Employee Assistance Program - Care First

  Care First is an independent and confidential service operating 24 hours a day

  which offers professional counselling, information and debt management services. 

  The services are paid for by the University so that they are provided FREE to

  employees. Care First provides help with a range of problems from practical

  everyday matters to sensitive, traumatic or emotional problems.

Issues raised with Care First are in complete confidence, and unless you provide appropriate permission the University will not receive any feedback in relation to the matters you discuss with your counsellor.   

As an employee, you can contact Care First directly through their number 0800 174 319, this activates a self referral and you are entitled to up to 6 sessions with a Care First advisor, either over the telephone or face to face.   

For further information please view the short video guide to using Care First.

Care First also works in conjunction with Santia, the University's Occupational Health (OH) Provider. In some circumstances where your line manager has referred you to Occupational Health, the OH Advisor may consider that you would benefit from being referred to Care First which they would discuss with you prior to actioning - this would be a formal referral, and any feedback from Care First would be shared with the OH Advisor only, still maintaining your confidence. It is very important to be aware that the Occupational Health Provider will only share information with your line manager that will assist you in your role or work environment, such as reasonable adjustments.

Employees can obtain further information on Care First by reviewing their  Care First Leaflet, as well as the information leaflets below.  Care First also provide support for employees in a stressful circumstance - for further information please read their article on  managing stress better. 

Managers' support

Care First also provides a Manager's support line, which you access through the same number 0800 174 319. Through this number you can contact an advisor for support on workplace issues such as difficult conversations, discussing matters after chairing a hearing etc. Further details can be obtained through the  Care First Managers Guidance or the short video guide to to using Carefirst for managers.  

Information pamphlets

Care First also provide documents of interest in respect of life experiences, providing guidance on how to deal with these.  These pamphlets are exceedingly helpful.

 Autumn Newsletter including short pieces on: The Joy of Autumn; Childcare Issues; and Left Brain v. Right Brain.

 Family breakdown                                                                 Care of the Elderly 

 Bereavement                                                                       Drinking Concerns

 Debt Concerns                                                                     Childcare Matters

Hard copies of these pamphlets are available - please contact Fiona Curran on f.curran@napier.ac.uk or ext 3609, and one will be sent to you.