Protect your safety by sharing an emergency contact

Your emergency contact is someone the University can reach out to if there are serious concerns about your health or wellbeing. Read the University emergency contact protocol for full details of how and when the information is used. 

You choose your emergency contact and provide their contact details. This normally happens when you matriculate.  

It’s your responsibility to keep this information up to date on MySaint. 

Who to choose as your emergency contact 

Your emergency contact should be someone who can be easily reached and who can respond to urgent situations.  

They should speak English for clear communication in emergencies. 

They should be someone you would be comfortable was contacted about your mental wellbeing, as well as your physical health.

Examples of emergency contacts include: 

• a parent 
• care giver 
• relative 
• supporter.  

We are aware that in some cases where a student is experiencing gender-based violence or is in a coercive relationship they might feel compelled to list someone as an emergency contact that they would not want the University to share information with. In a circumstance such as this, please contact Student Services to discuss your options. 

Telling your emergency contact 

You should tell your emergency contact that you have nominated them. Make sure they know what the role entails and are happy to have their number shared in emergencies. 

Consider asking them: 

• Are you happy to be my emergency contact? 
• Do you understand what it involves? 
• Do you know about my relevant medical conditions?  

When the University might contact your emergency contact 

Each case will be considered based on its individual circumstances. Where it is necessary to engage with others so you can receive appropriate support to protect your physical or mental health and wellbeing, the University will do so. 

The University will first try to seek your consent before sharing information. However, that may not be possible depending on the circumstances. If there are circumstances where you are incapable of giving or withholding consent or the University reasonably believes that to be the case, the University will not ask before sharing information. Some examples of when this might happen include:  

• You have been involved in a serious accident or medical emergency and are unconscious or delirious.
• Where there may be a threat to your life or others, and assistance from the emergency contact is needed. 

If you have disengaged from your studies and it is necessary for the University to make inquiries about you but it is unable to reach you directly, your emergency contact may be asked if they are aware of your whereabouts and wellbeing. 

How information is recorded 

All actions taken to contact emergency contacts are recorded confidentially and in line with the University's emergency contact protocol and UK data protection laws, notably the UK General Data Protection Regulation. 

For more information email Student Services at theasc@st-andrews.ac.uk.