Student Health

 

Our doctors and nurses are very experienced in student healthcare

Introduction

Northgate Health Centre provides College Doctor services for a number of the University’s Colleges. Our GPs and Nurses are very experienced in student healthcare. We work closely with the welfare teams in the Colleges to provide students with the best possible healthcare during their time in Oxford. 

The practice GPs are also the medical team appointed by the Oxford University Boat Club for the healthcare of their rowers. 

University Medical Certificates

If you are an Oxford University student and have been advised by your college or department to obtain a formal university medical certificate, please carefully read the information below on exam adjustments, also read the Oxford University Guidance. If having read this, you feel a certificate is required from us, please complete the form via this link, selecting admin routine request. Please include the following information. 

  • Degree & Subject 
  • Medical diagnosis for which you are requesting the medical certificate and duration of the illness 
  • Explanation of the impact of the condition and/or its treatment.
  • Detail what you are needing ie:
  • Extension – if so what piece of work, original due date and proposed new date
  • Mitigating circumstances – what examination this applies to
  • Reasonable adjustment – what they are seeking and why
  • Suspension of studies letter
  • Return to studies letter
  • What is the deadline of the certificate you require?

Certificates should be requested as far in advance as possible, and should not normally be requested as urgent.  

You can self-certify for extensions for assignments for up to 7 days for submissions, so don’t need a certificate for this.

We adhere closely to the university guidance when providing medical certificates.

Please also note the following;

  • If the recommendation to obtain a certificate has come from a relatively junior member of staff please check with your academic office or senior tutor first.
  • If you have seen your college nurse about the matter (if you have one) they may be able to provide certification instead of a GP.
  • If you have had support from the University Counselling Service or the University Disability advice service please contact them about this before you contact us as they can often provide the necessary certificates. This is particularly relevant if you are requesting exam adjustments and have a Student Support Plan (SSP) with recommended adjustments – there is usually no need for a medical certificate that is simply repeating what is recommended in the SSP.
  • We may need to see or contact you to discuss your certificate, especially if you have not recently seen us for any medical condition involved.
  • For conditions that have resolved and/ or for which we do not have any medical evidence for, we are unlikely to be able to provide certificates.
  • Certificates will be sent directly to your college.

Please be aware that these certificates are not  covered by the NHS. The colleges we are college doctors for have made arrangements for us to provide these to their students, but if you are at one of the other colleges there will be a charge.

Medical Advice for Students

Below you will find a summary of the services available to help you make full use of NHS healthcare whilst you are studying in Oxford.

College Nurses
Many of the colleges offer a College Nurse service, and your college will provide details of how to book an appointment with your college nurses. 

To ensure a safe and joined-up service, the practice and College Nurse both view and record your information in the same electronic record, using a secure clinical system. 

The College Nurses will not share any of your medical information with other College or University staff without your permission other than in exceptional circumstances  (e.g. if you are unable to consent or deemed to be at risk of serious harm).

Mental Health & Wellbeing
Mental health issues are common in the student population as a result of a combination of factors which include adjustment to a new living environment, relationship issues and work-related stress.

All the GPs at the practice are very open to offering confidential support to any student who is suffering from anxiety or low mood or any other form of mental health issue. 

We have close links with the University Counselling Service, the local mental health team, the Oxford Eating disorder clinic (Cotswold House). More details of the University Counselling Service can be found on the University website

We also, with your permission, can liaise with the college welfare teams if your mental health issues are likely to impact on your ability to study. We are able to write medical certificates for students whose health problems may have impaired their examination performance or other aspects of their course which can be submitted to the University. 

Contraception and Sexual Health
The college nurses and the practice can offer contraceptive advice to students. All forms of contraceptive prescriptions are free to all NHS patients.

The Oxfordshire Sexual Health Service also offers contraceptive advice (including free condoms) and confidential sexual health advice at a wide range of times. They are also able to offer long-acting reversible contraception such as the coil or the implant. They also offer sexual health screening including HIV testing

Emergency Department
The Emergency Department at the John Radcliffe Hospital will deal with emergency medical problems and is open 24 hours a day. In the case of serious emergency you should call 999. If you have an urgent issue but not an emergency when the practice is closed you can call the NHS 111 service. 

Providing NHS Services

Northgate Health Centre
15 Market Street
Oxford
OX1 3EF

Telephone: 01865 311 811

The Practice

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