Study, work or travel in the UK. British
culture and life.
Personal
/ Health
Look after your health in the UK
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Study, work or travel in the UK. British
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Personal
/ Health
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Look after your health in the UK
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Sections:
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Introduction |
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| Vocabulary | ||
| Free treatment | ||
| Finding a doctor | ||
| Getting medical treatment or advice | ||
| Keeping warm | ||
| Managing your weight | ||
| Further health advice | ||
| Links |
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BMA
A-Z Medical Encyclopedia (British Medical Association) Publisher: Dorling Kindersley Date: June 2004 |
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Click here for other books in the category: health
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The Department of Health is the government section which is responsible
for health issues in the UK
The National Health Service (NHS) is the main organisation which
provides health care in the UK
Obtain a medical card to show that you can receive NHS treatment (it
contains your NHS number)
An EHIC (European Health Insurance Card) is used by people from
the European Economic Area or Switzerland to show they are entitled to free
healthcare
A health authority is an organisation which is responsible for providing
public health services in its local area
A general practitioner (GP) is a local doctor, who you normally
contact first about your health problems
A doctor's surgery is the room in which a GP sees patients; this is often
within a health centre
A clinic is a medical department, usually within a hospital, which concentrates
on a particular group of diseases
A prescription is a piece of paper on which a GP writes down the medicines
which a patient needs
A vaccination is an injection which prevents you catching a disease (it
"immunises" you against it)
Call an ambulance if you are seriously ill and need to go to hospital
immediately: the telephone number to use is 999
A pharmacist is a qualified person who makes and sells medicines in a
pharmacy (a chemist's shop)
An ophthalmic optician is a person who tests eyes for sight problems;
glasses and contact lenses may be sold to correct these
A dentist is a person who treats problems with teeth; if you have tooth
decay, the dentist may need to give you fillings
 European Health Insurance Card |
| England | Doctors: http://www.nhs.uk/England/Doctors Dentists: http://www.nhs.uk/England/Dentists Opticians: http://www.nhs.uk/England/Opticians Pharmacies: http://www.nhs.uk/England/Pharmacies Hospitals: http://www.nhs.uk/England/Hospitals |
| Wales | http://www.wales.nhs.uk/directory.cfm |
| Scotland | http://www.show.scot.nhs.uk/findnearest/healthservices |
| Northern Ireland | http://www.healthandcareni.co.uk |
How do I register with a doctor?
You should register with a doctor in your local area as soon as you have found
a permanent place to live.
The doctor's surgery and your accommodation may need to be in an area covered
by the same health authority.
If you are studying at university, there may be medical centre on the campus
(the welfare officer should be able to advise you).
When you register with a doctor, you should ask for details of when the doctor's
surgery is open, how to make an appointment, and what to do if you need to contact
your GP when the surgery is closed.
You should apply for a medical card, which contains your NHS Number (make a
note of this number, as it will allow you to get free medical treatment from
a National Health Service doctor or dentist). Your medical card is an official
document containing your name and address, so you may also be able to use this
card to prove where you are living.
| England | NHS Direct. Telephone: 0845 4647. Website: http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk |
| Wales | NHS Direct (Wales). Telephone: 0845 4647. Website: http://www.nhsdirect.wales.nhs.uk |
| Scotland | NHS 24. Telephone: 08454 242424. Website: http://www.nhs24.com |
For sexual health problems, you can visit the GUM (genito-urinary medicine) clinic at your local hospital. You do not have to make an appointment, and you do not have to give your real name (the service is confidential, and free). For more information, see: Personal/Relationships.
If you are seriously ill and need to get to a hospital immediately, you can telephone 999 and ask for an ambulance.
It is important to keep warm while you are in the UK. Here is some advice:
- In wintertime (especially in December, January and February), pay attention
to weather forecasts on television or radio or websites such as: http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/ukweather.
The day's maximum and minimum temperature will help you to know what to wear.
If it is going to be particularly cold, you may want to avoid going out if it
means you may have to spend a long time outside. Remember that if there is a
strong wind it may feel much colder than the minimum temperature stated (this
is know as "windchill"). Make sure that you know how to get home if
you are out late at night, and consider going to bed early (the coldest time
is in the early hours of the morning).
- If the heating in your room can be adjusted, make sure that you know how to
change it. Tell the owner of your property (your landlord) if you are too cold
- it may be that the central heating can be kept on for longer during cold periods.
Ask if you can use a small portable electric fan heater in your room. Some landlords
will not allow this because of the cost of the electricity - if so, estimate
the cost and offer to pay for this. Always be very careful about safety with
portable heaters - keep them clear of other objects and do not leave them on
while you are sleeping.
- Wear layers of clothes. You can take off some of these layers when you go
somewhere that is well-heated. The air which is trapped between your layers
of clothing will help to keep you warm. Much of your body heat is lost through
your head and feet, so wear thick socks and a hat and scarf when it is very
cold.
- Buy a hot water bottle and a cover. You can hold the bottle while you are
sitting down in your room, and can use it in your bed at night. If you get a
good quality cover (such as the sheepskin cover shown below) you will not feel
too hot and the bottle will stay warm for longer.
- A "throw" sized woollen blanket is useful for keeping warm. Buying
a sleeping bag can be useful - you can sleep inside this in your bed, or even
sit inside it while you are studying, and you can use it at other times of the
year if a friend stays overnight.
