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Health

To access health care in the UK, you need to register with a GP (General Practitioner) also known as Doctor's Surgery when you arrive.  Your institution may provide information about how and where to do this locally.
 
Arriving in a new country is a very busy time for international students and there are a lot of changes to go through. In this type of situation, with all its stresses, you can find yourself paying less attention than usual to your health.
 
Existing health problems can also be made worse by the effects of adjusting to unfamiliar food, a different climate and the emotional strains of being away from home. It can be easy to concentrate on your studies and forget about taking care of yourself.

This section aims to give advice on looking after yourself, as well as practical information on how to obtain medical treatment. It also explains international students’ entitlement to free medical treatment under the UK state health system. It describes the different options such as Accident & Emergency, visiting your GP and hospital appointments.
 
The accident and emergency department in hospitals is for emergencies only, if you are unsure you should call NHS 111 first or visit your pharmacy, they will be able to advise you. If you are in Wales, then instead of calling NHS 111, call NHS Direct Wales. If you are in Northern Ireland, then instead of calling NHS 111, call Northern Ireland's out of hours service. 
 
How the UK health System works
Some treatment provided by the UK's National Health Service (NHS) is free for everyone:accident and emergency services (but not follow-up treatment, or admission as an in-patient to hospital)family planning servicesdiagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections diagnosis and treatment of certain infectious diseasescoronavirus (COVID-19) tests (even if results are negative) and treatment, as well as vaccination against coronavirus. Read about the circumstances in which you can ask for a test, and how to do that.
 
If you have problems booking a test or getting results then you can read Get help with asking for a coronavirus test. The National Health Service has detailed information about coronavirus on its website. treatment of conditions caused by torture, female genital mutilation, domestic violence or sexual violence (provided you did not come to the UK for the specific purpose of seeking such treatment)compulsory psychiatric treatment or treatment that has been ordered by a courttreatment in prison or immigration detention.

For other treatment, there are fees for “overseas visitors”, including students, but in practice most students do not need to pay. You can see why most students do not need to pay in the next box.
 
People who do not pay hospital fees
You will be exempt from paying these fees (you will not have to pay them) if you fall into one of the following groups (we have listed the most important groups, but there are some others too):You paid the immigration health surcharge for your current period of immigration permissionIf you have already reached the expiry date of your immigration permission, it is OK as long as you made an application for an immigration extension before your immigration permission ran out AND you are still waiting for a decision on your application (or if you have already been refused, then you have remained in the UK and are still within the period you are allowed in order to pursue an administrative review or appeal against the refusal) - this is sometimes referred to as a period of 'Section 3C leave'. You will not have to pay hospital fees during your 'Section 3C leave'.
 
You applied for your current period of immigration permission before the immigration health surcharge was introduced on 6 April 2015You are only be protected in this way if the immigration application you made was one where the immigration health surcharge would have been relevant if it had been made on or after 6 April 2015. If you have already reached the expiry date of your immigration permission, it is OK as long as you made an application for an immigration extension before your immigration permission ran out AND you are still waiting for a decision on your application (or if you have already been refused, then you have remained in the UK and are still within the period you are allowed in order to pursue an administrative review or appeal against the refusal) - this is sometimes referred to as a period of 'Section 3C leave'. You will not have to pay hospital fees during your 'Section 3C leave'. Babies born in the UKBabies aged 3 months or less, who were born in the UK to a parent who is exempt from hospital fees in one of the two ways described above, and who have not left the UK since birth.
 
You have a right to hospital treatment free of charge because of European lawFor example, because you have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). You need to obtain your EHIC before you come to the UK. You will be entitled to one if you are:a European Economic Area national, stateless person or refugee, or the family member or survivor (irrespective of nationality) of such a person, provided you are insured in an EEA country; ora Swiss or European Union national, stateless person or refugee, or the family member or survivor (irrespective of nationality) of such a person, provided you are insured in Switzerland; ora non-EEA national legally resident and insured in any EU country except Denmark.
 
Note that if you are a resident of the Republic of Ireland you are not required to show an EHIC. However, if you do not have an Irish passport then you may find it difficult to prove you are a resident of the Republic of Ireland, and it will therefore be in your interest to make sure you have an EHIC.You are a British Overseas Territory citizenYou must be resident in the Falkland Islands.You are a national (or in some cases a resident) of a country with a reciprocal health care agreement with the UKBut only if your hospital treatment is covered by the agreement. Most of the agreements are of limited use as they entitle you only to enough immediate medical treatment to allow you to return to your home country.
 
Prescriptions
If a doctor recommends a medicine, they may write a prescription for you. The prescription authorises a pharmacist to give you a particular medicine. Some medicines are available only with a prescription. You can get the medicine from the pharmacy counter at chemist's shops, or in the pharmacy department of larger shops and supermarkets.
In Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland, prescriptions are free of charge in most cases.
 
England
In England, most people need to pay for prescriptions, except the following people  who have free prescriptions:
  • aged under 19 and studying full-time;
  • aged 60 or over;
  • pregnant, or have had a baby within the last 12 months and have a valid exemption certificate;
  • with a listed medical condition and an exemption certificate.
 
In England your children can get free prescriptions if they are under 16, or under 19 and studying full-time. You may also be able to get free or reduced cost prescriptions on the grounds of low income. For further information on this, see the NHS website.
 
Reference and for more details click here
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