Starting university is an exciting milestone – whether you’re moving into halls for the first time or returning for another year. Between new friends, lectures and societies, it’s easy to forget the practical things that will help you stay well during term time.

The NHS is encouraging all students, whether moving to Norfolk and Waveney or leaving the area, to get health-ready for the year ahead by registering with a GP near their term-time address and downloading the NHS App.

Norfolk and Waveney is home to a large student community, with higher education provided by the University of East Anglia (UEA) and Norwich University of the Arts (NUA) in Norwich, as well as University of Suffolk courses delivered at East Coast College in Great Yarmouth. Every year, tens of thousands of young people move to the area to study – many living away from home for the first time – while others move away for university elsewhere.

Registering with a GP close to your new home ensures you can get medical support quickly if you fall ill or need advice. The NHS App also helps you:

• Order repeat prescriptions
• Find nearby NHS services
• View appointment reminders
• Check your vaccination records

Students starting or returning to university should make sure their vaccinations are up to date:

• MenACWY – protects against four types of meningitis and septicaemia (A, C, W, Y). Recommended for first-time university or college students, ideally before term starts.
• MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) – most people in England will have had two doses in childhood. If you’re unsure, check with your GP and catch up if needed.
• HPV – protects against genital warts and certain cancers. If you missed any doses at school, you can get them from your GP up to your 25th birthday.
• Flu jab – recommended each year for students with conditions such as asthma (on steroids), diabetes, kidney disease, sickle cell disease, or other serious long-term conditions.

Parents and guardians can support students to stay well whilst studying with this health checklist for the new academic year:  

• Register with a GP near your term-time address soon after arriving.
• Download the NHS App to order prescriptions, check vaccination records, and find local services.
• Check repeat prescriptions and make sure you have enough medication if you live with a long-term condition such as asthma or diabetes.
• Keep a small first aid kit to hand with basics such as plasters, pain relief, and cold/flu remedies.
• Make sure you’re up to date with routine vaccinations and seasonal jabs if you qualify due to health conditions.
• Know where to get help – whether that’s your GP practice, local pharmacy, or NHS 111 online.

By taking a few simple steps when you arrive at your new home, students can be better prepared to enjoy university life – wherever that may be – while knowing that help and advice are always close at hand.