The University of Edinburgh has ranked top in the country for accessibility of health provisions, a study has announced.
According to the rankings, Edinburgh was joint first with the University of Westminster.
The rankings, created by online pharmacy company UK Meds, were decided by how many GPs, pharmacies and sexual health clinics exist in the postcode of each University.
Edinburgh has 48 GPs, 19 pharmacies and 6 sexual health clinics, awarding it a total score of 92.43/100.
In a statement, UK Meds highlighted the need for good healthcare for students:
“Students have long faced challenges in managing their mental and physical well-being amid academic pressures and personal changes.
“The transition to university life often brings increased stress, anxiety, and health issues due to factors such as irregular sleep, poor nutrition, and lack of exercise.
“Investing in robust healthcare services is essential for enabling a supportive environment where students can thrive academically and personally.”
Edinburgh students agreed that seeing a GP was generally fast and accessible, and many spoke highly of how easy it is to get an appointment at the on-campus GP surgery in Bristo Square, as well as the quality of the practice. They also spoke very positively about the provision of free menstrual products across campus.
Other areas of healthcare were considered more limited. Though there is an on-campus dentist which theoretically provides free treatment to students, no students The Student spoke to had actually managed to register with it.
Though the leaderboard did not consider mental health provisions, the study praised the well-being advisors and counselling service available on Edinburgh’s campus.
University Mental Health Day was on 13 March 2025, during which the University offered sessions for students to meet staff from across wellbeing services to find out about wellbeing support.
Additionally, they ran three “Therapets” sessions, which gives students the opportunity to pet and play with dogs.
Students felt that this type of event “is a nice gesture, but glosses over significant amounts of students genuinely struggling.”
Another agreed that it was “cute, but tokenistic.”
“It’s clear they’re overstretched,” one student who had been through Edinburgh’s mental health systems said.
A general feeling emerged that mental health provision at the University is good and can be effective but that the system is overwhelmed, leading to long waitlists and limiting effective treatment.
Illustration by Berenika Murray @photograberry_