'When I moved to Liverpool I made major mistake and paid the price'

A woman has urged people not to make the mistake she made when she moved to Liverpool. Eva Kilpatrick, 23, was 18-years-old when she began studying architecture at the University of Liverpool.

Her parents had told her to sign up to a local GP when she arrived but she didn’t get round to it. Eva said: “My parents had encouraged me to sign up as soon as possible, but it kept slipping my mind amid all the new experiences and responsibilities.”

Within a few months of arriving in the city, Eva began suffering from bad spells of tonsillitis. This infection can feel like a bad cold or flu and cause the tonsils to become red and swollen.

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Eva said: “This wasn't just a one-time occurrence. Over the next few months, I was tortured with tonsillitis, having recurring episodes that lasted about a week each time.

“I experienced extreme pain in my throat, high fever, and overall weakness. I couldn’t eat or drink properly, and I was in so much pain that even speaking became difficult.

“This made it impossible for me to attend classes or participate in any university activities. Being in such a vulnerable state away from home was distressing.”

Because Eva had not registered with a new GP practice, she couldn’t see a doctor and get treatment for her tonsillitis straight away. She said: “When I was ill I had to find out how to register, which itself was challenging given my condition and took almost a week. I was in considerable discomfort and my condition was worsening.

“I had only known my new flatmates for a short while and they had to step in and take care of me. They were kind enough to bring me food and check on me regularly, but I felt isolated and helpless, confined to my room and dependent on people I had only known for two months for basic needs.

“The whole ordeal had a significant impact on my life and studies. I missed out on crucial academic sessions and fell behind in my coursework.

“Later, I felt annoyed and disappointed with myself for not prioritising my health by registering with a GP as soon as I arrived at university.”

Eva wants any new students coming to Liverpool to avoid repeating her mistake. She added: “I wished every day that I had already registered with someone nearby. My advice to any new student or anyone new to the city is to register with a GP immediately upon arriving. Don't wait until you are sick to think about your health care needs - act now and register with a GP to avoid unnecessary suffering.”

Eva is now working in an architecture practice in Manchester and completing her master’s in architecture part time at Sheffield Hallam University, where she is registered with a GP.

A doctor based at Brownlow Health, which has numerous surgeries across the city, has reiterated this message. Dr Beth Lynch said her and her colleagues always see a rise in illnesses such as viral colds - otherwise known as ‘freshers flu’ - asthma flare-ups and sexually transmitted infections, as well as more serious conditions like meningitis, every September when students move to the city.

Beth said: “We offer same day appointments for all registered patients who need to see a clinician. However, if you are not registered with a GP surgery, you cannot access care this way and instead, you’ll have to visit a walk-In centre, call NHS 111 or even visit A&E. These other services have long waits and can be tricky to navigate - even more so if you don’t know the area and are unwell.

“This is why it’s important that students register as soon as possible; and they don’t have to wait till they get here, they can go online and register before they move to Liverpool. Once you are registered at a surgery, we then have access to your medical records and can provide care tailored to your needs based on this information.

“As a GP surgery, Brownlow are experts in student health and can offer best-practice holistic support, which isn’t available out of hours.” You can find out more about Brownlow Health here.