Student health advice only a phone call away

Students are advised to store NHS Direct's number - 0845 46 47 - in their mobile for quick access to health information and advice as they prepare to live away from home for the first time.

NHS Direct is well used by students and is experienced in providing health advice and information to those finding themselves in a new environment away from their usual networks of support and regular health services. Last year NHS Direct received 14,000 calls per month from patients aged 18-21, which represents the age range for the majority of full-time university students; however, in the first full month of the new university term (October) NHS Direct received over 24,000 calls - a 70 per cent increase on the average.

First-time and returning university students can call NHS Direct 24 hours a day, seven days a week to speak to a nurse or trained health advisor and NHS Direct has identified some of the more common student concerns.

Freshers' flu
Freshers' flu is very common in the first few weeks of university life as millions of students arrive from all over the country and new germs are passed between students living in shared accommodation. Freshers' flu is usually just a bad head cold and can be managed with over the counter remedies. NHS Direct can provide students with self-care advice and give advice on what to do if symptoms worsen or persist.

Sexual health matters
NHS Direct deals with over 12,000 calls a month about sexual health. Common symptoms and concerns students call about include penis swelling or discomfort, vaginal discharge/bleeding, dysuria (painful urination) and advice about emergency contraception, missed contraception or Sexually Transmitted Infections. NHS Direct can provide students with self-care advice or suggest where they should go for further advice, such as their local sexual health (GUM) clinic.

Emotional distress
Although it is a really exciting time, leaving home for the first time can be extremely emotional and can lead to stress, anxiety and, in some cases, depression. Students who ring NHS Direct will be able to talk through their feelings with a nurse and gain valuable advice about how to cope with their problem or help to access local health services that can provide further ongoing support.

Meningitis
This is a rare infection but teenagers and students are the second most at risk group behind children aged under five. Students are urged to seek help as soon as they become concerned, and are advised not to dismiss the symptoms as a hangover as initial symptoms - such as a severe headache or nausea - can be similar. Other symptoms to be aware of include drowsiness, confusion, seizures, intolerance to light, a stiff neck and a blotchy red rash that does not fade or change colour when a glass is placed against it. NHS Direct can quickly identify worrying symptoms and, where necessary, help students seek immediate medical help.

Contacting health services in a new area
Many students assume that you can only call NHS Direct if you are ill or have symptoms to discuss, but NHS Direct can also help students understand their local health system and locate services that they may need to access whilst at university, including GPs and dental surgeries, clinics and A&E departments.

Helen Young, Chief Nurse at NHS Direct, said:

"We have 10 years' experience of providing advice to students at this significant time in their lives. NHS Direct is very popular with students, many of whom are away from their usual sources of advice for the first time in their lives. We know they like the fact that the service is confidential and easy to access whenever they need it."

Alongside the phone service, NHS Direct has six online health and symptom checkers which cover colds and flu, contraception advice, male and female sexual health, mental health and an initial assessment, available at nhs.uk/nhsdirect. The health and symptom checkers can provide immediate advice or, if additional advice is needed, they can arrange a call back from a nurse.