Staying healthy : essential services and information
Published on 18 September 12
Have you just moved to Manchester for the first time? Don't put off sorting out your healthcare. Avoid getting stuck on a waiting list when you will need an appointment most, and sign up for your health services in the first week of term.
Sign up for a GP
It is important to register with a local GP.
Even if you will visit your family home regularly, you still need to switch to a GP near your residence in Manchester.
Don’t wait until you fall ill or need a check up – avoid queues and delays and register with a GP today.
A variety of GPs from around popular student areas will be attending the Start of Year Fair on Tuesday 18 September and Wednesday 19 September. Simply drop by the marquee on Oxford Road and sign up on the spot.
Can’t make the Start of Year fair? Find you local GP and sign up online.
Find a local Dentist
NHS dentists can have waiting lists of several months – sign up now to avoid delays when your next appointment is due.
Walk in Sexual Health clinics
Manchester has a great range of walk in clinics so it simple and convenient to take care of your sexual health.
Find the clinic to suit you – a full list of clinics and opening times around Manchester.
The Palatine Clinic in the Hathersage Centre is the nearest clinic to campus, based a five minute walk from Whitworth Park, offering –
- Free condoms
- Free contraception information and provision of treatments
- Free STI screening
- Confidential support and advice
And much more.
The clinic has a mixture of appointments and walk in sessions, with special extended sessions for under 25s.
Services at Faith Pharmacy
For certain services, you can avoid queues at your doctor's surgery by visiting Faith Pharmacy, situated just 200 yards from University Precinct on Booth Street West. Opening hours are Monday to Friday 09.00 - 18.30, Saturday 10.00 - 13.00, and closed on Sunday.
You can access the following services for free without having to see a doctor:
- Prescribing and dispensing of oral contraceptives
- Emergency Hormonal Contraception (morning after pill)
- Chlamydia and gonorrhoea testing and treating
Find more information on the Faith Pharmacy website, or search Facebook under 'faithpharmacy', or call 0161 232 8044
Check your vaccinations
In the last few years, incidences of mumps and measles in young adults have increased across the UK.
To protect our student community, we therefore advise you to get a Meningitis C vaccination and a second MMR (Measles, mumps and rubella) vaccination, if you have not already done so.
If you are unsure whether or not you are already covered, please check with your doctor or you local Child Health Records Department. If you have any difficulty in getting the vaccines, contact the Patient and Liaison Services – tel 0161 219 9451.
Find out more on mumps advice for students.
'Freshers’ Flu' – it's real!
As new students you are coming together from all over the country – and the world – to live in one place and can be exposed to bacteria or viruses your bodies have not met before.
And as students you can be more vulnerable to catching each others diseases, living in shared housing and halls of residence.
Added to that, with the stresses of moving house, perhaps moving away from home for the first time, starting your studies and potentially going to a lot of parties – it is no wonder that your immune system is at an all time low. You will probably hear a lot of coughs and sneezes for the first few weeks of term!
Try to eat well and get some solid sleep to help protect yourself from viruses, make sure you let your new house mates know if you are feeling ill so they can check on you, and don’t put off going to your GP if you are concerned you are suffering from more than a cold.
Meningitis - know the facts
The early symptoms of meningitis can disguise themselves as other things, such as common illnesses like flu, or maybe a hangover, so it’s easy to mistake meningitis for something else.
Moving away from home and your usual support system and routines, it is important that you let your house mates and friends know when you are ill and that you all look out for each other. It doesn’t matter how mature you are, your family probably checked on you when you were ill or rundown a lot more than you realised!
Make sure you know the symptoms of meningitis.
The Meningitis Trust will be around campus in the first few weeks of term handing out wallet sized symptom cards of what to look out for with meningitis.
Or why not take a moment to download the free symptom checker app for iPhones? It could save a life.
Free eye tests
It's important to get your eyes tested regularly, especially as it could affect your ability to view lecture materials or use computers. The University of Manchester teaching clinic offers free eye examintions for students - and you can get a 20% discount on new glasses.
The final year Optometry students perform the eye examination and spectacle dispensing under supervision by fully qualified staff. The clinic is located just off Dover St in the Carys Bannister Building. To book an appointment call 0161 306 3860.
In summary, don't let your health come second to your studies, or let illness ruin a great first year - it doesn't take long to get a GP and a dentist, and don’t forget to keep an eye on your new friends and housemates.
Look after yourself!