Around 17.3% UK higher education students said that they had a disability in 2020. For some of these students, non-medical help is vital to complete their university degree. What is non-medical help, and how exactly does it help university students succeed? 

What is non-medical help? 

Non-medical help provides disabled students with support workers to help with their studies. Any additional support that is provided by a person rather than a technology, is classed as non-medical help. 

The Non-Medical Help Allowance is to provide funding for additional support which you may require due to a disability to undertake your course on an equal basis to other students. Any additional help and support that you receive to help to maximise your potential during studies is known as non-medical help. 

This can be used to help pay for support workers or other non-medical helpers that you may need to benefit fully from your course such as a note taker, study skills tutor, library assistant or specialist mentoring support. 

Some common examples of non-medical help are: 

• British Sign Language interpreters (BSL) 
• Tactile BSL 
• Note takers/ scribes 

• Proof-readers 
• Mentors 
• IT training 
• Study skills support 
• Mobility support 

Non-medical help does not cover:  

• Subject specific tuition  
• Support that would normally be provided by Social Services 
• Diagnostic services 

How does non-medical help benefit students? 

Depending on your disability and individual needs, there are various types of non-medical help available, with a variety of benefits. Of course, the overarching benefit to receiving non-medical help is equal opportunity to succeed and get the most out of your university or college education. 

Non-medical help support workers fully understand the needs of the student, meaning that the help they offer is specifically tailored to the individual’s needs. This is a large benefit to non-medical help for many students, especially when classes are large and education providers cannot cater to these specific needs. They can help you to develop and maintain study patterns by providing support with timetabling, goal setting, and managing appropriate levels of study. They can also help you to come to terms with your diagnosis and talk to you about the potential impact on your studies.  

Support workers offer a strict level of confidentiality, punctuality, respect, and reliability whilst not participating in class discussions, providing answers, or correcting errors in your work. This allows a fair and healthy learning experience for the student receiving non-medical help – allowing them to use the support worker strictly as a tool to succeed. 

How can Wyvern assist you with non-medical help?  

Wyvern Business Systems (WBS) are one of the largest DSA Approved suppliers and offer non-medical help for students with a disability. WBS services include, assistive technology training, British sign language interpreting and student support.  

WBS trainers specialise in one-to-one training to ensure that students get a full understanding of their assistive technology. Our non-medical help services allow students to: gain better understanding and improve communication throughout their education; have equal opportunities throughout their education; and learn and develop knowledge effectively. 

As one of the largest suppliers in the DSA industry, Wyvern Business Systems offer non-medical help, assistive technology software and hardware and ergonomic products at vastly discounted prices, directly to any student. 

Contact Wyvern today to find out more about what non-medical help you can receive.  

Assistive technology allows people to live healthy, productive, independent, and dignified lives, as well as engage in school, University, the workplace, and social situations. Assistive technology can decrease the need for formal health and support services, long-term care, and the need for caregivers.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), more than 1 billion people across the world need at least one piece of assistive technology, showing just how essential it is.

What are the benefits of assistive technology?

Assistive technology can have a positive impact on the health and well-being of a person and their family. Some benefits of assistive technology include:

• Assistive technology can monitor a vulnerable person’s safety in their own home 24 hours a day, seven days a week, offering peace of mind for both the individual and their family. This is especially useful when having professional caregivers available 24 hours a day is neither desirable nor economical. This is becoming known as Smart Home Technology.
• Assistive technology can help elderly people stay at home longer and delay or prevent the need for long-term care.
• Increased service consumers’ choice, safety, independence, and sense of control
• Improved living quality
• If a significant emergency arises, personal alarms and telecare can help to ensure a faster response. A faster reaction can decrease the long-term negative effects of an incident such as a fall or a medical emergency such as a stroke.
• Caregivers’ load is decreased.
• Improved support for persons with chronic illnesses
• Reduced home accidents and falls

Who can benefit from assistive technology?

Assistive technology can be beneficial to many different people. The following people are the most in need of assistive technology:

• People with learning disabilities
• People with physical disabilities
• The elderly
• People suffering from noncommunicable illnesses like diabetes and stroke
• People suffering from mental illnesses such as dementia and autism
• People experiencing progressive functional deterioration

How do you choose the right assistive technology?

Most of the time, the selection is made in collaboration with a team of specialists and consultants that are trained to match certain assistive technology to individual needs. An assistive technology team may include family doctors, regular and special education teachers, speech-language pathologists, rehabilitation engineers, occupational therapists, and other professionals, as well as consulting representatives from assistive technology manufacturers.

