Local healthcare
How to find healthcare near Goldsmiths and register with a GP/doctor.
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Registering with a GP
When you arrive at Goldsmiths it’s important to register with a GP (General Practitioner)/doctor right away.
Goldsmiths has partnered with Amersham Vale Medical Practice to provide medical services to Goldsmiths students. They are a five-minute walk from campus.
The practice is based in the Waldron Health Centre, Amersham Vale, London, SE14 6LD. It provides a full range of services including a mental health service, travel health service and immunisations (including meningitis, measles, mumps and rubella).
If you would like to register with a different GP, you can find one on the NHS website.
Medical help
It’s important to know where to turn if you require medical assistance. The NHS website offers more advice on using the right service.
Your local pharmacy can offer expert advice on a range of minor illnesses such as coughs, colds, sore throats and aches and pains. Pharmacists are medically trained and can let you know if you should speak to your doctor, a nurse or other healthcare professional.
If you are worried about your health but it isn’t an emergency, NHS 111 is available to get you the right attention fast. To get help, you can call 111 or go to 111.nhs.uk. The service is available 24-hours-a-day, 7-days-a-week.
In a medical emergency, call 999 or go to your nearest accident and emergency (A&E) department. A medical emergency is when someone is seriously ill or injured and their life is at risk. You can find out more about when to call 999 on the NHS website.
Self-referral to Mental Health Services
Kooth
Kooth is a free, anonymous digital mental health platform. In southeast London, students have immediate access to its mental health services and support – 24/7, 365 days a year – by simply using a computer, smartphone or tablet. What’s more, there’s no need for a referral or any waiting lists – which helps students to access support and guidance whenever and however they need it. Please follow this link to sign up.
Qwell
Qwell is similar to Kooth but aimQwelled at those aged 26 and over, the site is accredited by the British Association for Counselling and Psychotherapy (BACP) and offers early preventative care and support.
Anyone aged over 26 years of age and living in Lewisham, or other parts of southeast London, can receive counselling sessions from qualified counsellors via an online chat-based platform. Chats can either be accessed through a drop-in service or pre-booked sessions from any connected device.
IAPT
IAPT (Improving Access to Psychological Therapies) is an NHS service which offers:
- talking therapies, such as cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT), counselling, other therapies, and guided self-help
- help for common mental health problems, like anxiety and depression
You can refer yourself for NHS Psychological therapy using the following link.
If registered with a local GP practice such as Amersham Vale, you can ask to be seen on campus by IAPT Lewisham.
If you would like to discuss services such as IAPT with a Wellbeing Adviser, or if you need help accessing those services, please request an appointment with a Wellbeing Adviser.
Relate Hub – Lewisham free counselling
Lewisham Borough has just launched a new free counselling service with no or very short waiting list. This service can be used by any students registered with a Lewisham GP practice.
The Relate Hub is most suitable for those needing support with stress, low mood/depression relationship issues, mild-moderate anxiety.
Students can self-refer by using the following details:
- By website: https://relatebooking.as.me/OHL-Relate
- By phone: if you have difficulties with the above then they can phone 01302 347700 to arrange a call back.
Please ensure that you have a Lewisham GP otherwise, you will not be able to have treatment.
If you would like to discuss services such as Relate Hub with a Wellbeing Adviser or if you need help accessing those services, please request an appointment with a Wellbeing Adviser here.
One Health Lewisham – Local Psychological Support Service
The Relate Hub is one of the services offered by One Heath Lewisham Psychological Support Service, which offers a variety of services to tackle issues you may be having related to how you are feeling or thinking or difficulties due to life events or circumstances or life hygiene (such as poor sleep).
The services include therapy, such as a digital support service and an anxiety app. Please check Psychological Support Service – One Health Lewisham for more information and self-refer.
If you would like to discuss services such as One Health Lewisham with a Wellbeing Adviser or if you need help accessing those services, please request an appointment with a Wellbeing Adviser here.
The Listening Place: face to face appointments for people with suicidal feelings, available 7 days a week between 9am-9pm, and is free. You can find a self-referral form You can find a self-referral form here.
Humankind - Local Substance Misuse Services
Humankind are a drug and alcohol misuse support charity for people who live in the Borough of Lewisham. You can self-refer for independent and confidential support. One of their advisers can also ask you to be seen on campus.
If you would like to discuss services such as Humankind with a Wellbeing Adviser or if you need help accessing those services, please request an appointment with a Wellbeing Adviser here.
Sexual health clinic
The Waldron Health Centre, in which the Amersham Vale Practice is based, provides a sexual health walk-in service, including the provision of contraception. It offers a confidential service and it’s usually quicker to visit this clinic rather than your doctor. You do not need to be registered.
Information for trans/non-binary students.
Dentists
You can find your nearest dentist on the NHS website.
It’s important to note that not all dental practices provide NHS treatment. If you are entitled to receive NHS treatment you should check whether your chosen surgery accepts NHS patients before agreeing to any treatment.
If you are entitled to NHS treatment you may still have to contribute to the cost of any dental work. If you do not qualify for NHS treatment, or the dentist you choose does not accept NHS patients, you will need to pay for the full cost of your treatment.
International students
Public healthcare in the UK is provided by the National Health Service (NHS). The NHS provides a wide range of services including appointments with a GP/doctor, hospital treatment and dental care.
It is important that you register with a GP/doctor as soon as you arrive.
If you have a pre-existing health condition, you should discuss with your doctor at home whether treatment for this condition will be covered by the NHS or if you will need private medical insurance.
If you are applying for a student visa and coming to the UK for six months or longer you will be required to pay an immigration health surcharge as part of your visa application fee.
You will be entitled to free NHS healthcare as part of the immigration health surcharge.
If you apply for your visa from overseas and it is granted for less than six months, or you will make occasional visits to the UK for short study periods, you will need to pay for any NHS healthcare you receive, apart from some free services such as accident and emergency treatment, sexual health, and Covid-19 tests and treatment.
As such, you are advised to get private medical insurance for your stay before you arrive.
If you are undertaking short periods of study in the UK you are advised to take out private medical insurance.
If you are applying for a student visa, you cannot take out private medical insurance as an alternative to paying the health immigration surcharge as this is a mandatory fee included as part of your visa application.
It is a personal decision whether you choose to take out private healthcare insurance. You may wish to consider this to cover the following potential health-related costs:
- Loss of fees if you are unable to complete your course
- Costs incurred returning to your home country for treatment
- Private medical treatment
If you already have medical insurance in your home country, you may want to check whether this can be extended to cover your stay in the UK.
EU, EEA and Swiss nationals who are granted a status under the EU Settlement Scheme are entitled to use NHS services for free if ordinarily resident in the UK. Students living and studying in the UK are normally considered to be ordinarily resident.
If you are from an EU country, Norway, Iceland, Liechtenstein or Switzerland, you can find more information on the UK government website.
Irish nationals are entitled to free NHS healthcare.
You can read more about the UK medical system on the UKCISA website.