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LIVING IN ENGLAND
Healthcare and Medications
For minor ailments you will be covered under the
National Health System in England, which is quite
adequate, but different than you are used to. Also
the doctors tend to get the job done with a minimum
of bedside manner. They are somewhat abrupt and
if you are looking for comfort, they probably will
not satisfy you. Coughs and colds are not considered
an emergency, and an appointment cannot always be
immediately given. The National Health System does
not include a major medical plan, so it is necessary
for you to have coverage. The programme will provide
you while you are a participant with a policy through
Cultural Insurance Services International. Information
regarding that policy will be available at the pre-departure
orientation session. However, this policy does not
cover students for pre-existing conditions so it
is important for you to be covered either by your
parents’
policy or to purchase the Student Assurance policy
through UMD. Information on this policy will be
available at the pre-departure orientation session
or from the UMD International Education Office.
For the Student Assurance policy through UMD, the
cost is approximately $495 per semester. If you
select this coverage, you will be billed for it through
UMD accounts receivable.
Dentistry in England is not as elaborate as it is
here. Normal teeth cleaning and fillings are similar,
but the English view corrective dentistry (braces,
etc.) as less essential. If you wear braces and will
still have them when you leave for England, encourage
your dentist to recommend someone in Birmingham for
your needs.
If you have a chronic illness which requires medication,
keep the following in mind before you leave the country:
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Meet with your doctor to plan how
to deal with your illness while you are gone.
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Review all medications and side
effects.
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Bring both hand-written and typed,
signed and dated prescriptions of all drugs you
are carrying or may need while overseas.
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Have enough medications for the
entire trip or make arrangements for refills to
be mailed to you. Have your pharmacist label all
containers with generic names. Drugs are, of course,
available in Birmingham pharmacies, but you may
want to avoid the hassle of getting new prescriptions
from British doctors.
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Consider wearing a medical alert
bracelet or neck tag. You may also wish to carry
a card in your wallet identifying your illness.
MedicAlert Foundation International is a worldwide
organization that supplies tags containing an identification
number, the medical information, and a toll free
telephone number to call in case of emergencies.
Once you join MedicAlert, you become a lifelong
member. You may contact them at MedicAlert, 2323
Colorado Avenue, Turlock, CA 95382, or toll free
at 888/633-4298.
It is absolutely essential that both the International
Education office at UMD and the Programme Director
in Birmingham know of any continuing medical problems
or medication you might be taking. All students will
be required to provide the programme with the names
and addresses of their physicians in the United States
before they leave.
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