Welcome to Our GP Services for Students

[00:00] Introduction

Hello. I'm Jayne Haynes, one of the GPs at Beaumont Elm GP Practice in Oxford. This short video is for students who will be starting at the University of Oxford in autumn 2026 at one of the colleges linked to our practice. The purpose of this video is to introduce you to how our practice works and to explain three important things you should do before arriving in Oxford to help manage your healthcare.

Our practice is an NHS GP practice—what some of you may know as family medicine. We can help with almost all of your healthcare needs, and our services are free at the point of use. We have a large multidisciplinary team, including over 20 doctors, nurses, healthcare assistants, pharmacists, a physician associate, a paramedic, and a first contact musculoskeletal practitioner. Although we work closely with college nurses and the University Health and Welfare Service, the care we provide is confidential. We will not share your medical information with them without your permission. Our practice is open Monday to Friday from 8:00 am to 6:30 pm, with some Saturday morning appointments. Outside these hours, you can contact NHS 111 for urgent medical advice. If you have a life-threatening emergency at any time, call 999 immediately.

[01:30] Practice locations and registering with us

We have two practice sites in Oxford. The one most convenient for most students is at 19 Beaumont Street in the city centre, close to many colleges and located near the Randolph Hotel and the Ashmolean Museum. Our second site is on Elm Road in Botley, to the west of the city. You're welcome to attend either location, although many consultations can now be carried out by telephone, meaning you may not need to visit us in person.

The first thing we encourage you to do is register with the practice as soon as possible. You can do this through the Campus Doctor website by selecting your college and completing the online registration form. We communicate frequently by email and SMS, so please provide an email address that you check regularly. Unfortunately, NHS text messaging systems only work with UK mobile numbers, so if possible, please provide a UK phone number. If you're arriving from overseas and obtain a UK number later, you can simply update your details once you arrive. If you're expecting an email from us, please remember to check your junk or spam folder.

When registering, you must use an address within our practice catchment area. Your main college address will always qualify. Mature students bringing family members can also register with us, provided they live within our catchment area. Family members should register through our standard online registration process rather than the Campus Doctor system.

[03:30] Accessing medical advice and appointments

There are many ways to access healthcare advice. The NHS website provides excellent self-care information, and NHS 111 offers free telephone advice 24 hours a day. Some colleges have college nurses who can help with a range of health issues, and community pharmacists are highly skilled at managing many minor illnesses. They can now prescribe antibiotics for certain conditions, including uncomplicated urinary tract infections in women, shingles, and some cases of tonsillitis.

If you feel you need help from the Beaumont Elm team, the best way to contact us is by completing the online consultation form on the appointments section of our website. Please include as much information as possible, as this helps us direct you to the most appropriate member of our team. If you're unable to complete the form yourself, our reception staff can do this on your behalf over the phone.

Appointments with all members of our clinical team are usually ten minutes long, so it's helpful to focus on the main issue you'd like to discuss. There is no charge for appointments. GPs in the UK often provide care that, in other countries, might require referral to a specialist, so it's usually best to see us first.

When booking, you'll be asked whether you have a preferred clinician. You're welcome to see any of our doctors, although if you're returning with an ongoing issue, we encourage you to see the same clinician where possible, as continuity of care has many benefits. Every online form is reviewed on the day it is submitted, often very quickly, by our experienced duty doctor team. We always keep appointments available for urgent problems. In some cases, you may be directed to another service, such as a Minor Injuries Unit or an Urgent Care Centre, if that is more appropriate. Routine problems may involve a short wait, so please don't leave non-urgent issues until just before travelling to Oxford.

[06:30] Repeat prescriptions and medications

If you take regular prescription medication, it's important to think about this before you move. If you're already registered with an NHS GP practice in England, your records and repeat prescriptions will usually transfer automatically. However, if you're moving from Scotland, Wales, Northern Ireland, or from overseas, your records won't transfer electronically, so you'll need to contact us to arrange your repeat prescriptions.

