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All visitors to the UK are entitled to some treatment from the NHS. Dependents of an international member of staff (husband, wife, children up to 16, or up to 19 if in full-time education) are entitled to free treatment on the NHS as long as they fulfil the following criteria.

If you have a contract for six months or longer, you can get free healthcare from the NHS on the same basis as anyone who is ordinarily resident in the UK. This is from the beginning of your stay.

You're entitled to free treatment in NHS hospitals and you can register as a patient with an NHS doctor (general practitioner). To register, you'll need to visit a nearby surgery during opening hours and ask to be included on the list of NHS patients. If you're accepted, you'll be sent a medical card with your NHS number which you need to keep safe.

If you have a contract for less than six months, you are advised to obtain health insurance for yourself and your dependents. If you need any medicines, there is a fixed charge of £7.40 per item on prescription. If you're receiving regular medication or treatment, it's strongly recommended that you bring details with you to give to the GP.

You should register with a GP as an NHS patient as soon as possible after you arrive. You will need to take a copy of your University offer letter to prove you are resident in the UK.

Find your nearest GP surgery: www.NHS.uk/servicedirectories Emergency services

If you need to telephone for an ambulance, fire or police you should dial 999.

Accident or emergency treatment following accidents is free. In Middlesbrough, the Accident and Emergency Department (A&E) is at the James Cook University hospital on Marton Road.

You can register with a dentist in the same way you register with a doctor. Find a dentist in your area, check that they offer NHS treatment, and ask to put your name on their list. You can also contact NHS Direct on 0845 46 47 to find out which dentists in your area are accepting NHS patients. If you aren't accepted as an NHS patient you will have to pay the full cost as a private patient.

The University has an NHS dental clinic on site and members of staff can register as a patient.

When you are in a new country it is sometimes easy to concentrate on your work and forget to take care of your health. A different climate, unfamiliar food, expensive clothing and heating costs can make it more difficult to keep warm, particularly in autumn and winter. Make sure that the rooms you work and live in are warm enough.

If you have a cold or other minor illness you should visit a local pharmacy where the staff can give you advice on medicine you can buy. If your symptoms get worse, or you're worried, call NHS Direct or make an appointment to see a doctor.

The University has a free, confidential staff counselling service. The service is available Monday to Friday, normally between 9.00am and 5.00pm. You can have up to six sessions free of change. This is a confidential service and you don't have to tell your manager you are attending a counselling session, but you should obtain approval to be absent from work.

To make an appointment in confidence telephone Alliance on 0800 107 5880.

The University aims to ensure that all staff with a disability have access to the support they require. If you have a disability, a specific learning difficulty or a mental health difficulty, please contact our Equality and Diversity Adviser, Margaret McFee on 01642 738459. Your enquiry will be treated in confidence and she will help you to find out what support is available to you.

There are eight public holidays in the UK known as Bank Holidays when most offices, banks and shops are closed, and public transport may run a reduced service. Some of the dates change annually, but they traditionally occur at the following times of the year:

You will also receive paid annual leave as part of your University contract.

The University is closed between Christmas and New Year.