Healthcare

Contents

1. EU students and healthcare after Brexit
2. Registering with a doctor 
3. Other healthcare services in Scotland
4. NHS 24
5. NHS 24 Mental Health support
6. NHS Inform
7. Sexual health
8. Medical treatment charges in Scotland
9. International students and healthcare in Scotland 
10. Studies affected by Ill Health

EU students and healthcare after Brexit

The EHIC scheme came to an end on 31st December 2020 (this being the end of the UK’s transition period for leaving the EU).  However, all overseas students studying full time in Scotland are exempt from being charged for most NHS services under the National Health Service (Charges to Overseas Visitors) (Scotland) Regulations 1989.  This exemption will apply even after 31/12/20, as long as you are a full-time student.

If you are currently an EU student and you plan to stay in the UK longer than the length of your studies, and exercise a ‘Right to Reside’, it is advisable that you have comprehensive sickness insurance and also apply for (pre) settled status. If (pre) settled status is granted this will then allow you to access free NHS health care after your studies end.

Useful Information

UK Government information on the Right to Reside

Citizens’ Advice information on the Right to Reside

UKCISA – Health and Healthcare

UKCISA – Healthcare in the UK for EU, EEA and Swiss Students

Citizens Advice – NHS Charges for People from Abroad

Registering with a doctor

Everyone in Scotland can register with a doctor, also known as a GP. It is important to do this as your GP will typically be your first point of contact should you become unwell. Importantly for students, a GP can also provide supporting medical documents if you are unable to meet academic deadlines due to ill health.

The NHS Inform website has information on how you can register with a GP.

A local GP practice will register patients who live in that area. You can find GP practices in your local area on the NHS Inform website here.

If you live near the University and need to find a doctor in the local area, one option is to contact the Barclay Medical Practice which has an office on campus.

If you are already registered with a GP outside of Glasgow, please note that you are only allowed to be permanently registered with one GP in the UK at any given time. You can however still approach any GP surgery for emergency treatment whilst in Glasgow. They are able to register you as a ‘temporary resident’ for up to 3 months.  Beyond this 3 months, you would be expected to  switch your GP from your home GP to a Glasgow-based one for the duration of your study.

Other healthcare services in Scotland

The majority of NHS health services are provided free of charge in Scotland. This includes:

• Hospitals
• Clinics
• Dental examinations
• Eye examinations
• Local pharmacies
• Emergency services

NHS 24

In Scotland, NHS 24 is the provider of digital health and care services. NHS 24 services can be accessed by calling 111.

You should call 111 if you:

• need urgent care but your GP, dental practice, or pharmacy is closed
• need support with mental health distress
• need to visit a minor injuries unit for cuts, sprains or bruises
• think you need to visit A&E, but its not life or limb threatening

NHS 24 provides translation services for patients who have English as a second language, as well as video interpretation for patients who are deaf.

For neurodiverse patients, there's information on what to expect when you call 111, and self-help guides are available online and on the NHS 24 app for those who prefer not to speak on the phone. You can also speak with an adviser using the NHS 24 webchat service.

The NHS 24 app allows you to locate your nearest health services and assess symptoms.

NHS 24 Mental Health Support

NHS 24 provides mental health support for everyone in Scotland. You can call 111 if you are:

• feeling anxious
• experiencing low mood or depression
• feeling distressed or in a state of despair
• suicidal
• in need of emotional support
• experiencing psychosis
• self harming

Living Life

Living Life at NHS 24 provides phone supports using cognitive behavioural therapy (CBT) techniques. This service is open to anyone in Scotland aged 16 and over and offers 4-6 sessions with a trained professional to manage issues such as low mood, mild to moderate depression and anxiety.

Breathing Space

Breathing Space is a free, confidential listening service for people in Scotland aged 16 or over. Calls are free and lines are open 24 hours at weekends and 6pm-2am on weekdays.

Distress Brief Intervention (DBI)

DBI connects people with local services to help them manage shorter periods of emotional pain or distress. A referral can be made by calling 111.

Mind to Mind

Mind to Mind is an online resource where you can find real peoples' expeiences of managing emotional problems.

Wellbeing Tool

There is also an NHS wellbeing tool which can help you to identify how you are feeling and signpost you to appropriate resources.

Keep in mind that the University has a dedicated Counselling and Wellbeing Service that you can also contact for support.

The university also has a Disability Services team who might be able to help support you with your mental health and studies.  You can see here examples of what they might be able to do to help.    

NHS Inform

NHS Inform provides details of health and wellbeing services in Scotland. This allows you to find and register with a GP or dentist, as well as providing information for international students on accessing healthcare in Scotland.

NHS Inform also operates SARCS, the NHS Scotland sexual assault self-referral phone service.       

Sexual health

If you have concerns about your sexual health, you can book an appointment online via this service here. You can also contact the the Sandyford sexual health service, which covers the Greater Glasgow area directly here. 

Medical treatment charges in Scotland

While most healthcare services are available for free in Scotland, you will have to pay for some treatments.

Students should be aware that some treatments that incur a charge in other parts of the UK – such as prescriptions – are free in Scotland. Prescription charges in Scotland have been abolished since April 2011.

NHS dental treatment is free to everyone who is aged under 26, is pregnant or has given birth in the last 12 months, as well as those on certain benefits. You can find more information on the cost of NHS dental treatment here.

You can receive a free eye test in Scotland and you may be eligible for an NHS-funded voucher towards the cost of glasses or contact lenses. You can find further guidance on this here.

You can apply for help with treatment costs under the Low Income Scheme. You need to fill in a HC1 form, and the scheme will then determine whether you can afford to pay towards the cost of your treatment, and if so, how much. If you are eligible for help, you receive a certificate. You need to reapply for this every year.

You can get more information about help with health costs by phoning the helpline on 0300 330 1343

International students and healthcare in Scotland

If you are studying full-time in Scotland you can receive healthcare through the NHS from the day you arrive until one month after your course finishes. You could also receive NHS healthcare if you are working and studying part-time. You can find further information on registering for NHS services as an international student here.

When you go to register with a GP you may need to provide documents to show that you are studying full-time in Glasgow. The University allows you to produce your own certifying letter to prove your status as a full-time student.

Studies affected by ill health

If there is a chance that ill health might affect your coursework or preparation for an exam, you should talk to your Adviser of Studies or supervisor as soon as you can so that reasonable allowances can be made, for example extension of a deadline or deferment of an exam. If at all possible, don’t wait until after the exam or deadline has passed.

You should also ensure any absences or instances of “good cause” are recorded in your MyCampus so the University can consider these when calculating your grades. The University’s Regulations define “good cause” as meaning

“illness or other adverse personal circumstances affecting a candidate and resulting in either:

i) the candidate’s failure to attend an examination, or submit coursework at or by the due time or otherwise satisfy the requirements of the scheme of assessment appropriate to his or her programme of studies; or,
ii) the candidate’s performance in examination or other instrument of assessment being manifestly prejudiced.

A chronic medical condition shall not itself be considered a good cause, although a short term exacerbation of such a condition might be so judged.”

If you’re unsure if you should be recording something as “good cause” you can check with your Adviser of Studies/Supervisor or speak with the SRC Advice Centre.