Health and wellbeing

Please note Student Support and Wellbeing will close for the Easter Bank Holiday Weekend from 17.00 on Thursday 2nd April and will reopen on Tuesday 7th April.

If you are in need of urgent support please see our Getting Support Now webpages.

For information on the health response to the current Meningitis outbreak in the local area please visit the following University webpages.

Vaccinations

In the UK vaccines are routinely provided to offer protection against a range of serious diseases. Whilst many of these are now now rare in the UK, they are still present in other parts of the world, so it’s important to make sure you’re protected.

Before starting University please ensure you make an informed choice whether to be vaccinated against the following:

• Meningococcal ACWY
• Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR)
• HPV (recommended for all female students, and male students born after 1 September 2006)

If you have not already received these vaccinations please contact your GP to discuss.

Meningitis

Meningitis is the inflammation of the membranes that surround and protect the brain and spinal cord. Some bacteria that cause meningitis can also cause septicaemia* (blood poisoning)  

Key symptoms

Symptoms of meningitis can include:

• a high temperature (fever) with cold hands and feet
• being sick
• a headache
• a rash that does not fade when a glass is rolled over it (but a rash will not always develop
• a stiff neck
• a dislike of bright lights
• drowsiness of unresponsiveness
• seizure (fits)

These symptoms can appear in any order and may not all appear

Act quickly

Meningitis can develop very quickly, so if you are concerned you are suffering the symptoms please seek medical assistance as soon as possible.

Types of meningitis

Many different viruses, bacteria and fungi can cause meningitis. In the UK, viruses and bacteria are the most common causes.

Viral meningitis

Viral meningitis is the most common cause of meningitis and for some can cause life-changing after-effects.

Bacterial meningitis

Bacterial meningitis is life-threatening and requires urgent medical attention. Many different bacteria can cause meningitis.

Meningococcal disease

Meningococcal disease is a life-threatening infection. It is the term used to describe two major illnesses – meningitis and septicaemia caused by meningococcal bacteria.

Meningococcal bacteria can cause meningitis and septicaemia (known as meningococcal disease). There are six groups of meningococcal bacteria that commonly cause disease: A, B, C, W, X, and Y. Vaccines are available to protect against these groups.  

Men ACWY Vaccination

This is usually offered to year 9 secondary school pupils in the UK. If you haven’t had your Men ACWY vaccine, you may wish to make contact with your GP and ask for the vaccine to protect you from meningitis. 

MenB vaccine  

The MenACWY vaccine does not protect against all types of meningitis, including Meningitis B. The vaccine for Meningitis B is only routinely offered to babies and those with underlying health conditions. Those who wish to receive this vaccine will need to do so privately through high street pharmacies and private GP providers.

Support

You can find more information and support via the following channels:

Meningitis Now - www.meningitisnow.org
Helpline 0808 80 10 388      

NHS - https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/meningitis/

The Meningitis Research Foundation - www.meningitis.org
Helpline UK 080 8800 3344    

Measles, Mumps and Rubella (MMR)

Measles is an infection that can spread easily through coughs and sneezes and can cause serious problems. Initial symptoms may be cold-like, with the possibility of small white spots appearing in the mouth a few days later. A rash starting on the face and behind ears will usually follow after the cold-like symptoms.

Mumps causes painful swelling around your cheeks and neck, which will worsen over a few days. Other symptoms include headache, high temperature and feeling tired. Mumps is spread through coughs and sneezes or close contact with someone who already has the infection.

Rubella is spread similarly to mumps and measles. The main symptom is a spotty rash beginning on the face or behind the ears spreading to the neck and body. Other symptoms include aching fingers, wrists or knees, a high temperature and a sore throat.

The MMR vaccination provides protection against Measles, Mumps and Rubella. To ensure full protection two doses of the vaccine are needed. Please check with your GP if you are unsure if you have received both doses.

HPV (Human Papillomavirus)

HPV refers to a common group of viruses that for most people does not cause issues, but for others can cause genital warts or cancer such as cervical, anal or vaginal cancer. The HPV vaccine provides protection against the types of HPV that can cause these issues. The HPV vaccine is currently available on the NHS for females under 25 and males born after 1st September 2006.

International Students

Students from overseas are strongly advised to keep up to date with the above vaccinations, and others including Tuberculosis. There may be a requirement to be tested for Tuberculosis when applying for your visa to study in the UK. More information on this can be found online here.

If you have not received the vaccinations outlined above please contact your GP for advice.