Are you Holiday ready?

If you are heading away for a break this summer, it’s important to be ready.

Whether you are jetting off abroad or exploring closer to home, here is some information that we hope will be useful.

We’ll cover travel vaccinations, assessing your risk, how to keep safe, medication and more. You can scroll through or skip to sections of interest.

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Travel Advice

We would always suggest seeking out reliable travel advice well in advance of your trip.

Depending on your destination, there may be recommended vaccinations or risks of malaria or other specific illnesses to consider.

Some countries might also need to see proof you’ve had COVID-19 vaccinations too.

Visit Fit for Travel or Travel Health Pro and search for your destinations for the latest advice.

There are wider risks to consider as well, like food and water safety, insect and animal bits, sun safety and risks of respiratory illnesses.

Make sure you have appropriate travel insurance for your trip and that it covers healthcare and any activities you have planned. Some countries might have restrictions on travelling with medication, so that is something else to be aware of.

Travel Vaccinations

Depending on where you are going, you might need to get certain vaccinations before you go. You’ll be able to find this information on the Fit for Travel or Travel Health Pro websites.

Some travel vaccinations are free and can be given by GP practices, depending on availability.

Free NHS travel vaccines include:

• Polio
• 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.

Other vaccines are only available through specialist travel clinics, and you would need to pay to have them. Conditions you can get protected against include:

• Hepatitis B
• Japanese encephalitis
• Meningitis
• Rabies
• Tick born encephalitis
• Tuberculosis (TB)
• Yellow Fever

All major pharmacies will offer this service, but please contact your chosen pharmacy to check availability in advance.

Complete a Travel Risk Assessment

After reading about your destination, the next step is to complete a travel risk assessment survey.

As well as scheduling any vaccines that we can give, it is best to discuss your own health, your trip, and planned activities, especially if you have any long-term conditions.

You can complete the online form here, and then you will need to contact us to make an appointment.

Remember, if there are other non-NHS vaccinations that you need, or malaria medication, for example, you will need to arrange these yourself.

Keeping Safe

At this time of year, we need to take care of our skin in the sun, and avoid dehydration and heat stroke, whether we are at home or abroad.

Older people, young children, and babies, and those clinically vulnerable are all more likely to suffer the effects of very hot weather.

For tips on how to avoid sunburn, heat stroke and dehydration and what to do if you feel unwell, take a look at our previous news stories.

Holidaying in England

If you are holidaying in this country and need medical help, remember you have the same options as you would at home.

NHS 111 will always be a good first port of call for self-help and advice.

If you are away from the area and need to be assessed, then NHS 111 will be able to direct you to the most appropriate place near where you are staying.

If you need to order a prescription, then we would still advise the NHS App as the easiest way. Plus, you will be able to have prescriptions sent to a pharmacy near wherever you are.

For a range of common issues, including sunburn, allergies, and insect bites or stings, a local community pharmacist will be able to provide advice and treatment with no appointment needed.