Question to the Department of Health and Social Care:

To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what arrangements are in place for students to access (a) medical care and (b) repeat prescriptions during the covid-19 lockdown while those students are residing at home or away from the GP practices they are registered with while at university or college.

We recognise that students registered with a general practitioner (GP) practice near their university may need to access treatment from another GP when returning home or away from university. Anyone who requires treatment that a GP or healthcare professional regards as an emergency should be provided treatment free of charge, regardless of whether they are registered with a GP. A patient can receive emergency treatment for 14 days. If the patient needs treatment for more than 14 days, they can register with that GP surgery as a temporary patient for up to three months. Additionally, students will be able to access their repeat prescriptions from a GP practice near their home. Patients who have nominated a pharmacy local to their place of study through the Electronic Prescription Service will be able change their nominated pharmacy to their new preferred location by contacting the GP practice who prescribed the repeat prescription or set up a nomination if they do not have one.