Healthcare

Registering with a doctor
You must register with a local doctor as soon as possible after your arrival – do not wait until you are ill to do so. You are eligible to register with the New Cross Medical Centre (see below) if you live in a College hall of residence or within a two to three mile radius of the College.

If you live at an address that’s not covered by the New Cross Medical Centre, the team at the centre can advise on registration with a doctor local to your address. You can continue to see your family doctor at home during vacations.

New Cross Medical Centre
40 Goodwood Road, New Cross SE14 6BL
Tel: 020 3049 2249
NHS Direct: 0845 4647 (for patients not registered with the centre)

More information about the Medical Centre on the NHS website

Map of the Medical Centre & travel info

This is the closest doctors surgery to Goldsmiths, and is the nearest surgery to most halls of residence.

Surgery hours
Monday: 8.30am-6.30pm
Tuesday: 8.30am-8pm
Wednesday: 8.30am-6.30pm
Thursday: 8.30am-6.30pm
Friday: 8.30am-6.30pm
Saturday: SELDOC* COVER
Sunday: SELDOC* COVER

*SELDOC is a co-operative of local GPs on-call service, outside of surgery hours 020 8693 9066.


Outside of surgery hours
You can visit the NHS Walk-in Centre, which is at the Waldron Health Centre, Amersham Vale, London, SE8 4BG. The service is open from 8am-8pm, Monday-Sunday, every single day of the year (including Bank Holidays, Christmas etc). Staff at the Walk-in Centre can offer professional health advice and treatment. You can walk in or call 020 3049 2370 to make an appointment.
 
The centre offers a wide range of services including:

• examinations and treatment
• advice on health problems
• prescriptions for medicines
• muscular aches and sprains
• mental health issues
• contraceptive services
• stopping smoking
• minor ailments
 
The services are available to everyone whether you’re registered with a GP or not.

Or telephone NHS Direct (www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk) on 0845 4647 (the telephone number is shorter than regular phone numbers). The service offers health advice 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

In an emergency always telephone 999.

Meningitis
It’s important to be able to recognise the symptoms of meningitis, and to know what to do if you think you, or someone else, may have them.

Meningitis is an inflammation of the lining of the brain and spinal cord. Septicaemia is an infection of the blood stream and can be caused by the same organism that may cause meningitis. It can be caused by bacteria or viruses. The most serious form is caused by the meningococcus bacterium. The bacteria can also cause meningococcal septicaemia and together these conditions are called meningococcal disease. The MenC vaccine protects against one form of meningitis. If you have not had this vaccine, contact your GP for advice. MenC vaccine does not protect against all forms of meningitis or meningococcal disease, so it is very important to be on the alert for symptoms.

The symptoms of meningitis are:
Severe headache; Stiff neck; Fever; Vomiting; Drowsiness or confusion leading to unconsciousness; Discomfort from bright lights; Back and joint pains; Rash – red/purple spots or bruises anywhere on the body that do not disappear when pressed with a glass.

If you, or a friend has any of these symptoms, you must get medical help immediately. Either call your GP or the New Cross Medical Centre 020 7919 7147 (open 8.30am-6pm Monday to Friday). If the centre is closed, call the emergency number 020 8693 9066. Or dial
999 for an ambulance.

The following web sites have useful information:
www.meningitis.org
www.meningitis-trust.org
www.studenthealth.co.uk