New students, particularly those moving away from home for the first time in the South East, are being urged to register with a GP and download the NHS App as they prepare to start university.

Health officials in the South East are keen to highlight how the NHS app can help students stay healthy and access healthcare when they need it, in a way that fits in with their life as a student.

Tim Caroe, Director of Primary Care Transformation and a GP in the region, said: “I can just about remember leaving home to become a student for the first time, and whilst it was exciting, it was also quite daunting, and there were lots of things I either forgot to do or didn’t realise I had to do, like registering with a GP. I’d never done it before.

“Fast-forward an undisclosed number of years, and we now have the NHS app, which is an incredible asset for students to use. You can register with a GP online and then use the app any time of day or night to book a doctor’s appointment without having to phone the surgery at a particular time of day, find nearby NHS services, and use the symptom checker to access online medical advice 24/7.

Many international students find it helpful to copy and paste the advice from the symptom checker into Google translate so they can read it in their native language.

The app can also be used to order repeat prescriptions, send and receive messages and reminders from the surgery and check vaccination status – particularly important when students are mixing more in the first few weeks of term, as this is when we see a rise in the prevalence of viruses. Students are also encouraged to make sure they have notifications turned on to ensure they don’t miss vital health information.

The South East is the top performing region in England when it comes to the number of people using the app, with more than 64% of patients above the age of 13 who are registered with a GP signing up. In July alone 239,612 appointments were made via the app and more than 6 million repeat prescriptions were ordered using it.

Dr Caroe added: “With the capabilities of the app expanding all the time, it is a brilliant way for students to access their NHS.

“If you’re a student I strongly recommend you download it now, and if you’re a parent with a child moving away to study, I’d strongly encourage them to do so.”

More information about the app is available at NHS App and your NHS account – NHS