Once your repeat medication is set up, you'll be able to request prescriptions through the NHS App or our website. Prescriptions are sent electronically to any pharmacy in England, so even if you're away from Oxford during the holidays, we can send your prescription to a pharmacy near your home. Simply tell us which pharmacy you'd like to use—the postcode is the most useful piece of information.

If you're coming from overseas, please be aware that not every medication available abroad is available through the NHS. If you're unsure, you're welcome to ask us before you arrive using our online form. If your medication isn't available here, you'll either need to bring an adequate supply with you or discuss changing to an equivalent medication that can be prescribed in the UK.

Some medicines, particularly ADHD medications and treatments for gender dysphoria, are prescribed under shared care arrangements. We can only continue these prescriptions if they meet specific NHS criteria. Generally, treatment must either have been initiated by an NHS specialist or be supported by a recommendation from an appropriately qualified medical specialist if it was started privately or overseas.

While there is no charge for us to issue prescriptions, you will usually pay the standard NHS prescription charge when collecting medication from the pharmacy, currently just under £10 per item. Some people qualify for free prescriptions, and others may benefit from purchasing a Prescription Prepayment Certificate if they require multiple medications. Our in-house pharmacists manage many medication-related queries, so please mention if your enquiry concerns medication so it can be directed to them promptly.

[09:50] Vaccinations

The final major topic is immunisations. Everyone under the age of 25 should have received the meningococcal ACWY vaccine. If you grew up in the UK and followed the standard NHS vaccination schedule, you've probably already received it. Similarly, you should have received two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccine.

Before arriving in Oxford, we recommend checking your vaccination record using the NHS App or by contacting your current GP. If you're missing any doses, it's best to receive them before moving. If that isn't possible, or if you're coming from overseas where these vaccines aren't routinely available, we can arrange them after you arrive, provided you meet the eligibility criteria.

There has recently been a new government announcement about meningococcal B vaccination for first-year university students under 25. This is a two-dose course given one month apart. At present, we've been told that this programme will be delivered through participating pharmacies rather than GP practices, so we won't be able to provide these vaccinations ourselves. Ideally, you should complete the course before arriving in Oxford so that your immunity has time to develop. If that's not possible, many pharmacies in Oxford will be able to provide it. The programme is currently scheduled to accept first doses until the end of December.

Seasonal influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations continue to be available for eligible students in clinical risk groups. If you qualify, the NHS will contact you, and you can receive these vaccines either through our practice or at participating pharmacies.

[13:00] Other NHS services

There are several other NHS services that may be useful during your time in Oxford. Community pharmacies are excellent sources of advice for minor illnesses and can often treat conditions without the need to see a GP. If you have dental problems, you'll need to see a dentist, as GPs cannot provide dental treatment. NHS dentists are limited, so it's worth checking the NHS website if you wish to register with one.

Opticians not only provide eye tests and glasses but can also assess and treat many minor eye conditions, such as conjunctivitis and styes. Sexual health clinics offer confidential, free testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections, and they do not routinely inform your GP if you attend.

For injuries such as suspected fractures, sprains or cuts requiring stitches, Minor Injuries Units in Abingdon and Witney are often a faster alternative to the hospital emergency department. NHS 111 remains available 24 hours a day for urgent medical advice and becomes the out-of-hours GP service when the practice is closed. Hospital emergency departments, such as the John Radcliffe Hospital, should only be used for genuine emergencies. If you believe you or someone else requires an ambulance, call 999 immediately.

[15:30] Conclusion

To summarise, there are three key things to do before arriving in Oxford: register with our practice, arrange any repeat prescriptions you may need, and make sure your vaccinations are up to date. This year, the new meningococcal B vaccination programme is an additional recommendation for eligible first-year students.

Studying at Oxford is exciting, rewarding and stimulating, but it can also be demanding. It's easy to overlook your health when you're busy, so please remember to look after yourself and support one another. If you have concerns about your physical or mental health, don't hesitate to contact us. We hope you have a happy, healthy and successful time at Oxford—and, in the nicest possible way, we hope you won't need to see us very often. However, if you do, all our contact details and further information are available on our website.

Thank you very much for watching.