The Student Wellness Service (SWS) offers a comprehensive outpatient medical service by both medical practitioners and nurses, who are dedicated to helping students to remain healthy, and to make the correct life choices while pursuing their academic goals. Students are encouraged to seek assistance and guidance as early as possible.

What we can assist with and how

A variety of services are offered for health issues, including:

• Health Promotion: through health and wellness education, awareness and related life skills during individual consultations with students and workshops, talks and wellness events.
• Clinical consultations: a clinical nurse practitioner or medical practitioner in a confidential, holistic primary healthcare setting; all staff members are qualified, accredited practitioners.
• Pharmacy: preparation and dispensing of prescribed medications, over-the-counter sales, expert guidance on medication use and consultations on health concerns to support your well-being.
• HIV/AIDS: pre- and post-test counselling and testing is offered free to all students and linkage to appropriate HIV prevention, treatment and care services.
• Reproductive health: men and woman's health, screening and treatment for sexually transmitted diseases (STI), screening and advice on the prevention of unplanned pregnancy. Advice on the right contraception and available contraceptives: the "Pill", injectables, implant, emergency contraception (EC), screening for cervical cancer (Pap smear). Contraceptives offered by the state are free of charge.
• Mental health: screening and support for anxiety, depression, relationship and sexuality issues, alcohol- and drug-related issues and referral to our Counselling Services. Referrals to the SWS psychiatrist only by SWS health professionals.
• Managed medical conditions: screening, advice, treatment and referral of acute and chronic illness, colds and flu, chicken pox, diarrhoea and vomiting, anaemia, asthma, diabetes, hypertension, HIV, tuberculosis, epilepsy, depression and other.
• Academic concessions on medical grounds
• Accident insurance/sports injury: limited insurance to cover an accidental injury.
• Physiotherapy for sports injury: for details, see collaboration with Holistic Physiocare
• Psychological support: anxiety, depression, relationship and sexuality issues - when necessary, can be referred to our Counselling Services
• Referrals: to alternative resources such as physiotherapists, dentists, X-rays, secondary and tertiary hospitals, private hospitals, and specialists
• Travel advice: travel advice including Malaria prophylaxis and prevention
• Minor surgical procedures: suturing, incision and drainage of abscesses, removal of splinters

Confidentiality

All medical consultations are strictly confidential and will not be divulged to any other party outside of the Student Wellness Service. Read more.

How you can contact us

Tel.: 021 650 1020 | Email: sws@uct.ac.za
Nurse advice Tel.: 021 650 5620 (office hours)

For appointments with the medical team, please use the SWS Medical Appointments booking form  online. 
See our Appointments with SWS page for more information.

Book medical appointment

After hours: Nurse advice 021 650 1271 | Counselling support: SADAG Careline (see details below)

Toll free numbers to call when you are in distress

• SADAG UCT Student Careline: 0800 24 25 26 free from a Telkom line or SMS 31393 for a call-me-back. This line offers 24/7 telephonic counselling, advice, referral facilities and general support to students facing any mental health challenges or contemplating suicide. The line is available to offer support and advice to anyone who is concerned about a student who might be in distress. The line is able to advise and refer callers to both internal UCT resources and external (NGO, public and private) mental health resources.
• Please make use of the SADAG UCT Student Careline if you are placed on a waiting list by reception at the Student Wellness Service or if you require emotional support while waiting for an appointment. The SADAG website contains useful information about mental health issues as well as details of their national helplines.