Physical Health

Anyone in England can register with a GP surgery, and it’s completely free and does not require you to provide proof of address, immigration status, ID or an NHS number. Registering can help make it quicker and easier to get help if you get injured or become unwell.

​

To find your nearest GP surgery, click here.

​

Once you have found your local GP surgery, check their website to see if you can register online. If this is not an option, then you will be able to register over the phone, via email, or in person. The contact details for the GP surgery will be available on their website. It is currently advised to avoid registering in person if possible due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

​

No form of identification is essential, but if you have any of the following it may help:

​

• Passport

• Birth certificate

• HC2 certificate

• Rough sleepers’ identity badge

• Hostel or accommodation registration or mail forwarding letter

​

If you are homeless, you can give a temporary address, such as a friend’s address, a day centre or the GP surgery address.

​

Further advice on registration can be found here. 

There is no need to register with a dentist in the same way as with a GP. You can therefore simply find your nearest dentist, and phone to see if there are appointments are available.

​

You may have to join a waiting list if the dentist is at full capacity. You may also need to fill in a registration form on your first visit, but this is simply to add you to the patient database.

Exercising regularly can help improve confidence, provide enjoyment, and boost your mood. It may be worth seeing if there are any local sports clubs that you would like to join- or taking up hobbies such as walking, running, swimming or cycling to keep fit. Using skipping ropes or doing home workouts can also be budget-friendly ways to keep fit. The BBC has a webpage that can help you find local sports groups to join in with activities ranging from athletics to golf to korfball, take a look here https://www.bbc.co.uk/sport/get-inspired/45353880

​

Home work outs can be a great way to keep fit in a budget friendly way. they can be done with little/ no equipment in the comfort of your own home, the NHS has free online workout videos which you can take part in from home ranging from aerobic exercise to strength exercises and yoga and pilates workouts. You can find the workout videos on the NHS website here :https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/nhs-fitness-studio/. 

​

Similarly, eating a balanced and healthy diet where possible can improve your mood and energy levels too. The NHS website is a great place to look to find information on healthy eating and balanced diets: https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/eat-well/

 

The NHS also has online resources such as recipes which can help ensure that you are eating a healthy, balanced diet, they can be found here: https://www.nhs.uk/healthier-families/recipes/. 

The GP surgery is not just available for physical illness and injuries. NHS England can help with issues such as mental health (see the mental health section for more information), addiction and drug abuse too. If you feel that any of these issues may apply to you and you would like help, a doctor will provide aid without judgement. 

​

Apart from in exceptional circumstances, your doctor will not inform the police, and the NHS website clearly states that people who require treatment due to drug use are entitled to the same NHS care as anyone else. 

​

Your doctor can talk you through treatment options and you can agree a treatment plan together. For more information, see the NHS site here.

For useful information relating to drug use, it may help to visit the Frank website: https://www.talktofrank.com

​

For useful information relating to alcohol addiction, it may help to contact Alcoholics Anonymous. They can be reached via their confidential helpline on 0800 9177 650 or you can email them on help@aamail.org . Their website can be found here.