National Health Service

DOCTORS

If you are here for six months or more, you may register with an NHS doctor called a GP (General Practitioner). You should choose one close to where you are living. The School has a list of GPs. To register, you should take along your passport and proof of residence. The School can also give you a letter to confirm that you have enrolled with us for at least six months. A GP’s service is free but you must pay for any medicine they prescribe, available at a chemist.

ACCIDENT & EMERGENCY

The nearest A&E Department is at Ealing Hospital in Southall (Buses 207, 607, 427 & 83). Anyone can use their services regardless of residency. However, it is always busy and you may have to wait a few hours to be seen if your condition is not serious. Again, their service is free but you may have to pay for any medication prescribed if you are not a resident. If you are involved in an accident and need an ambulance, this service is also free on compassionate grounds.

DENTISTS

It is now difficult to find a dentist who will take new NHS patients and dental treatment can now be quite expensive. While most dentists will see a patient in an emergency, you normally have to make an appointment for routine treatment. If you are coming from abroad, we recommend a checkup before you come to the UK. The School has a list of dentists and will make an appointment for you if necessary.

OPTICIANS

If you wear glasses or contact lenses or if you think you may need them, we recommend you have your eyes tested before you come to the UK. If you already wear them, we suggest you bring with you a spare pair. Eye tests are available under £20 but both frames and lenses can be quite expensive. Contact lenses are now cheaper. The School also has a list of opticians and although you do not normally need an appointment, the School will make one for you if necessary.

Security of Money & Personal Items

London is one of the safest cities in the world! However, particularly over the summer when there are more tourists, there is also more theft. You can minimise the chance by being extra vigilant and by following a few simple rules:

  1. Women should always carry their bags in front of them. A shoulder bag is best. Be particularly careful with the fashionable bags worn on the back.

  2. Men should never keep their wallets in their back pockets.

  3. Be particularly careful at central London tube stations, on buses, at markets and other places where there are crowds, as this is where pickpockets work.

  4. Never take your money out in a crowded area, eg giving money to beggars.

  5. Never hand your purse or wallet to anyone.

  6. Travellers' cheques are better than cash, particularly if you are here for a few weeks or months and you do not have a bank account.

  7. Never put your bag down or leave it hanging from the back of a chair.

  8. Avoid badly lit areas at night.

  9. If possible keep your passport and other documents in your room. The School will also look after them for you if you wish.

  10. Remember - you don't have to talk to strangers if you don't want to and you don't owe them an explanation.

Opening a Bank Account in the UK

If you are staying in the UK for any length of time, we recommend opening a bank account. It is now difficult for overseas students to open bank accounts here due to government regulations but possible with the right documents and if you do things in the right order!

There are four main banks in the UK - called high street banks - which have branches close to this School. They are:

Barclays Bank HSBC Bank
Lloyds TSB Bank NatWest Bank

There are also some minor banks with fewer branches and something called building societies, some of which now have the status of banks. The main ones near the School are:

Abbey National Halifax
Chelsea Nationwide

How to Open a Bank Account

The easiest way to open a bank account is if you already have one in your own country! If you do, please bring a letter of introduction from them, preferably translated into English, to the UK with you. It should also preferably state how much money you have in this account. You should then present this letter here at the bank of your choice. It is also very useful if you could bring your last few bank statements with you, if the banks in your country have the same system as in the UK.

Other Documents

If you do not have a bank account in your own country it is more difficult to open one here but this can be done at some banks if you are able to present other documents. Branches vary and you may have to try a few before being successful. With or without a bank account in your own country we would advise you to take the following with you to open an account here:

  1. Passport
  2. Police registration document
  3. Gas or electricity bill or something similar, showing your address in the UK
  4. Driving licence
  5. Letter from School showing your period of study
  6. Any other documentation showing your picture and signature
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