International Students’ Orientation

• Laura Welch BSc (Hons), RN• Practice Nurse, Health Promotion & College Liaison Lead• King’s College London

Accessing NHS Healthcare in the UK

National Health Service (NHS) – National Health Service (NHS) – some interesting factssome interesting facts

- Launched in 1948 : world’s largest publicly funded health service.

- Healthcare for all- the NHS remains free for anyone who is resident

in the UK. - With the exception of charges for some

prescriptions and optical and dental services,- 60m people!!- 1m patients every 36 hours

Who is eligible for treatment through the Who is eligible for treatment through the NHS?NHS?

Am I entitled to NHS care? • You are entitled to both primary and secondary

care as a long-term student at King’s. • Primary care is health care within General

Practice and community clinics.• Secondary care is with specialists or in hospitals.• If you have not yet been issued with an NHS

number, you need to ensure you have insurance or funds to cover secondary care you may need.

Who is eligible for treatment through the Who is eligible for treatment through the NHS? (cont.)NHS? (cont.)

Examples of 'secondary care' are: • Diagnostic procedures performed in hospitals • Hospital specialist out-patient appointments • Some other community clinics that are funded by secondary

care • Admission to hospitals

As a long-term student at King’s you are immedidately entitled to both primary & secondary care but until you have received your NHS number you will only be entitled to 'secondary care' treatment under the NHS if you are from the EU or European Economic Area (EEA) or your country has a reciprocal agreement with the UK. If you are not, you may be asked to pay.

EU countries & EEA countriesEU countries & EEA countries

• EU countries:Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Republic of Cyprus, Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Netherlands, Poland, Portugal, Romania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden and the UK.

• EEA countries:The EEA includes EU countries and also Iceland, Liechtenstein and Norway.

• And Switzerland!

Non-EU/EEA countries with a reciprocal health care agreement with UK

• Anguila, Armenia, Australia, Azerbaijan• Barbados, Belarus, Bosnia & Herzegovina, British

Virgin Islands• Falkland Islands, Georgia, Gibraltar• Isle of Man, Jersey, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan• Macedonia, Moldova, Montserrat, New Zealand• Russia, St Helena, Serbia & Montenegro• Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Turks & Caicos Islands• Ukraine, Uzbekistan

Who is eligible for treatment through the Who is eligible for treatment through the NHS? (cont.)NHS? (cont.)

• More details can be found on the Public Health England website

• Once you have received your NHS number you should not be asked to pay for secondary care as you’re entitled to both 'primary' and 'secondary' health care as a long-term student at King’s.

What does NHS registration What does NHS registration entitle you to?entitle you to?

• Free consultation with GP, either at King’s College NHS Health Centre or wherever you are registered

• Free hospital treatment in Accident & Emergency• Free hospital treatment if your Doctor

recommends it• Free contraceptive services• Free maternity care• N.B. All contraception in the UK is free!

What will you need to pay for?What will you need to pay for?

• Any medication a Doctor prescribes for you. (Some Nurses, Pharmacists, Podiatrists, Physiotherapists & Dieticians also prescribe)

• Any dental treatment within the NHS scheme

• The cost of eye tests and glasses or contact lenses

• Some forms or letters you may ask us to complete for you

• Some travel vaccinations

What will you need to pay for?What will you need to pay for?

The role of a GP practice/health centreThe role of a GP practice/health centre

• The GP is a General Practitioner – a doctor who has specialised in family health.

• GPs are qualified to see anyone from small babies to the elderly including patients with many types of physical and mental health problems

• You will only be referred to specialist care if you have a complicated condition or require further investigation / treatment for your illness.

• GPs are bound by certain national/ local guidelines when referring patients to specialists.

• To get an appointment with a specialist can take many weeks. You may consider paying for a private referral to be seen more quickly (which can be expensive).

