Health
Your health is one of the most important factors and Your Advice Centre is here to point you in the right direction for all the support you need.
Covid 19 (Coronavirus)
If you think you have COVID-19 symptoms:
- Self-isolate and check your symptoms via the NHS symptoms checker
- Get a test immediately
- Report any COVID related absence via the absence monitoring portal on your MMU app (If you haven't fully enrolled just yet, and don't have access to the app, you can report your COVID related absence to attendance@mmu.ac.uk)
- If you need additional wellbeing support, get in touch with the Universities Counselling, Mental Health and Wellbeing team (or your Residential team if you live in student accommodation).
Visit the University’s safety pages to find out more about the COVID-19 guidelines, including what to do if you test positive, when to wear a face covering and how to update your contact details.
REGISTER WITH A GP AND DENTIST
You can find local doctors via NHS Service Search. If you live in University accommodation, your nearest surgery is The Arch Medical Practice.Free dental treatment for serious emergencies is usually available from supervised dental students at the Manchester Dental Hospital but please call them first as they have had to adapt the service they can offer due to COVID-19 Tel: 0161 393 7730
It is important to register with a doctor when you arrive at university, so that you can receive medical help free of charge while you are away from home. GP surgeries provide a range of services by appointment, including medical advice, examinations, sexual health screenings, vaccinations and prescriptions. GP practices now offer a range of digital services from online triage forms to video consultations which make accessing healthcare safer and easier than ever before.
You can choose which surgery to register with, but we recommend choosing a doctor close to your accommodation in case you are ill and need to go for an appointment. To find a GP near you, visit the NHS Find a GP webpage. For more information on how to register with a GP online, watch this step by step video guide on YouTube.
If you are ill in the evening or on a weekend, you can still contact your GP surgery, who will have a process for out of hours support. If a doctor or ambulance needs to make an emergency visit to your accommodation, reception must be informed immediately.
You can choose which surgery to register with, but we recommend choosing a doctor close to your accommodation in case you are ill and need to go for an appointment. To find a GP near you, visit the NHS Find a GP webpage. For more information on how to register with a GP online, watch this step by step video guide on YouTube.
HELP WITH HEALTH COSTS
Most medical and hospital treatment is free but you may have to pay for prescriptions (medication), dental check-ups and treatment, sight tests, glasses, etc. Currently prescriptions cost £9.15 per item and a basic dental check-up is £22.70.
To apply for help with medical costs, you should complete a HC1 form; and you will receive a HC2 or HC3 in response. A HC2 gives you full help with health costs and a HC3 gives limited help towards the cost. If you don’t qualify for help with prescriptions you can buy a pre-payment certificate (PPC), which will save you money if you need prescriptions regularly. Find out more about pre-payment certificates on this NHS website.
HEALTH AND ACADEMIC WORK – EXEPTIONAL FACTORS
If you think your academic performance might be significantly affected by unexpected issues of ill health you should inform the university through the Exceptional Factors procedure http://www.mmu.ac.uk/sas/studentservices/guidance/
Your Advice Centre can help you with making an application.
EMERGENCY CONTRACEPTION
You can see your GP, a Family Planning Clinic or go to the Brook Advisory Centre (under 19’s only) for emergency contraception and advice. You are also able to buy emergency pills from some chemists.
The Family Planning Association website includes a ‘find a clinic’ search. Go to Help and Advice, find a clinic and put in your postcode.
Manchester
The Hathersage Centre provides comprehensive contraception and sexual health services to everyone.
80 Upper Brook Street, Manchester, M13 0FH.
0161 701 1555
SEXUAL HEALTH
You can ring the National Aids and Sexual Health Line free on 0300 123 7123 for details of a clinic in your area.
Manchester
Manchester Royal Infirmary, Department of GUM. Oxford Road, Manchester, M13 9WL
Tel: (0161) 276 5200
The Jarman Clinic (Sexual health service for gay and bisexual men), Withington Hospital
Tel: (0161) 217 4939
ADDRESSING ALCOHOLISM
Many young people are finding that alcoholism is something that can affect people of all ages.
In Greater Manchester, Alcoholics Anonymous has more young people than ever seeking help from addiction, with many joining in their twenties or their teens. Young People in AA Manchester provide examples of young people in Greater Manchester that are recovering from alcoholism and living happy drink-free lives - there is a way.
For more information please visit their website: https://youngpeopleinaamanchester.com
HEALTHWATCH
Healthwatch Manchester is your independent consumer champion for health and social care in Manchester. They believe that every person in Manchester has the right to a say in their health, care and wellbeing. They believe that their independence and statutory powers place them in the best position to champion your rights and make your voices heard.
Healthwatch do this by listening to the views, opinions and experiences of local people and making sure the planners and decision makers in Manchester hear and act upon them.
They are a staff team supported by volunteers and a board drawn from local independent health and care leaders. They have the expertise, commitment and skills to improve local health and care services for you.
You can help them improve local services by:
- sharing your story of health and social care experiences
- giving feedback or reviewing a service you’ve used in Manchester
- taking part in one of their surveys
- getting involved as a member of Healthwatch Manchester
- join their discussions on Twitter and Facebook.
They have a directory of local services, you can search by service type or post code. Each service on the directory has contact and location details and users can leave a review or rating based on their experience there. If you can’t find what you need on the webpage you can contact them directly and they'll do their best to help.
USEFUL CONTACTS AND HELPLINES
The NHS website has lots of useful information and contacts
www.nhs.uk/pages/home.aspx
Brook Advisory Centre
Tel: 0161 237 3001
Self-care hotline (12:00 - 14:00), Monday - Fridayon 0161 233 2196
Campaign Against Living Miserably (young men suffering with depression)
Tel: 0800 58 58 58 Lines are open between 17:00 and midnight, 7 days a week.
Counselling Service (at MMU)
Tel: 0161 247 3493
Drinkline Helpline
Tel: 0300 123 1110 (Monday - Friday 9:00 – 20:00 weekends 11:00 – 16:00 )
B-eat (eating disorders charity)
Helpline: 0845 634 1414
Helpline e-mail service help@b-eat.co.uk
Manchester Dental Hospital
Tel: 0161 393 7730
Manchester Royal Infirmary (STI clinic)
Tel: 0161 276 5200/701 5081
The Meningitis Trust Helpline
Tel: 0808 80 10 388 (9:00 – 20:00 365 days)
National Drugs Helpline
Tel: 0800 77 66 00
NHS 111 Free non-emergency number
National Unplanned Pregnancy Advisory Service Manchester
0333 004 6666
British Pregnancy Advisory Service
Tel: 08457 304030
National Rape Crisis Helpline (Male or Female)
Tel: 0808 802 9999
