Travel Vaccinations

Planning Your vaccinations

 

This page explains the process our patients should follow when planning travel abroad. This is important as there are diseases abroad that are more common than at home and they can be serious.  Please plan ahead at least three months in advance of departure date to ensure there is time for you to get any treatment in time. 

practice procedure

 

Prior to travelling you should visit the Travel Fit Pro website and enter your destination to see what vaccinations are recommended for the area you are visiting.

If any NHS vaccines (listed below) are required then please submit a printout from the website to the surgery. Please ensure your contact details and dates of travel are included.

Our Practice Nurse will check any vaccines you have had to date and contact you to discuss and arrange prescription collection and an appointment.

WHAT VACCINATIONS ARE AVAILABLE ON THE NHS?

 

The following travel vaccinations are available for free on the NHS:

  • Diphtheria, Tetanus, Polio boosters (lasts at least 10 years)

  • Typhoid (lasts 3 years)

  • Hepatitis A (lasts 1 year unless repeated within a year in which case can confer immunity for 20 years, if repeated after a year can still provide immunity for years but if unsure a booster is advisable)

  • Cholera (only needed if in high risk area doing high risk work)

There can be a supply issue with the vaccines at peak periods so please check it is in stock before your appointment. 

Our local chemist (Newberry’s) may be able to keep your vaccines in their fridge until the day of your appointment.

IF YOU NEED ADDITIONAL OR PRIVATE VACCINATIONS

 

If your travel plans dictate you need to consider other vaccines (e.g. Hep B, Japanese Encephalitis, Meningococcal, Rabies, Tick borne Encephalitis or Yellow fever) or you need Malaria prevention tablets you may attend a private travel clinic to have these prescribed and administered, as these are not covered by the NHS. You may request a copy of your vaccination record, free of charge, from the surgery to bring to the travel clinic.

You can still book a normal GP appointment to discuss travel health.  It is our policy that we do not prescribe antibiotics ‘just in case’ you fall ill when abroad as we are not indemnified to treat acute issues outside of the UK.  If you become unwell abroad you should seek medical advice locally. Please ensure you have appropriate travel health insurance.

Due to the demand on appointments we have decided that travel vaccines are not a reason for an urgent appointment.  We cannot take appointments away from sick patients to accommodate late travel plans and if needed urgently you can have these carried out privately at one of the travel clinics.