Employees

Health, safety and wellbeing

Assure

Online health support

SBLearn now contains a number of helpful online training courses covering:

  • mental health in the workplace
  • guidance on working from home
  • maintaining good mental health

These can all be accessed from a SBC device, if you have one, or from your own personal one. 

  • Your login details are your employee number and the initial password is your surname (case sensitive). On logging in for the first time you will be prompted to change the password. The information is available in the Health and Wellbeing Resource Tile.
  • If you have any queries, email eLearningServiceDesk@scotborders.gov.uk

We are also pleased to be able to offer a range of online training activities designed to:

  • help managers recognise the impact of these challenging times on the wellbeing of their staff
  • help individuals recognise and manage their own stress, and develop their personal resilience.

The courses will be delivered by specialist trainers from In-Equilibrium, and will be delivered online.

SBC wellbeing support

VIVUP

  • Our Employee Assistance Progamme, VIVUP provides expert support for life’s ups and downs – 24/7, 365 days a year. Whatever mental, physical, financial or personal issue you may be facing, you can find a wide range of resources to help. 
  • To access the service you can call 0800 023 9324 or visit the VIVUP website (registration is required).

Mental health first aid

The Mental Health First Aid service is available to anyone with concerns about the physical or mental wellbeing of themselves or a fellow employee. You can contact a Mental Health First Aider by:

Staff Wellbeing Handbook

  • The Staff Wellbeing Handbook contains a directory of useful organisations and resources available to staff in relation to a wide range of wellbeing topics. The handbook is updated quarterly.
  • If you have any individual queries, contact your line manager or email askhr@scotborders.gov.uk 

Support from NHS Borders

Wellbeing Service

  • The Wellbeing Service is open to referrals for anyone looking to manage their weight and be more active, stop smoking or is in need of general emotional health and wellbeing support.
  • The service accepts self-referrals. These require a completed self referral form which should be emailed to wellbeing@borders.scot.nhs.uk. You can also call the admin team on 01896 824502 to make an appointment.

Wellbeing Point

The Wellbeing Point  provides a collection of resources and signposts to a wide range of information, including local resources for Suicide Prevention.

NHS Digital Mental Health Treatments

The NHS offers free digital mental health treatments for every adult in Scotland. Daylight (for anxiety and worry) and Sleepio (for insomnia). The aim is to provide people with the support they need, when they need it. No GP referral or prescription is necessary.

Access both Sleepio and Daylight here

Other support

Access to work mental health support service

If you’re off work, worried about your job, or just not coping in your role, the Access to Work Mental Health Support Service, funded by the Department for Work and Pensions is here for you.

Whether you are feeling low, anxious or stressed, this is a free service. It is easy-to-access, confidential and provides one-to-one support. 

For urgent mental health support, fill out this form. This will help you to access their service as quickly as possible. For other enquiries, contact their team:

National wellbeing hub and helpline

The National Wellbeing Hub is for people working in health, social care and social work in Scotland.

  • It was created by the Scottish Government during the first wave of the pandemic to provide advice and information to support the emotional and psychological wellbeing of people working in frontline services.
  • It contains resources for both individuals and managers.
  • The dedicated National Wellbeing Helpline is also available for anyone working in health and social care services 0800 111 4191. It is operated by NHS24 and open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

Support for people affected by suicide

  • The Support for People Bereaved by Suicide (SOBs) national helpline is open to anyone over 18 who has been bereaved by suicide 0300 111 5065. It is available on Mondays and Tuesdays from 9am-5pm.
  • If you are feeling suicidal or suspect that someone you know is considering suicide, contact Samaritans on 116 123 (24 hours) or Breathing Space on 0800 83 85 87 (lines open 24 hours at weekends and 6pm-2am on weekdays).
  • The Stay Alive App is a mobile app for those at risk of suicide or worried about someone. Download for free from the Apple Store or Google Play.

Togetherall

Togetherall  is a mental health service for over 16 year olds (including staff, parents and members of the community) living within Scottish Borders. It provides a free, anonymous, clinically moderated support service featuring:

  • peer to peer support
  • oversight by a clinical team of wall guides
  • 24/7 service
  • courses on self-help and quality reading around mental health and wellbeing issues, including:
    • depression
    • anxiety
    • stress
    • social isolation
    • grief

Other support

  • GPs can support their patients and discuss whether medication or referral to other more specialist support services might be helpful. There are additional resources for mental health support being brought in to Primary Care in the Borders. The way to access this help and support is through GPss
  • NHS Inform – health information for anyone living in or visiting Scotland.
  • NHS 24 - phone 111: provides urgent health advice out of hours when your GP practice is closed. It also provides a Mental Health Hub available 24 hours, seven days a week.
  • Breathing Space: 0800 83 85 87 (Weekdays: Monday to Thursday, 6pm-2am, weekends: Friday 6pm to Monday 6am).
  • Samaritans: 116 123 (24 hours a day) or email jo@samaritans.org