box on the booking form that you don't yet want to talk about anything but want to meet for a brief introduction. We can meet for a few minutes just so you can put a face to the name before deciding whether to engage in further advice and guidance.

• After the meeting, the Advisor will send you a summary email and links to relevant information
• You can take your time to look through and then decide how you would like to proceed
• Where necessary or requested the Advisor can make referrals to external Drug and Alcohol services.

• The Advisor will normally keep the information you disclose confidential within Student Wellbeing Services
• If they consider you or any other person to be at risk of harm, they will need to share relevant information with senior managers for consideration to ensure yours and/or others safety
• Our Advisor must share any Safeguarding concerns relating to under 18s or adults at risk to the Designated Safeguarding Lead, in accordance with the University’s Safeguarding policy.

• Our Advisor is not a qualified recovery worker. While we can support people in recovery, specialist recovery support is available through Turning Point, the BANES Drug and Alcohol Service
• The Advisor is trained to inform you about ways to reduce the harms associated with drugs and alcohol. There is no way to ensure that any drug or alcohol use can be safe and we would always recommend sticking within government guidelines for alcohol and not using illegal street drugs or medication that is not prescribed to you personally
• The Advisor can connect you to any information or support options you may be interested in
• Harm Reduction support tends to last for six sessions, but is flexible depending on your individual needs and circumstances
• Harm Reduction information is available to you at any point during your time at BSU.