Health care in the UK is provided by the National Health Service (NHS).- Any resident in the UK is eligible for free NHS General Practice (GP) healthcare and Accident and Emergency (A&E) healthcare. Other NHS hospital care is only free for certain people, so make sure you know whether you are covered or if you need medical insurance.
You will not need to pay hospital fees for treatment in NHS hospitals if you have paid the Immigration Health Surcharge as part of your Student Visa application. Several other groups of people are also exempt from paying hospital fees. Visit this webpage for full details: www.ukcisa.org.uk > Information & Advice
If you are not eligible for all free NHS treatment, you will still have free emergency hospital treatment, but only the treatment given in an NHS Accident and Emergency department is free of charge. Once you are admitted onto a hospital ward or given an outpatient appointment, fees will apply. It is, therefore, very important that you take out medical insurance for the duration of your visit to the UK before you leave your home country.
Please note that private medical treatment without insurance in the UK is very expensive. If you are only studying in the UK for 6 months or less, you will not be eligible for free NHS health care, so it is essential that you take out insurance.
York St John University has its own General Practice (GP) centre called the York Student Health Centre, which, if you live in York, is the best centre to join, as you will get an appointment much quicker than anywhere else. If you live outside of York, you should join a GP as close to your accommodation as possible.
You should register with the York Student Health Centre as soon as you can. You can do this by visiting them or online at www.Yorkstudenthealthcentre.co.uk. Registering with a different local GP can take a little while to process, so it is best not to wait until you are unwell to register.-
Once registered, if you do not feel well, you will need to make an appointment. To book an appointment with the York Student Health Centre, you should telephone 01904 439 101 or visit the centre, which is located close to Porters Lodge on campus. An appointment will last around 10 minutes. The GP surgery can provide appointments with doctors, nurses and midwives (who look after pregnant people and newborn babies), depending on your needs. Please note - you must arrive on time for your appointment. If you are late, you may not be seen.- To make an appointment with your local GP, you can either call them or book using their online system.
If you require medication, the doctor or nurse you see will give you a prescription for it. This is a letter than explains which medication you need and is signed by the doctor. You will need to take this to a pharmacy who will give you the medication. You may need to pay for the medication. You can find a local pharmacy on the NHS website. Please note that sometimes your prescription may be automatically sent to the pharmacy and you will not be given a piece of paper.
If the GP is closed and you are unwell, you can telephone NHS Direct on 111. They will be able to give you advice and tell you whether you need to go to hospital. You can visit the Accident and Emergency (A&E) or Urgent Care Centre at the local hospital if you cannot wait until the GP surgery opens.
York-s local hospital is a short distance from the University, on Wigginton Road. Please note that hospitals often have a very long waiting time and work in order of medical priority, not on your arrival time.- You may find yourself waiting a number of hours to be treated, but it is important to remain patient.
Dental care
Dentists provide care for your teeth. You can receive NHS dental treatment by registering with a dentist, although it can be very hard to find a dentist with spaces for NHS patients.- You will have to pay for dental treatment unless you are exempt. You can find out who is exempt on the NHS website. You can find a dentist near you here.
Eye care
If you need your eyes testing or need new glasses, you can make an appointment to see an optician. Reading glasses are available from most pharmacies and convenience shops. Some opticians provide free eye tests or have special offers, so it is worth checking costs with them.