For programmes
Wellbeing provision designed into doctoral training, not added after problems appear
The Members' Clinic provides preventative wellbeing support to doctoral cohorts: a universal first contact for every researcher, continuous access across the doctorate, and defined escalation pathways into specialist and NHS care.
The model
Doctoral training concentrates known pressures: independent working over long timescales, uneven progress, distance from home institutions and cohorts spread across sites. Provision that activates only on request reaches researchers late by design.
Our model inverts that:
Universal offer
Every researcher in every cohort is invited to a wellbeing MOT at induction: a light-touch, optional first meeting. Its purpose is to establish the relationship before it is needed.
Continuous access
An open-door service for the full length of the doctorate, delivered online with in-person availability, suited to cohorts hosted across several institutions.
Escalation pathways
Where a researcher needs more than wellbeing support, defined routes into specialist care through private medical insurance or self-funding, or into NHS services working with the researcher's GP. The same team holds the relationship throughout, so escalation never means starting again.
Complements existing provision
The service works alongside university student services, supervision and occupational health, not in place of them.
Governance
- All practitioners are registered with their professional bodies and work under clinical supervision.
- The team's careers span the NHS and private practice.
- Confidentiality sits with the clinical service. Programmes receive anonymised, aggregate uptake reporting on an agreed schedule; no identifiable information is shared.
- Data handling, records and retention operate under our clinical governance policy, available on request.
Working with a programme
The pathway is designed to be written into a doctoral training programme from the outset. We work with programme teams on cohort induction, the invitation and booking flow, reporting cadence and the interface with existing student support.
A doctoral researcher yourself? See how the pathway works for you.