Healthcare is provided by your doctor, the NHS urgent care centre at York District Hospital and various chemists, dentists and opticians in York.

Use the right service

Get non-emergency health advice from the NHS by visiting 111.nhs.uk or phoning 111.

For more information on NHS services, visit usetherightservice.com.

Healthcare in York

All students are advised to register with a doctor as soon as possible after arriving in York. The health centre closest to campus is Unity Health, who have information for University of York students explaining how to register, opening times and what services are available.

Alternatively, you may prefer to search the NHS website for GP surgeries in the area.

Appointments - online access

Once you are registered with a doctor, you should be able to use Patient Access to make and cancel appointments, request repeat prescriptions and view your medical records all online.

This often works much better than trying to make an appointment by telephone.

The York NHS urgent care centre is open 24 hours a day at York District Hospital Emergency Department on Wiggington Road.

Find York Hospital on Google Maps

The centre is for the treatment of serious injuries or illness that require urgent attention or advice. The reception staff in the Emergency Department will direct people either to the urgent care centre or the accident and emergency team.   

The urgent care centre does not require registration.

YorSexual Health run a free and confidential sexual health service on campus on Wednesdays during semester time between 12.30pm and 3.00pm at the Centre of Immunology and Infection on Campus West. For more information and directions, see the YorSexual Health website. This is an appointment-only service. Phone 01904 721111 to make an appointment.

You do not need to be registered with a doctor in York to access YorSexual Health services.

Services include:

  • Testing and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases
  • Contraception
  • HIV testing, treatment and support
  • Sexual health counselling
  • ‘PEPSE’ (post-exposure prophylaxis sexual exposure HIV treatment)
  • Information and support
  • Care and management following sexual assault
  • Free condoms
  • Free and confidential postal tests for sexually transmitted diseases such as chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis and HIV.

Use the online Test and Go service for patients with no symptoms to order a routine sexual health screen for chlamydia, gonorrhoea, syphilis and HIV online and for the test to be posted to your home address.

YorSexual Health are unable to supply repeat contraception for patients aged 20 years and over. If you require repeat contraception, access these from your GP.

Your doctor provides contraception as well as confidential contraceptive advice.

YUSU provides a range of free sexual health supplies. These are located at the YUSU Helpdesk in the Student Centre, James College, and the Wellbeing Hub in Goodricke College.

Dentists

Don't make an appointment with the doctor for dental problems - you must see a dentist.

You can find local dentists using NHS choices or by calling NHS England on +44 (0)300 311 22 33. Patients need to be registered with a doctor in order to qualify for NHS dental treatment. Note that dental appointments are not free - see costs information below.

Opticians

Find local opticians using NHS Choices.

Pharmacies

The closest pharmacists to campus are Lloyds Pharmacy on Fulford Road, Whitworth Chemists on Melrosegate and Badger Hill Pharmacy on Yarburgh Way.

See our map of York pharmacists.

If you're ill

If you're unwell during semester time you should self-certify your illness in e:Vision.

You can self-certify for a maximum of ten days in any one academic year, with a maximum of seven days for any one period of illness.

Self-certification of illness

Preventing the spread of diseases

We must all be vigilant to prevent the spread of infectious diseases such as COVID-19, flu, meningitis, measles, mumps and tuberculosis. 

Infectious illnesses

Health costs

See NHS Choices for current prescription charges and dental costs.

To see if you can get help with treatment costs, you can contact the Student Support & Advice Team.

International students

The NHS (National Health Service) system in the UK can be very different to arrangements within your home country. Read about how the UK medical system works (UKCISA.org.uk). Our support pages for international students have more information.

Healthcare for international students