From the College Nurses
As College Nurses (Rachel Lloyd and Maria Gloag), we welcome you to Girton College, and we look forward to meeting you during the course of your studies. We would like to share some important information relating to health issues that we’d appreciate you taking the time to read prior to your arrival. Particularly, we ask you to read the New Student Welcome Letter. We have also created a helpful Health Checklist to assist with understanding the UK Health system and what you need to do at the start of your studies.
We’re experienced Registered General Nurses who have undertaken additional nursing qualifications, enabling us to support students with a wide range of health and welfare needs.
We offer assessment, support and advice for minor illnesses and injuries, mental health issues, sexual health & contraception, health advice, or more general support for all manner of worries and personal or emotional issues. If more specialised help or treatment is required, we will refer or point you in the right direction whether via your GP, the University Counselling Service or other local services.
Please see links below to further information you'll find useful before and just after you've arrived.
Registering with a Doctor
All Postgraduates are asked to register with a local GP (General Practitioner in Medicine) within two weeks of arriving in Cambridge. Our students usually register with the Huntingdon Road Surgery which you may do online.
Even if you are from overseas, as a student here you are eligible for free treatment from the National Health Service (NHS) - you will have paid a supplement before arrival included with your visa. You will have to pay a fixed fee for prescriptions.
Registering with a Dentist
If you wish to register as an NHS dental patient locally, you can find out which practices in the city are accepting NHS patients using the NHS search facility.
Personal well-being
You may choose to talk with your Postgraduate Tutor, one of the Nurses or your own doctor about personal problems. If you feel that you’d like to speak to a counsellor, the University has its own University Counselling Service.
The College Library has a special collection of books on subjects related to well-being, together with a list of local and national advice agencies.
Accessibility and Disability Resource Centre (ADRC)
The University has a dedicated Accessibility and Disability Resource Centre (ADRC) and the College has a Disability Liaison Officer, Ms Maureen Hackett. The College’s Accessibility information can be found here.
If you have any kind of disability or ongoing health issue it is important to register with the ADRC as soon as you can. Please also let your Postgraduate Tutor and the Postgraduate Administrator know so we can arrange any support that will assist you over your time at College and within the University, particularly if you require assistance leaving buildings in case of emergency (this would entail the creation of an evacuation plan). The further in advance of your arrival you let us know, the better prepared we can be to help you so please do declare any disability if you have not already done so.