Student Health

Our doctors and nurses are very experienced in student healthcare

Medical Advice for Students

Below you will find a summary of the services available to help you make full use of NHS healthcare whilst you are studying in Oxford.

College Nurses
Many of the colleges offer a College Nurse service, and your college will provide details of how to book an appointment with your college nurses. 

To ensure a safe and joined-up service, the practice and College Nurse both view and record your information in the same electronic record, using a secure clinical system. 

The College Nurses will not share any of your medical information with other College or University staff without your permission other than in exceptional circumstances  (e.g. if you are unable to consent or deemed to be at risk of serious harm).

Mental Health & Wellbeing
Mental health issues are common in the student population as a result of a combination of factors which include adjustment to a new living environment, relationship issues and work-related stress.

All the GPs at the practice are very open to offering confidential support to any student who is suffering from anxiety or low mood or any other form of mental health issue. 

We have close links with the University Counselling Service, the local mental health team, the Oxford Eating disorder clinic (Cotswold House). More details of the University Counselling Service can be found on the University website

We also, with your permission, can liaise with the college welfare teams if your mental health issues are likely to impact on your ability to study. We are able to write medical certificates for students whose health problems may have impaired their examination performance or other aspects of their course which can be submitted to the University. 

Contraception and Sexual Health
The college nurses and the practice can offer contraceptive advice to students. All forms of contraceptive prescriptions are free to all NHS patients.

The Oxfordshire Sexual Health Service also offers contraceptive advice (including free condoms) and confidential sexual health advice at a wide range of times. They are also able to offer long-acting reversible contraception such as the coil or the implant. They also offer sexual health screening including HIV testing

Emergency Department
The Emergency Department at the John Radcliffe Hospital will deal with emergency medical problems and is open 24 hours a day. In the case of serious emergency you should call 999. If you have an urgent issue but not an emergency when the practice is closed you can call the NHS 111 service.