College Services
Our College Nurse, Sally Maccallum, has been looking after Â鶹ËÞÉáµçÊÓ¾çstudents since 2009. Sally offers confidential help with a range of health problems, including assessment, advice and support for minor injuries and illnesses. You can send Sally an email or drop in to her regular clinic (details below) or .
- In an emergency
In a life-threatening medical situation, call 999 from any phone and ask for the ambulance services. In an emergency, you can also go to the nearest Department at Addenbrookes hospital on Hills Road in Cambridge.
If you are in College and have to call 999, please ensure the Porters’ Lodge is also informed straight away (01223 335900) so they can assist and ensure that the paramedics can gain the required access to buildings immediately.
If you are in an emergency situation but aren't sure whether or not to call an ambulance, check the . If you are on the College site, call the Porters (01223 335900) and they can advise you. If you are outside of College, call by dialling 111 (available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week).
- College Nurse Clinic
Sally offers a drop-in clinic in her rooms in Morrison House (on the left of the main driveway, before the flagpole) from Monday to Friday, 7.30am-8.30am. No appointment is necessary during this time, and you are able to drop in when needed. Please do not attend if you have symptoms of COVID-19 or minor cold-like symptoms.
A limited number of scheduled appointments are also available in advance, either in her rooms, online or in the garden. Please use the or contact Sally to arrange these: nurse@wolfson.cam.ac.uk (01223 335901).
- Confidentiality & Records
It is often in your best interest to let the College Nurse know about any health issue that you have. Even if you're not aware of any impact on your studies, any long term health condition (including mental health concerns) can put people at a disadvantage academically. Please visit the University webpages for further information on the adjustments that can be made to better facilitate your studies.
The College Nurse exercises her duty of confidentiality to all students and respects your right to privacy. Information shared with the College Nurse is kept strictly confidential; as with all health care environments, sharing information without consent would only occur in exceptional circumstances.
Our student health records are stored and processed in accord with current health and personal data protection regulations. The supplying company is registered with the Data Protection Registrar as is the College. The College is the Data Controller.
- First Aid
If you are injured or witness an injury on College site, call or visit the Porters' Lodge at the College entrance (01223 335900). The Porters can assist with first aid and maintain a first aid box including a defibrillator.
Healthcare services
There are a variety of services available to students seeking treatment for physical health conditions in Cambridge. For further information, please visit the University's student support pages on .
- Addenbrookes Hospital (A&E/ER/Casualty)
is a large teaching hospital and research centre in Cambridge, England, with strong affiliations to the University of Cambridge.
The nearest is at Addenbrookes, and you should go dirctly to A&E for conditions such as a suspected broken bone, road accident, a severe wound that requires stitching, suspected heart attack or any other life-threatening condition.
- Doctor (GP)
All students are strongly encouraged to (GP/Doctor) upon arrival in Cambridge. This is particularly important if you have a medical condition which requires ongoing treatment. Although students are not able to register with both a Cambridge GP and one elsewhere in the UK, you can register in Cambridge in term time and see another GP during vacations by completing a temporary resident form.
The nearest GP practice to Â鶹ËÞÉáµçÊÓ¾çis . You will usually need to book appointments in advance by phone or via their website, but for an urgent issue, you can call first thing in the morning (8am, Monday-Friday) to ask for a same-day "urgent appointment". You can also try their .
The NHS provides when you register with a GP, as well as . Information for international students on access to healthcare and any charges that may arise is available on the University's .
- NHS 111
Where a situation is not urgent but you still need swift medical advice, you can use the , which is also available over the phone by dialling 111. NHS 111 is available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
If you are unsure what NHS service to use, or when to see a doctor, you can also try the .
- Pharmacy
Pharmacists (sometimes known as Chemists) are able to advise on mild health conditions and appropriate treatments. You don’t need to make an appointment to see a pharmacist, you can just turn up and ask at the counter to speak to them.
A pharmacist can also help you decide whether you need to seek more urgent or specialist advice if you are not sure. You can .
- Prescriptions
Whilst access to NHS services is normally free, you will usually have to pay a prescription charge for any medicines or devices prescribed to you. You can find out more about charges, including pre-payment certificates and medical exemptions, on .
- Giving blood and organ donation
Giving blood saves lives, and the NHS needs more young people aged 17-35 to donate, to ensure they have enough blood for the future. Find out more about giving blood on the .
is when you decide to give an organ to save or transform the life of someone else. You can donate some organs while you are still alive, however, most organ and tissue donations come from people who have died. You can update your organ donation decision through the .
Managing your health
The local has a range of online advice for conditions including (asthma, cancer, diabetes, etc), (coughs, colds and pains) as well as advice for your .
Further guidance on can be found on the NHS website, alongside more general guiance on .
Healthcare FAQs
- If I am an international student, do I need medical insurance?
If you are an international student, you are strongly advised by Addenbrooke's Hospital payment office to take out medical insurance for the duration of your stay to cover the following potential health-related costs. See the or for further details.
- Loss of fees if you are unable to complete your course
- Treatment and medical expenses not covered by the National Health Service
- Costs of returning home if a relative is taken ill
- Costs of a relative visiting you in the UK if you fall ill
- Returning to your home country for treatment
- What if I am already taking medication?
If you are receiving medical treatment or taking medication, bring with you a doctor's letter (in English) confirming the treatment and any medication you are taking. If you need ongoing medication in the UK, the GP website will explain how they arrange repeat prescriptions; it can take up to 48 hours, so make arrangements before you run out. Some practices have an arrangement with a local Chemist so that you can pick up the items without taking the prescription from the practice to the Chemist yourself.
GPs reserve the right not to prescribe certain medication and not all medication from outside the UK is available on the NHS. Your GP will sometimes be unable to prescribe the medication you are taking, because it is not used here or because of NHS prescribing restrictions. If you have specialised medication or you are in any doubt, you are advised to bring a supply with you.
- Which vaccinations do I need for Cambridge?
You are strongly advised to follow the Univeristy's advice for incoming students on (Meningitis, MMR, Flu, etc.). The is offered for free by the NHS to new students under 25 years old, including overseas and mature students. You can request this vaccine from your registered GP surgery reception.
- What if I am going to travel?
provides country-by-country travel health information for those travelling abroad from the UK. If you are travelling abroad, you need to know if your are up to date.
Get healthcare cover abroad with a .
Check the or a private travel clinic regarding which vaccinations and extra health precautions you need for the country you are visiting. If you take prescribed medication, find out if it is legal in the country you are visiting and take with you a copy of the prescription and a doctor’s letter.
