NHS and Dental Care

On Campus Assistance

Physical Health

Although there is no medical professional on campus for students, the University maintains close ties to the local doctors' office and area hospitals. If you have questions concerning your health or health care in the UK, please visit the office of Student Affairs.

For help with minor ailments, the NHS suggests the following:

Sore Throat
-Gargle with soluable aspirin 3 times a day
-Throat Lozenges (strepsils)
-Drink plenty of fluids--reduce alcohol intake
-Get plenty of rest

Cough
-Take Benylin Cough Linctus
-Sleep with two or more pillows
-Drink plenty of fluids & reduce alcohol intake
-Get plenty of rest

Nasal Congestion
-Sudafed (non-drowsy)
-Drink plenty of fluids & reduce alcohol intake

Fever
-Take 2 paracetamol every 4 hours
-Drink plenty of fluids & reduce alcohol intake
-Get plenty of rest

All pharmaceuticals available from BOOTS or any other chemist--just ask the pharmacist for help in suggesting an over the counter medication.

Counselling and Mental Health Services

A counselor is available on the Richmond campus on Mondays and Fridays (by appointment only) and in Kensington on Tuesdays and Thursdays (by appointment only). In some cases appointments may be able to be arranged outside of the schedules days and times.

Appointments can be made by visiting Student Affairs or by emailing studentaffairs@richmond.ac.uk.

What we offer
Individual counselling
Workshops by arrangement

Good to know
As full-time student you are covered through Endsleigh Insurance and you may access up to six free sessions per term.

The NHS

The National Health Service (NHS) is the system of publicly funded health care services in the UK. Since its launch 60 years ago, the NHS has grown to become the world’s largest publicly funded health service. It is also one of the most efficient, most egalitarian and most comprehensive.

The system was born out of a long-held ideal that good healthcare should be available to all, regardless of wealth – and that principle remains at its core. With the exception of charges for some prescriptions and optical and dental services, the NHS remains free at the point of use for anyone who is resident in the UK – more than 60 million people.

Registering with your Local GP and Dentist

First of all, what is a GP?
GP is short for a physician who is a general practitioner, also known as a family doctor or practitioner.

In order to have access to the NHS services, you must first go through a registration process. You can register with a GP and dentist by ringing up or stopping into your local GP surgery and dentist office and asking if they are accepting new NHS patients. You will undergo an examination and asked to fill in forms describing your medical history.

There are a number of reasons why you may not be able to register with your preferred GP or dentist. For example, the practice may be full or you may live too far away. If this is the case, simply choose another GP or dentist in your local area. One helpful website for locating your nearest GP and other care services is the NHS Service Directories website. Just type in the postcode where you live, and you will find a list of all surgeries in the immediate area.

Why register?
It is important that you locate your GP and dentist and register as soon as you arrive in the UK. If you don't, you will not have immediate access to the services. In the case that you are very ill and require an urgent appointment but have not registered, you will need to wait until you have gone through the process before you can have any treatment.

Link to this page: http://www.richmond.ac.uk/s/517.aspx