Health and Wellbeing Services
Your health and wellbeing are important to us. We're here to make sure every student gets the right support when they need it.
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The USW Health Team offers free, confidential support on a range of health matters like minor injuries, long-term conditions, contraception, and sexual health. It's a nurse-led service working alongside your GP, pharmacist, dentist, and the NHS.
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Our Mental Health and Counselling Services offer a safe, confidential space to talk through whatever’s on your mind. It’s a supportive, non-judgemental place to explore your situation and find ways to manage your wellbeing.
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The Disability Advice Team offers guidance and co-ordinates support for students with disabilities, including physical, sensory, mental health, unseen conditions, specific learning difficulties (like dyslexia), and autism.
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International Students
If you are from outside the UK, you will need to be up to date with all immunisations as recommended by the UK Government's Department of Health.
International students can access the USW Health Team and most of the other healthcare options in the same way as UK students, but there are some special considerations.
Vaccinations
Being up to date with your vaccinations is important for everyone, but especially for students starting university who will be meeting, mixing, and living with lots of new people. Universities can be hotspots for measles, mumps, and meningococcal disease as they present the perfect opportunity for infections to spread. You should contact your GP surgery before you leave for university if you’re unsure whether you’ve received any of these vaccinations.
Meningitis ACWY
The Meningitis ACWY vaccination protects against meningitis and septicaemia caused by four meningococcal strains - MenW, A, C and Y. The vaccination is free for all first-year students under the age of 25.
We advise all first-year students under the age of 25 to contact their home GP to get the Meningitis ACWY vaccination at least two weeks before starting University.
Any student who hasn't had the vaccination before arriving, should contact the USW Health Team as soon as possible.
Measles, Mumps and Rubella
MMR is a safe and effective combined vaccine that protects against three separate illnesses – measles, mumps and rubella (German measles) – in a single injection. The full course of the MMR vaccination requires two doses. This NHS leaflet tells you more about the MMR vaccine.
Mumps outbreaks are common, especially among teenagers and young people. It's especially important for students starting University to be up to date with the MMR vaccine, as they are at higher risk of mumps.
How to get your vaccinations