Staff have easy access to expert help with both workplace and personal issues – thanks to a new Employee Assistance Programme (EAP) being launched this week.

Whether you have questions on issues from debt and landlords to nutrition and stress, the EAP website should have the answers.

If not, you can telephone the providers, Care first/Sodexho, free of charge and get help from an information specialist or an accredited counsellor.

Key facts

-All EAP communications and consultations are completely confidential between you and the EAP.
-The same confidentiality applies to any additional support provided or organised for you by the EAP, eg counselling.
-You contact the EAP directly; you do not have to go through your manager to access any of the support the EAP provides
-For managers, a dedicated area of the EAP website offers generic advice on dealing with both individual and team issues; access the link below and click on the Managers tab.

The EAP providers, Care first/Sodexho, were chosen following a competitive tender and interview process, which included input from trades unions. Advice and support is provided at no cost to staff; the University funds all costs associated with the EAP

The EAP incorporates the existing University Wellbeing resource provided by Revitalised, which offers advice on all aspects of wellbeing, including self-assessment.

How to access

Take a look at all the EAP has to offer on its website: www.carefirst-lifestyle.co.uk

Log-in details are: USERNAME: uokent PASSWORD: university

For telephone advice, the freephone number is 0808 168 2143.

If you wish to know more about the EAP before accessing its website or services, see the Occupational Health intranet pages. If you still have questions after this, email occupationalhealth@kent.ac.uk or discuss with your manager, HR or trades union representative.

Remember that the EAP is a great resource so keep these log-in and contact details handy!