Guide to the National Health Service

In order to be eligible for NHS care, you must be registered with a GP in the area where you live. For those registering here the medical centre should be the first contact for all health problems. Only your GP can visit you at home, refer you to see a NHS or private specialist or arrange investigations e.g. x-rays.

Please do not wait until you are ill before registering with a doctor.

If you are away from Cheltenham and need to see a doctor, you can register as a Temporary Resident in the area where you are staying. If you experience a significant medical emergency or accident that will require immediate hospital care you should travel directly to the local hospital casualty department or call an ambulance by dialling 999.

Information for patients from abroad

The National Health Service is a state funded health care provider in the UK. Anyone resident in the UK for 6 months or more is entitled to receive free health care throughout NHS hospitals and clinics.

If you plan to spend less than 6 months in the United Kingdom, you should establish whether or not your government will pay for your help care whilst you are here. You should establish this fact before you arrive in the United Kingdom. If there is no arrangement between your government and the United Kingdom, you should make appropriate arrangements to cover the possibility of incurring costs through accidents or illness whilst you are in the UK.

If you plan to spend 6 months or more in the United Kingdom you are eligible for care under the NHS. You need to register with a doctor (GP) and obtain an NHS number. Please come to the medical centre for advice on how to register (if you have not already done so) with a general practitioner.

Physiotherapy

There is a sports physiotherapist based at the Medical Centre. If you have a sporting injury, which needs medical attention, you should attend Accident and
Emergency before 48 hours has elapsed. However if your injury persists you can be referred to our physiotherapist if this is appropriate.

Students' Health Adviser

Lynda, the Students' Health Adviser, is available for
general advice on contraception, stress management,
dietary problems and general supportive help. She can
be accessed by making an appointment. see general health page

Students' Mental Health Adviser

Cathy, the Students' Mental Health Adviser, is available for
general advice mental health issues. She can
be accessed by making an appointment. see mental health page

Results

If you need to find out your results at the Medical Centre then please could you telephone the Medical Centre on 714400 and ask to speak to one of the nurses for a result. Alternatively you could attend the Centre and speak to a nurse directly.

Most blood tests and urine tests will be ready after 2 days.

Some tests such as thyroid tests will not be ready for about a week.

Some hormone tests and clotting studies may not be ready for a month.

Most xray and ultrasound results are available 10 working days after the test is performed.

Cost and charges

All NHS primary health care is free at the point of delivery. This means that you do not have to pay to see a doctor or nurse at the Medical Centre. Certain services are not automatically provided by the NHS, for example, private medical certificates for insurance or pre-employment screening. Prescriptions are charged (by the dispensing pharmacist) at a flat fee of about £6.65. All contraceptive prescriptions are free. Many groups of people, e.g. children, the elderly, pregnant women, those on low income etc, are entitled to free prescriptions.

Certain charges may apply for medicines for use outside the United Kingdom. A very small number of medicines are not available through the NHS. Some of these medicines are not available at all in the United Kingdom, others may be available, but will require full payment to the dispensing pharmacist.

Eye tests

NHS eye tests are not provided by the medical centre. Instead they are provided by qualified optometrists who are attached to dispensing opticians

Eye test charges vary but you can expect the fee to be between £17.00 and £30.00.

 The examination is very thorough and you will be given a written report which you can take to any dispensing optician of your choice in order to obtain a pair of spectacles or contact-lenses (in the case that they are needed).

Dentist

If you need to find a dentist you can telephone the Gloucestershire Dental Helpline on 01452 318858 or call NHS Direct on 0845 4647

Cervical smears

Women between the age of 25 and 65 years should have a cervical smear test every three years. This advice has recently changed, as previously sexually active women from the age of 20 were advised to have a smear test. You can make a routine appointment with the practice nurse for a smear. Please note that the appointment should be booked when you are in the middle of your menstrual cycle. Smears cannot be taken if you are menstruating. Please provide a SAE to enable us to inform you of the result of your smear.

Disabled access

The medical centre has a disabled access

Emergency contraception

The medical centre can see any patient for emergency contraceptive advice; you do not have to be registered. Please phone 520022.
Emergency contraception is available after unprotected intercourse or if your method of birth control fails, but you must be seen within 72 hours wherever possible. An emergency coild can be fitted up to five days after unprotected sex. Please contact the medical centre as soon as possible to see  the nurse.

Vaccinations

If you need advice, vaccinations or medication in relation to foreign travel please make an appointment to come to the Travel Clinic. These are run by the practice nurses who will help ensure that you stay healthy whilst you are abroad. Charges apply for certain medicines to be used when you are outside the United Kingdom. Please book an appointment at least six weeks before you intend to travel.