We offer video appointments via Microsoft Teams. We have set out a list of FAQs below to help with any queries you may have. Why Microsoft Teams? We have chosen Microsoft Teams for its high level of data security (data is encrypted in transit and at rest) and it is available to all University of Edinburgh students and staff. How do I Access Microsoft Teams All students at the University have Microsoft Teams linked to their email account. You just need to login to your Teams account and wait for the counsellor to contact you. Follow this link to everything you need to know Microsoft Teams Information. How Do I Prepare for My Session? It is a good idea to make sure you are somewhere private where you feel able to talk openly for the appointment, which will be for approximately 45 minutes. It is important you are logged into Microsoft Teams via your University email address so your counsellor can call you. For support with setting up and using Microsoft Teams please see this link: Help With MS Teams Please only contact us via student.counselling@ed.ac.uk (please don't use the chat function on MS Teams as this will not be checked). What Can I Expect to Happen on the Day? The counsellor will call you on the day and time arranged (only pre-arranged contact will occur through Microsoft Teams) unless you contact us on student.counselling@ed.ac.uk to say the time is not convenient. The counsellor will call you at the allocated time and then again twice more within 10 minutes of the start time if there is no response. The counsellor will call you from a secure environment, free of being overheard and overlooked. The Counsellor will also set their status to ‘do not disturb’ so that there will no interruptions during the session. The session will be for approximately 50 minutes. The counsellor will also discuss arrangements should the connection fail at any time. I Have Confirmed My Appointment and Logged into Microsoft Teams but Have Received No Calls You may have turned your 'do not disturb' facility which means the counsellor will be unable to contact you. If you are online and don't receive a call on Teams please telephone 0131 650 4170. What if I cannot access Microsoft Teams, what can I do? If there is any reason why you cannot access your account, do not have a good enough internet connection or cannot be in a private space for the appointment please let us know a soon as possible by emailing student.counselling@ed.ac.uk so that we can look into alternative options. Can I Wait for an In-Person Appointment? You can wait for a face-to-face appointment if you wish. You may wait a little longer to be offered an appointment that fits with your availability. Can I Use the Phone Function of Microsoft Teams, Instead of Video? You can choose to use audio only if you wish, if so please let us know so that the counsellor knows what your preference is. I Prefer Zoom, Instead of Microsoft Teams - Can I Choose? Due to high standards of data security and the nature of counselling the University only supports the use of Microsoft Teams for this purpose. Why is it Not Possible to Use the Chat Function Counsellors do not check their chat as standard and so may miss any important communications from you, you must send all communication though student.counselling@ed.ac.uk Also, for confidentiality, security and data protection reasons the chat function is less secure. My Internet Connection isn't Stable - What Are My Options? If you do not have a stable internet connection we can offer face-to-face or telephone appointments. Just email student.counselling@ed.ac.uk to let us know you do not wish a video appointment and we will make sure we find you a suitable appointment time How Many Sessions Do You Offer on Microsoft Teams? The platform by which the support is offered does not affect the number of sessions you are offered, so this would be the same if it was by telephone, Microsoft Teams or face-to-face. This article was published on 2023-11-22
