Health Care and Counselling

Health Care in the UK

While you are studying at Richmond as a full time degree student, you may access the nation's health care system (called the NHS) free of charge. During new student orientation, you will have the opportunity to register with a local doctor's office and meet with a nurse from the practice. This registration will allow you to access free doctor's visits and discounted prescription drugs (depending on your age). You may also receive free emergency care at local NHS hospitals.

In addition to the NHS, full time degree students are also covered for major medical expenses through a company called Endsleigh Insurance. Endsleigh are the leading student insurers in the UK and will cover students while they are studying and travelling for course-related work. For more information about Endsleigh's policy for Richmond students, please contact the Office of Student Affairs.

If you are a study abroad student, you'll need to register in person with a letter from the Student Affairs Office. As you will only be staying in the UK less than 6 months, you will have to pay for your medical expenses up front (generally £60 per visit)and claim this back on your insurance provided by AIFS.

The Student Affairs Office can help you through this process.

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Your Local Doctor's Office

Richmond Hill Campus

If you are living at Richmond Hill, you will have an opportunity to sign up with your local doctor's office during new student orientation week.

Seymour House Surgery
154 Sheen Road,
Richmond, Surrey TW9 1UU

Tel: 020 8940 2802 / 020 8940 3228
Fax: 020 8332 7877
Web: www.richmondsurgery.co.uk

The doctor's office is located just down the road from the University.

Kensington Campus

If you are living at Kensington, you will need to visit the doctor's office with your NHS number to transfer your medical services to Kensington.

Scarsdale Villas Surgery
2 Scarsdale Villas,
London, W8 6PR

Tel: 020 7937 3343
Fax: 020 7937 3949

The Doctor's Office is only a 10-minute walk from Atlantic House.

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Emergency Help

All staff who live and work on campus are trained in first aid. If you should feel ill outside of the hours of your local doctor's office, contact a member of the Security Team or a Resident Advisor or Director.

Other Resources include:
NHS Direct
The NHS offers a free telephone/web services that operates 24 hours a day and 365 days a year. To contact them, dial 0845 46 47 or visit their website NHS Direct

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Sexual Health Clinics

Wolverton Clinic for Sexual Health
Kingston Hospital
Galsworthy Road
020 8974 9331

The centre offers a wide range of sexual health services. All consultations and treatments are free and the service is confidential.

Testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections
Assessment and management of other genital symptoms/problems
Sexual health service, information and counselling
HIV testing and advice
Complete HIV medical inpatient and outpatient care
Hepatitis screening and vaccination
Young persons clinic
Gay/bi-sexual men's clinic
Emergency contraception and pregnancy testing
Infection testing and support following rape/sexual assault
Management of psychosexual problems
Free condoms and lubricant

Wolverton Clinic for Sexual Health

John Hunter Clinic
Chelsea & Westminster Hospital
369 Fulham Road
020 8846 6699

The Chelsea and Westminster Sexual Health and HIV Directorate provides Sexual health and HIV services across three London sites.

Our sexual health clinics offer testing for sexually transmitted infections (including HIV tests), contraceptives including the morning after pill (emergency contraception), condoms, pregnancy testing, Hepatitis A and B vaccinations, safer sex education and support/counselling.

Our three main sexual health clinics are based at John Hunter clinic (located in St Stephens Centre next to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital), West London Centre for Sexual health (located in Charing Cross Hospital) and 56 Dean St in Soho. We also provide outreach sexual health clinics which are services based in the community for e.g. in NHS walk-in centres and also run clinics for specific groups of patients for e.g. men who have sex with men, which are called specialist sexual health clinics.

Our services for HIV infected persons include a dedicated inpatient ward, two day-care units, three outpatient clinics Kobler Clinic (based in St Stephens Centre next to Chelsea and Westminster Hospital), West London Centre for Sexual health and 56 Dean St and emergency clinics for HIV related problems

We can provide HIV or sexual health care to any patients wishing to attend our service. Patients do not need their GP to refer them for care, nor do they need to live locally. All of our services are completely confidential and your privacy will be respected at all times.

John Hunter Clinic for Sexual Health

Counselling Services

As part of the coverage offered by Endsleigh Insurance, full time degree students may access personal counselling services by a qualified counsellor for up to 6 sessions per term.

Counselling sessions can be booked directly through our Counsellors. When you email, please ensure that you include "counselling services" or something similar in the subject line so that your email does not get lost. Please find their contact details below.

Please be advised:

-cancellations with less than 24 hours notice will count as one of your six sessions

-because both counsellors have other professional commitments, their time slots at both campuses are constrained by other schedules

Diana Pringle, Richmond Campus Counsellor

Hello! My name is Diana Pringle and I provide a confidential counselling service for students covering the kind of issues that occur at this time such as relationship difficulties, self esteem, depression, anxiety, stress, eating disorders, performance concerns, insomnia, life/work balance, career decisions and transitions.

Leaving home, especially moving to a new country often presents unexpected difficulties which can undermine the enjoyment and stimulation you expect from such an adventure. In therapy we can unravel your issues and help you get the most of your time at Richmond University.

I have UKCP professional registration and an MA in Existential Psychotherapy and Counselling. You can find more about me and how I work on my website at www.dianapringle.com.

Contact Information:
Email Diana Pringle

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Rupert King, Kensington Campus Counsellor

My name is Rupert King and I am qualified psychotherapist. I have been working as a student counsellor for the past 7 years. I’m familiar with the challenges that you are facing: coming to a new place, being away from home and the pressures of learning.

So what is counselling? It is about having the opportunity to talk to someone about such situations. A counsellor is a neutral person and will not tell you “what to do” but can look at your problems in an objective way, because that’s what they are trained to do. Counselling is about you being heard and understood. The process is a dialogue between two people, neither of whom has any answers at the outset. But by talking things through with someone you will discover new things about yourself and perhaps see a familiar, problematic situation in a different light.

New awareness about yourself will change you. Sometimes this involves facing painful memories from the past, but not always. The process can be challenging but the feeling of getting things off your chest can be very helpful. The point is you don’t have to do this all by yourself - there are qualified people here to help you.

I firmly believe that one of the cornerstones of therapy is helping clients find a meaning in their life. Without a sense of meaning and purpose we are like ship adrift at sea, at the mercy of each storm that life throws up at us. Therefore a sense of purpose drives and invigorates our lives.

If you want to discuss anything, however big or small, please contact me through the Student Affairs office at either campus. I look forward to meeting you.

Contact Information:
Email Rupert King