Travel Information

Please notify us 6 to 8 weeks before you’re due to travel. Some vaccines need to be given in advance to allow your body to develop immunity. For more information visit www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk, ask to speak to our practice nurse who will inform you which vaccines you require for your travel, or fill out our questionnaire below:

Travel Questionnaire

Introduction

    The purpose of this policy is to establish guidelines and procedures for patients seeking travel vaccinations at JRB Healthcare. This policy aims to ensure the safety and well-being of patients traveling abroad by providing guidance and care in relation to vaccinations and medication when traveling out of the UK.

    Vaccinations

    You need to notify us at least 6 to 8 weeks before you’re due to travel. Some vaccines need to be given well in advance to allow your body to develop immunity and some vaccines involve several doses spread over several weeks or months. If you have a pre-existing health problem, this may make you more at risk of infection or complications from a travel-related illness.

    You can find out which vaccinations are necessary or recommended for the areas you’ll be visiting at NHS Fit for Travel.

    We advise you phone or visit the practice to find out whether your existing UK vaccinations are up to date. If you have any records of your vaccinations, let the practice know what you have had previously. Any missing doses of your UK vaccines can be administrated if you need them.

    Not all travel vaccinations are available free on the NHS, even if they’re recommended for you. For Travel vaccines that are not available on the NHS, you can visit a private travel vaccination clinic or pharmacies offering travel healthcare services.

    The following travel vaccines are available free on the NHS from your GP surgery:

    These vaccines are free because they protect against diseases thought to represent the greatest risk to public health if they were brought into the country.

    You’ll have to pay for travel vaccinations against:

    Yellow fever vaccines are only available from designated centres.

    The cost of travel vaccines that are not available on the NHS will vary, depending on the vaccine and number of doses you need.

    Medication

    Patients travelling abroad may receive a prescription from their surgery to cover their time abroad. This is at the discretion of the surgery but must be for no longer than three months.

    Doctors are clinically and legally responsible for any results of a decision to prescribe. In view of this, it would not be considered good clinical practice to prescribe large amounts of medicines to a patient going abroad for an extended period and whose progress the GP is unable to monitor.

    If patients are abroad and cannot return to the UK and are concerned, they do not have enough medicines/medical equipment, they should be advised to contact their travel health insurance provider or nearest British Embassy for advice on how/where to obtain safe medical supplies. NHS prescriptions must never be given to relatives or friends on behalf of patients who are currently abroad.

    Patients are not entitled to medication at NHS expense where there is no existing condition. The prescribing of medicines or appliances (e.g., medicines for travel/altitude sickness, fear of flying and diarrhoea) which the patient requests in case they develop an ailment whilst travelling will require a private prescription if the item cannot be purchased over the counter (e.g., from a community pharmacy). Alternatively, patients may be signposted to specialist travel clinics.

    Compression hosiery for the sole prevention of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) for travellers is not available on NHS prescription and patients should be advised to purchase class 1 below knee stockings or proprietary “flight socks”.