Postgraduate anger at Health Centre access being removed

Imperial College Health Centre will no longer be letting postgraduate students use their services if they live outside of the registration area. Imperial College Union informed the postgraduate students of the change via email, which prompted over 200 replies mostly stating anger and upset at the situation. The Health Care Centre communicated the change on their website with a note, as well as signs on the door of the Health Centre itself. Thereason given in the statement read as follows: “Unfortunately there is no NHS funding for such students and in the past the funding came from Imperial College. However this year there is a shortfall in this funding, which the College has advised us it is unable to make up”. There is some confusion as the Dean of Students told Becky Lane, Deputy President (Welfare), that the College didn’t decrease but actually slightly increased the funding from last year. However, the reduced funds were actually due to a decrease in the number of students who registered.

Despite this decision the Health Centre still allows both undergraduate and postgraduate students from the Royal College of Music to use it regardless of where they live.

For now, postgrads must register with their local GPs for health care. There have even been reports of people being turned away at the Health Care Centre as they are no longer able to use the services. If a student lives within a list of 20 post codes they are allowed to register for the Health Centre. The Health Centre previously agreed to allow any Imperial student (undergraduate or postgraduate) use their services during opening hours only. Imperial College gives money to the Health Centre, as well as the NHS, which comes from the number of students registering.