Important: Please inform the practice by submitting the travel form at least 8 weeks prior to travelling. All appointments are subject to availability, therefore, we can only offer the vaccines once the form is submitted and if the appointment time is available.
Vaccines
If you’re planning to travel outside the UK, you may need to be vaccinated against some of the serious diseases found in other parts of the world. Please see the NHS Travel Vaccine website for full details Travel vaccinations – NHS (www.nhs.uk)
*** Please note that the practice does not provide private prescriptions for vaccinations or tablets e.g. malaria tablets. Please see a Private Travel clinic for further information ***
If possible, you need to sort your travel vaccines 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 a number of doses spread over several weeks or months. If you are unable to wait for out next available travel advice appointment, as advised by the reception staff, then you can attend any Private Travel Clinic; telephone numbers can be obtained via Yellow Pages: Yell – a leading marketplace for great local businesses
All appointments in the practice are subject to the availability of the clinical team members.
Which travel vaccines do I need?
You can find out which vaccinations are necessary or recommended for the areas you’ll be visiting on these websites:
Which travel vaccines are free on the NHS?
The following travel vaccines are available free on the NHS from us here at Nene Valley Hodgson Medical Practice:
- polio (given as a combined diphtheria/tetanus/polio jab)
- typhoid
- hepatitis A
- cholera
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.
Which travel vaccines will I have to pay for? – Nene Valley Hodgson do not offer the following; you will need to find a private travel health clinic if you need any of these vaccines for your trip.
You’ll have to pay for travel vaccinations against:
- hepatitis B
- Japanese encephalitis
- meningitis
- rabies
- tick-borne encephalitis
- tuberculosis (TB)
- yellow fever
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. It’s worth considering this when budgeting for your trip.
Travel Form
Cholera vaccination
Vaccination against cholera isn’t routinely needed for most travellers, but in some cases it may be recommended for aid workers and people likely to have limited access to medical services – for example, people working in refugee camps or after natural disasters.
Most cases of cholera are confined to regions of the world with poor sanitation and water hygiene, such as parts of:
- Africa
- Asia
- South America
The vaccine is usually given as a drink in 2 separate doses, taken 1 to 6 weeks apart.
Children aged 2 to 6 years old should have a third dose taken 1 to 6 weeks after the second dose.
You should make sure you have the final dose of this vaccine at least a week before you travel.
A single booster dose or full revaccination is usually recommended if you have previously been vaccinated against cholera and you’re planning to travel to an area where the infection is common.
Diphtheria vaccination
A combined vaccination that protects against diphtheria, polio and tetanus is routinely given to all children in the UK. You should make sure you and your children are up-to-date with your routine vaccinations before travelling.
Further booster doses are usually only recommended if you’re going to visit parts of the world where diphtheria is widespread and your last vaccination dose was more than 10 years ago.
Diphtheria is more common in parts of the world where fewer people are vaccinated, such as:
- Africa
- Central and Southeast Asia
- South America
- Haiti
- Eastern Europe
- Russia
Additional doses of the vaccination are given in a single 3-in-1 Td/IPV (tetanus, diphtheria and polio) injection.
Hepatitis A vaccination
Vaccination against hepatitis A is recommended if you’re travelling to countries where there are poor levels of sanitation and hygiene, and hepatitis A is common.
Ask your GP, pharmacy or travel clinic if you should have the hepatitis A vaccine if you’re travelling to:
- Sub-Saharan and North Africa
- Asia
- the Middle East
- South and Central America
- Eastern Europe
The vaccination against hepatitis A is usually given as a single initial injection, with a second dose 6 to 12 months later. Two doses should protect you for at least 25 years.
You should preferably have the initial dose at least 2 weeks before you leave, although it can be given up to the day of your departure if needed.
Jabs that offer combined protection against hepatitis A and hepatitis B or typhoid are also available if you’re likely to also be at risk of these conditions.
Hepatitis B vaccination
Vaccination against hepatitis B is recommended if you’re travelling in parts of the world where hepatitis B is common, especially if you’ll be doing activities that increase your risk of developing the infection. Hepatitis B is spread through blood and body fluids. Things like having sex, injecting drugs or playing contact sports on your travels can increase your risk.
Anyone travelling for long periods or who’s likely to need medical care while abroad is also at increased risk.
Hepatitis B is found worldwide, but it’s more common in parts of:
- Sub-Saharan Africa
- Asia
- the Middle East
- Southern and Eastern Europe
- parts of South America
The hepatitis B vaccination generally involves a course of 3 injections. Depending on how quickly you need protection, these may be spread over a period as long as 6 months or as short as 3 weeks.
A combined hepatitis A and hepatitis B jab is also available if you’re likely to be at risk of both these conditions while travelling.
Healthy Travel Leaflet
You may find the following leaflet helpful when making your travel arrangements.
Advice on Malaria will be given (please note that the practice does not issue private prescriptions for this)
Please download and print our useful guide below about Mosquito advice.
Hepatitis immunisation
Immunisation against infectious Hepatitis (Hepatitis A) is available free of charge on the NHS in connection with travel abroad. However Hepatitis B is not routinely available free of charge and therefore you may be charged for this vaccination when requested in connection with travel abroad.
Private Travel Clinics
If you are unable to wait for our next available travel advice appointment, as advised by the reception staff, then you can attend any Private Travel Clinic (you can obtain these numbers in the Yellow Pages see link below i.e. type in “travel clinic” then “your area”, to display a list of clinics) charges will apply at these clinics.
Excess quantities of regular repeat prescriptions
Under NHS legislation, the NHS ceases to have responsibility for people when they leave the United Kingdom. However, to ensure good patient care the following guidance is offered. People travelling to Europe should be advised to apply for a Global Health Insurance Card.
Medication required for a pre-existing condition should be provided in sufficient quantity to cover the journey and to allow the patient to obtain medical attention abroad. If the patient is returning within the timescale of their usual prescription, then this should be issued (the maximum duration of a prescription is recommended by the Care Trust to be two months, although it is recognised that prescription quantities are sometimes greater than this). Patients are entitled to carry prescribed medicines, even if originally classed as controlled drugs, for example, morphine sulphate tablets.
For longer visits abroad, the patient should be advised to register with a local doctor for continuing medication (this may need to be paid for by the patient).
General practitioners are not responsible for prescriptions of items required for conditions which may arise while travelling, for example travel sickness or diarrhoea. Patients should be advised to purchase these items from community pharmacies prior to travel.