Nau mai, haere mai welcome to both new and returning students from everyone at the Student Health Service.
Thank you to Tristan and the team at the Salient for the opportunity to write about our service in the Orientation Edition.
The Student Health Service (SHS) is here for you so if you have any concerns regarding your health, contact us.
Our clinics are staffed by fully qualified, professionally registered and experienced doctors and nurses who are used to and enjoy working with students. Our central clinic is located on the Kelburn campus with satellite clinics operating five days per week at Pipitea campus, and limited hours at Karori and Te Aro campuses. We offer all the services you would expect from a regular medical centre while also having an intimate knowledge of the culture of Victoria University and reality of student life. Additionally our doctors and nurses are really nice people who are very dedicated and have postgraduate qualifications in a variety of areas including mental health, travel health, dermatology, diabetes and asthma care, sexual health and contraception.
The SHS is available to all students who have paid the compulsory Student Services Levy. The SHS belongs to Capital Primary Healthcare Organisation (PHO). To be enrolled as a patient all you have to do is to fill out some paperwork, which takes about one minute. You will be asked if you want us to be your main health care provider while you are at Victoria University. There are many reasons why it would be helpful to chose us as your main health care centre, we are convenient, we provide lots of different services and we specialise in the care of university students. If you are really happy with your current medical centre and you decide to stay enrolled with them you can still be seen at the SHS as a casual patient (you will pay a higher fee).
Healthcare available at the SHS includes:
Preventative Care – such as advice regarding sexual and reproductive health, cholesterol testing, cervical screening for women, mole checks, health education, travel health including the administration of the most commonly required vaccinations, immigration and diving medicals.
Illness and Injury Care – assessment, diagnosis, offering treatment, advice, and when necessary referral to medical specialists for injuries, infections and acute illness. We also see students for on going health conditions – for example diabetes, asthma, depression and anxiety.
Other Services – alcohol and drug issues, health checks, contraception including the emergency contraceptive pill, hearing tests, lung function tests, flu vaccines, liquid nitrogen, minor surgery, nutritional advice and pregnancy tests. Specialist appointments with a dermatologist (skin specialist) and a psychiatrist are available at our main clinic on the Kelburn Campus via referral from one of our doctors.
We are a Very Low Cost Access practice, therefore if you enrolled at the SHS there will be no charge for a standard nurse or doctor appointment. Casual students will be charged between $5 and $25 per visit depending on whether or not they have a Community Services Card.
So enrolling at the Student Health Service sounds like a good idea to you?
To find out more about enrolling, and for information about our staff and services please visit our website at www.vuw.ac.nz/st_services/health.
Where to find us:
Kelburn
4 Wai-te-ata Road, below the Library between Victoria Books and the Recreation Centre
463 5308
Karori
Level 3, Gray Block, Donald Street
463 5937
Pipitea
Level 2, Railway Station, West Wing
463 7474
Te Aro
Ground floor, 139 Vivian Street
463 5308
To make an appointment please call one of our receptionists. For students on the Te Aro Campus please call our Kelburn Clinic. The receptionists may ask what type of appointment you need, this is a helpful because it means you will be scheduled to see the correct nurse or doctor.
If you require a routine appointment, for example for a repeat prescription or to discuss a non-urgent condition, please contact us three or four days before you wish to be seen. If you are unwell and need to be seen on the day, please contact us as early possible. Students who require to be seen on the day will be assessed by a nurse and if necessary referred to a doctor.
Wishing you all the best for your studies and remember if you want to see someone about your health contact the Student Health Service.