Most students at the University of Birmingham are registered with a GP back home — usually in their parents' postcode. That is fine when you are home for the holidays, but in term time it makes accessing NHS care needlessly hard. The good news is that you have more options than you think.
Step one: register with a local GP
The single best thing you can do at the start of term is register with a GP near campus. The University Medical Practice (a stone's throw from the Vale halls) and several local surgeries on Bristol Road, Raddlebarn Road and around the high street accept new patients every September. Registration takes 10 minutes and is free.
If you are still registered with your hometown GP, you can either transfer or use a "temporary resident" registration locally for short-term appointments. The NHS does not require you to be a permanent resident to get NHS care.
Step two: know what your pharmacy can do
This is the bit most students miss. Since 2024, community pharmacists in England can assess and treat seven common conditions on the spot under NHS Pharmacy First — without a GP appointment.
For students, this is genuinely useful for:
- UTIs. Walk in to your local pharmacy, get assessed in 15 minutes, leave with antibiotics if appropriate. Free under the NHS for women aged 16-64.
- Sore throats and ear infections. Especially during freshers' flu season.
- Shingles. Less common at student age but it does happen, especially under stress.
- Insect bites that have got infected. Common after camping, festivals, or summer in the parks.
None of this needs a GP appointment, none of it needs you to wait three days, and none of it costs anything beyond the standard NHS prescription charge if treatment is supplied.
Contraception and emergency contraception
You can now start the contraceptive pill at the pharmacy without seeing a GP, under the NHS Contraception Service. The pharmacist takes you through a 20-minute consultation in our private room, supplies your pill, and arranges follow-up. Repeat supply is also done at the pharmacy.
Emergency contraception (the morning-after pill) is available the same day you walk in, free for most women under 25, and confidential. There is no judgement, no questions about why you need it — it is a routine service.
Mental health: who to call
If you are struggling with your mental health, the most important thing to know is that you are not on your own and there are pathways for fast support:
- The University of Birmingham Wellbeing Service offers same-week and same-day appointments for students. Self-referral via the student portal.
- NHS 111 can route you to the local mental health crisis team if you are in distress out of hours.
- Samaritans (116 123) for any time of day or night, completely free.
- If you or someone you know is in immediate danger, call 999 or go to A&E at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital.
Your pharmacist is also a good first port of call for medication-related questions about antidepressants, side effects, and what is normal. We will not judge, we will not gossip, and we will help you find the right next step.
The boring practical stuff that saves money
- NHS prescription prepayment certificate (PPC). If you are paying for prescriptions and need more than one item every couple of months, an annual PPC is much cheaper than paying per item.
- Free prescriptions if you are pregnant, under 16, or on certain benefits. Always check.
- NHS dental treatment is much cheaper if you register with an NHS dentist before you have a problem.
- Sexual health is free in Birmingham — Umbrella Health (the local NHS sexual health service) offers free testing, treatment, contraception and STI screening.
Where to go in a hurry
If something is urgent but not life-threatening, your options are:
- Your pharmacy for the seven Pharmacy First conditions, plus general advice.
- NHS 111 (call or online) for clinical triage. They can book you into out-of-hours GPs, urgent care centres, or A&E if needed.
- The Queen Elizabeth Hospital A&E (Mindelsohn Way, B15 2GW) for genuine emergencies.
For everything else — questions, repeat prescriptions, medication advice, blood pressure checks — your local pharmacy is faster, cheaper, and often more useful than a GP appointment you cannot get.
If you are a University of Birmingham student in Selly Oak, walk in to Selly Pharmacy on Bristol Road any time during opening hours. No appointment, no register, no fuss.
Call 0121 472 0155.