- Eating a warm meal, drinking hot drinks, or taking a bath will make your body
feel warmer.
- If you are driving a car in cold weather conditions, take your mobile phone
(make sure it is fully charged) and something to keep you warm. It is possible
your car may break down, or that snow, ice or traffic congestion make it difficult
to continue driving on the roads.
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Buy products to keep you warm
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Some people who come from another country and start living in the UK find that
they put on some weight. These are some reasons:
- Living abroad can be stressful, and you may eat sweet things or drink alcohol
to comfort yourself.
- You may not do as much exercise as when you were in your own country.
- There are many popular foods in Britain which contain a lot of energy ("high
in calories"); for example milk products (milk, cheese, cream) and snacks
(biscuits, sweets, cakes). You may also eat more processed meals - if you live
with a host family you may be given these, or if you are cooking for yourself
you may buy them because you want to cook your meals as quickly as possible.
If you want to avoid putting on weight, these are some things you can do:
- Buy some bathroom scales (see below), so that you can notice if your weight
is changing and change your diet if necessary. These are not very expensive,
and can be useful for weighing your bags before you travel back to your country
(see: Life/Post).
- Take regular exercise. You can do exercise by yourself (or example: swimming,
running, walking) or join a club. For details, see: Life/Sport/Guide.
As well as helping you to lose weight, this may help you to feel more relaxed,
and may be a good way to meet people and have fun.
- Try to eat a well-balanced diet. Make sure you eat enough fruit and vegetables
or salad; try to eat fresh foods, buying from local markets if you can. Don't
keep too many snacks in your room. If your host family is giving you meals which
are too large, ask them for smaller portions. You should request more fruit
or vegetables if they are not giving you enough of these.
| How many calories do you take on with your takeaway?
By Kerry Torrens (Kerry Torrens is a trained nutritional therapist; the above article is from http://www.beyondbakedbeans.com, used with permission) Whether it's traditional fish and chips, a Chinese, home-delivered pizzas or the national dish of chicken tikka masala we all fancy a takeaway every now and then but what should we choose to avoid piling on the pounds? As a general guide follow the tips below: * When ordering pizza choose a small or medium rather than a large pizza and opt for a thin crust rather than a thick one. Toppings such as chicken, seafood and vegetables are much healthier than high fat toppings like salami or lashings of cheese; by adding extra veggies you’ll be notching up one of your recommended five a day! If you prefer pasta steer clear of the cream and cheese sauces. Choose those which are tomato or vegetable based and ask for a side salad instead of the garlic bread. * In a Chinese restaurant select stir fry vegetables with chicken or seafood and steamed rice; avoid the fried foods including prawn crackers, spring rolls and fried rice. * When having a curry favour the drier dishes such as tandoori chicken or a tomato based curry sauce such as rogan josh in preference to a cream based korma. Select side dishes like dahl, saag or raita, opt for plain boiled rice instead of pilau and steer clear of the naan * In a Thai restaurant order light tom yum soup instead of spring rolls or other fried starters; grilled beef or chicken salads and stir fry vegetables are better options than creamy green or red curries or rich satay dishes. * Kebabs are reasonably healthy because they’re grilled and tend to be served with plenty of salad but avoid high fat extras such as cheese. Any additional sauces or marinades may also be high in salt or sugars. If you do indulge in the odd burger or fish and chip supper then cut down on your fat intake from other foods during the day and try to eat some vegetables and salad alongside your meal. And whatever the takeaway obviously exercise a bit of common sense about the size of meal you order unless you want to turn into a ‘super-sized me’. |
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Do you have any general health advice?
To have the best chance of remaining healthy while you are in the UK:
- Avoid taking any illegal drugs
- Do not share needles or syringes with another person
- Do not have too many different sexual partners
- Use a condom if you have sex with someone
- Ask about getting immunised against meningitis and hepatitis B
- Go to a dentist for a check-up at least once a year
- Use dental floss; change your toothbrush regularly; avoid brushing your teeth
too hard
- Avoid having too many sweets or fizzy drinks between meals
- Take regular exercise (for example, walking or swimming)
- Give yourself enough sleep (use earplugs if noise keeps you awake)
- Keep yourself warm and dry (carry an umbrella or raincoat with you if it may
rain)
- Wash your body every day to keep clean
- Use sunscreen to protect your skin from the sun on a hot day
- Eat well, including plenty of fruit and vegetables
- Don't wait to be ill before you register with a GP or dentist
- Make an appointment to see your doctor if you are worried about something
about your health
Where can I find further information about health issues?
- World Health Organisation
For international health recommendations, see the World Health Organisation
(WHO) website: http://www.who.int/en.
Information from WHO is available in English, French or Spanish.
- UK government health information
The Department of Health provides advice about travelling to countries outside
the UK: http://www.dh.gov.uk/PolicyAndGuidance/HealthAdviceForTravellers/fs/en.
For UK health information, see NHS Direct: http://www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk,
or the National Health Service (NHS): http://www.nhs.uk
- Health guidance for international students
UKCISA's guidance notes on "Keeping healthy" and "Welfare benefits
and international students": http://www.ukcisa.org.uk/student/information_sheets.php
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