Your Health
 

Free prescriptions, UK ONLY
To get free prescriptions (e.g. medicines) and other health service benefits you need to be on a low income.

You will need to complete HC1 forms to claim free prescriptions, help with dental treatment and the cost of eye tests. These forms are available from the Post Office, and from the AWARE Centre for free.

You may get some costs paid so it is worth filling it in and sending it off.

Doctors
REGISTER WITH A LOCAL GP Don’t wait until you are ill.

Names and addresses are held at the main post offices, or see www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk to find a GP in the UK.

You don’t need a doctor’s certificate for the first seven days of illness, but after that you will need a certificate. Follow company huidelines on illness and their procedures for reporting absence due to illness.

Dental Treatment
Register with a dental centre. Don’t wait until you have a problem with your teeth. Make sure that the dentist agrees to give you NHS treatment. If you don’t do this, you may be treated as a private patient and asked to pay the full cost. Send away an HC1 form as you might be able to get help with the costs.

Sick Pay
do not qualify for SSP, you may be entitled to claim incapacity benefit. However, this benefit depends on your work history, and so you may not be entitled to it if you have not worked before.and advice from the DSS, but this needs to be done quickly in order to claim your maximum entitlement.
Placements Abroad
Before you leave Britain, you ought to find out what the country’s procedure is for medical and dental treatment. It will depend on whether you are there as a student or working. If you are not paying compulsory national insurance contributions in the country you are able to use a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC). An EHIC is the document that confirms entitlement to health care across all member states, further information is available from the website www.dh.gov.uk/travellers

Almost all employees should receive Statutory Sick Pay (SSP) if they are absent from work due to illness for 4 consecutive days. If for some reason you

If you have not worked before you may be able to claim Income Support.

Contact AWAREfor information