King’s College NHS Health Centre King’s College NHS Health Centre Catchment AreaCatchment Area

King’s College NHS Health CentreKing’s College NHS Health Centre

•Register and fill forms online•Make sure to bring in your student/staff ID•Go and see a nurse/GP if you have an existing medical condition and need medication•Many nurses in the UK are qualified to assess patients without or before seeing a doctor•Alternatively if you prefer to register somewhere else , look at the NHS website at: www.nhs.ukType in your postcode and you will be provided with a list of local GPs

Kings College NHS Health CentreKings College NHS Health Centre Website : http://www.kingscollegenhshealthcentre.com

Opening times:Term time:Monday, Wednesday, Friday: 09:00 - 18:30Tuesday and Thursday: 09:00 - 20:30 Non term time:Monday - Friday 09:00 -18:30

Address:3rd Floor, Macadam Building, Surrey Street, Strand Campus, London, WC2R 2NS

Help your GP to help youHelp your GP to help you

• Take in your existing medication and any specialist letter / investigations/ test results.

• Register with a General Practice before you become ill!

• You may be given slightly different medication from the one originally prescribed, as local protocols vary and some medications from abroad are not available in the UK.

PrescriptionsPrescriptions• If your GP or nurse gives you a prescription for

medication, you then take this to a pharmacy• £8.05 for a prescription (per item) • Pre-payment certificates may save you money• Under certain circumstances prescriptions are free (and

if you are under 19 years old)• “Are you entitled to help with NHS costs?” available

from Pharmacies.• You are entitled to apply for assistance with NHS

charges but most overseas students will not meet the eligibility requirements for help. If you think you may be eligible, complete form HC1 available from Post Offices.

• OTC (over the counter medications) are available.• Please do not bring anti-biotics in from abroad!!!

Where to go if you are unwellWhere to go if you are unwell

• contact your surgery • King’s College NHS

Health Centre 020 7848 2613

• Out of hours (when the Health Centre or your GP is closed) telephone the usual number - you will be put through to a Nurse Practitioner/GP

Where to go in case of an emergencyWhere to go in case of an emergency

NHS Hospital Emergency Departments “A&E”St Thomas’ Hospital, Lambeth.St Mary’s Hospital, Paddington.Royal London Hospital, Whitechapel.King’s College Hospital, Denmark Hill.University College Hospital, Bloomsbury.Royal Free Hospital, Hampstead.Charing Cross Hospital, Hammersmith.Chelsea & Westminster Hospital, Fulham.Emergency number in the UK 999/112If not an emergency & you live in Westminster, Kensington & Chelsea, Hammersmith & Fulham – call 111

NHS Card and EHIC CardNHS Card and EHIC Card

• With your NHS card you may be eligible for free treatment when visiting an EEA country or a country with a reciprocal health care agreement.

• But you need to have a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) which you can obtain, free of charge, after completing a form available from Post Offices or online. (Use the link on our website to the free card).

• Please note you are not eligible for an EHIC until you have an NHS card. • If you are travelling outside the EEA or to any country which is not

covered by a reciprocal health care agreement, you must have private medical insurance. The NHS will not help with medical costs incurred outside Europe and in cases where you do not have an NHS/EHIC card.

• If you go skiing/snowboarding you must take out private insurance. An EHIC will not cover the cost of mountain rescue, skiing and other dangerous sports which will require private insurance.

• When your course finishes and you go home, don’t forget to let your GP or the King’s College Health Centre know you are leaving the UK.

General WellbeingGeneral Wellbeing

• Psychological wellbeing: stress, being abroad, language barrier, culture shock, loneliness.• Lifestyle: healthy eating, physical activity, alcohol, smoking, drugs, contraception, sexual health.• Immunisations – Measles Mumps Rubella (MMR), Meningitis C

catch-up campaign 2014. • All students under 25 years of age who have not had a vaccine

containing Meningitis C since the age of 10 years. All students over the age of 25 years who have never had a Men C vaccine.Female students:

• Cervical screening if aged 25+ or already started having screening elsewhere.

Important websitesImportant websites

• NHS Choices

• Choose Well: LAS

• Self Care Forum

• Dee’s A&E Fail: NHS

• SexpressionStudent-run website with advice on sexual health

Any Questions?Any Questions?

Thank you!