How can Wyvern help with assistive technology?

At Wyvern Business Systems, our team of specialists offer both assistive technology products and assessments and training for assistive technology.

We have a specialised staff of trainers that specialise in one-on-one training to guarantee that students understand their assistive technology completely. We have trainers all around the country who have been carefully chosen for a variety of talents and attributes that we believe make them outstanding Assistive Technology Trainers.

Wyvern Business Systems are on hand, to provide a wealth of Assistive Technology products, from hardware, software, accessories, ergonomic furniture and aids to fully support the individual.

Access to Work is a government funded employment assistance programme that aims to help disabled people in beginning and maintaining a career. The Access to Work scheme provides both practical and financial support for you, if you are disabled or have a physical or mental health condition that makes it hard for you to do your job.

Support from the Access to Work scheme will be offered based on your disability needs. This may include a grant to help cover specialist equipment, adaptations, support worker services or getting to and from work.

How do I get help from the Access to Work scheme?

First of all, talk to your employer about what ‘reasonable adjustments’ they could make to accommodate you. Your employer must make certain changes, also known as reasonable adjustments, to ensure you can carry out your job effectively and that you’re not significantly disadvantaged. These changes could include amending your working hours or providing equipment to help you do your job properly.

If the help you require isn’t covered by your employer making reasonable adjustments, then you may be able to apply for the Access to Work scheme. To apply for the scheme, you must currently be working a paid job or be about to start or return to one. Support will be offered based on your disability needs. This may include a grant to help cover specialist equipment, adaptations, support worker services or getting to and from work.

Am I eligible for the Access to Work scheme?

You can apply for Access to Work if you:

• Are a resident and working in Great Britain
• Have a disability or long-term health condition that means you need an aid, adaptation or financial or human support to do your job (long term is categorised as lasting for a minimum of 12 months)
• Have a mental health condition that means you need support in work
• Are aged 16 or over

You must also:

• Be doing paid work
• Be about to start work or become self-employed
• Have an interview for a job
• Be about to begin a work trial or start work experience under the Youth Contract arranged through Jobcentre Plus

Do you need a diagnosis for the Access to Work scheme?

To receive support from Access to Work you must have a disability or health condition that means you need an aid, adaptation or financial or human support to do a job. For example, special computer equipment or travel costs if you can’t use public transport.

If you are applying to Access to Work because you are living with a mental health condition; it must affect your ability to do a job. It must also mean you need support to:

• start a new job
• reduce absence from work
• stay in work

Want to find out more about the Access to Work Scheme?

Wyvern Business Systems provides support for disabled people applying to the Access to Work scheme, as well as providing businesses with the products, equipment and non-medical help necessary to make their workplace accessible. If you would like more information about Access to Work, or if you wish to apply, please contact Wyvern Business Systems.

The Disabled Student Allowance (DSA) form for 2022 has been released. All students wanting to apply to DSA for 2022 – 2023 must fill this in.

Please click here to be taken to the official DSA forms and start the process.

What is Disabled Student Allowance?

The Disabled Student Allowance, or DSA, is support to cover the study-related costs you have because of a mental health problem, long term illness or any other disability. This can be on its own or in addition to any student finance you get.

The type of support and how much you get depends on your individual needs – not your household income.

This support includes assistive technology, ergonomic furniture and accessories, access to printers and ink and more!

How can I apply to Disabled Student Allowance?

If you have already applied for student finance, you can simply sign-in to your student finance account on the government portal and start your Disabled Student Allowance application. If you do not have an online account because you applied via post, fill in the DSA1 form.

If you have not applied to student finance because you do not need to, you can fill in the DSA1 form, to apply only for Disabled Student Allowance.

Once your eligibility for DSA is confirmed, Student Finance England may ask you to contact an assessment centre to work out what help you need. This is known as a needs assessment. Do not book this until Student Finance England asks you to. The assessment is paid for through any DSA entitlement you may have. After the assessment, you will get a report listing equipment and other support you can get for your course.

Once you have received formal instruction as to what needs you need met, you can begin sourcing these products or services from a Disabled Student Allowance provider, such as Wyvern Business Systems.

For more information on Disabled Student Allowance please visit www.wbs.uk.com/disabled-students-allowance/

Want to find out more about Disabled Student Allowance applications?
Visit the official government website now.