Healthcare

The National Health Service (NHS) is a health care service funded by the government which means that anyone living in the UK, including legal immigrants, can use without a cost.

There is an immigration healthcare surcharge for people coming to the UK on a temporary basis for more than six months. You may be required to pay the surcharge at the time of your visa application. Please see immigration health surcharge for further information including surcharge costs and exemptions.

The UK also offers private healthcare via their own treatment centres and hospitals. Private healthcare is paid directly by you or through private medical insurance. Treatments with private healthcare are often quicker and can take place within a few weeks.
Find out more here private healthcare in the UK

General practitioners (GPs) are usually the first point of contact when you have a medical or health care issue. This is normally a surgery or practice local to your home. You need to register with a GP service once you arrive in the UK. The surgery that you register with will guide you on how to make an appointment.
Find out how to register with a GP

There are a couple of options if there is an urgent health care concern or emergency. These services can be accessed 24 hours a day, seven days per week.

• Dial 999, free from any telephone, and ask for the ambulance service for illnesses, injuries and emergencies that require immediate attention.
• Dial 111 or visit 111 online if there is an urgent but non-life-threatening medical concern and you are not sure what to do or need further advice.
• Accident and emergency (A&E) departments are another option for urgent health concerns. You can just turn up to a hospital A&E department without making an appointment where you will be seen by a doctor or nurse. You may be required to wait a couple of hours depending on how busy the service is and the seriousness of your injury or illness. Information on Tees Valley A&E departments can be found below:
  The James Cook University Hospital
  University Hospital of North Tees
  University Hospital of Hartlepool
  Darlington Memorial Hospital
  Friarage Hospital

Prescription charges apply to most people in the UK who require medication following an assessment by a GP or nurse. The prescription is given to you by your GP, or a hospital and you collect it from a pharmacy. Some people are exempt from paying prescription charges.
Find out more about NHS prescription charges and pharmacies

Dentists provide routine and specialist care for teeth, gums, and oral health. It is advised that you see a dentist every 6 - 12 months for a check-up. You can access a dentist through the NHS or privately. If you are registered with the NHS, there will still be costs involved, but they are significantly lower than private dental care. See the links below for dentist locations, costs involved and exemptions:

• NHS dentist
• Private and NHS dental charges

There are several opticians in the area who can assist with any eye care assessments and problems. Employees at the University who are display screen equipment (DSE) users may be entitled to a subsidised eye test.

The health and wellbeing of staff at Teesside University is priority. The in-house occupational health adviser can advise and support on a wide range of work-related health problems to help you stay in work or assist with coming back to work safely following sickness absence.

There are a range of services and resources, including free counselling through our Employee Assistance Programme with Care First.

Teesside University aims to ensure that all staff with a disability have access to the support they require. If you have a disability, a specific learning difficulty or a mental health difficulty, please contact our equality, diversity and inclusion adviser on equalityanddiversity@tees.ac.uk. Your enquiry will be treated in confidence, and you will find out what help and support is available to you.