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Accessing other health services in the UK

Find out more about health services not fully covered by the NHS, such as dental care and emergency care.


The National Health Service (NHS) offers incredibly comprehensive healthcare cover, the majority of which is free. There are however, two areas which are not fully covered; dental care and eye care.


Dental care

Many dental practices in the UK provide NHS cost treatment but some do not. Search for your nearest dentist and check if they are currently accepting NHS patients. If you have already registered with a GP then the dentist will contact your GP to confirm your NHS entitlement. If accepted, your dentist will ask you for the NHS number on your medical card.

Even if you are entitled to NHS treatment, you will still need to contribute towards the cost of your dental treatment but it is cheaper than having private treatment. If you are not entitled to NHS treatment you will need to pay the full cost of your treatment subject to your private health insurance policy.

Please note that available appointments for NHS cost treatment can be longer in the future than appointments for private cost treatment. 

The Dental Centre London is a dental practice near UCL that accepts UCL students. It is located at 139 Euston Road.


Eye care

If you are having serious issues with your eyes, then you should visit your GP who will be able to offer you advice and refer you to the necessary support.


Opticians

For such routine eye care such as glasses, contact lenses and eye check-ups, you should visit an opticians. There are many high street opticians that provide eye care. You will normally need to pay for an eye test, and if you need glasses or contact lenses, the optician will give you a prescription. The cost of frames and lenses vary greatly. The most popular opticians in the UK is Specsavers but you can also visit the NHS website to find your nearest optician.


Sexual Health Services 

The NHS offers a number of sexual health services including contraception advice and provision, STI testing and treatment and unplanned pregnancy support. Everyone is entitled to access these services and clinics are discreet and non-judgemental. 

Find a sexual health clinic near you

Sexual violence support

As well as UCL support, there are a number of charitites and organisations in the UK to support anyone affected by sexual violence.