Travel Health

Travel Information

The following websites will give you some travel advice:

Travel Health for information of vaccinations available on NHS

MASTA for private vaccination clinics

Gov.uk for specific country travel advice

EHIC to apply for your free European Health Insurance Card

Travel Vaccines

Although our practice will no longer provide you with travel vaccines, you can visit local pharmacies which are providing travel vaccines on behalf of the NHS: https://www.grampianvax.com/travel-vaccination/

Medicines for travel

Malaria prophylaxis

National decisions on prescription status are based on the balance of personal risk versus population risk. Antimalarials should not be prescribed for prophylaxis on the NHS; a private prescription must be issued. Community pharmacies can advise on and sell non-prescription antimalarial medicines over the counter. Community pharmacies can also advise on other issues related to travel medicine.

Taking medicines out of the UK

Patients requiring regular repeat medication for a stable pre-existing illness may be supplied with an NHS prescription for a maximum of three months treatment, to provide treatment for the journey and until further supplies can be secured at the destination.

If patients are to be out of the UK for longer than this then they may require on-going medical review and it would be more appropriate to provide a letter detailing the patient’s medicines until they can make arrangements to get further supplies of medicines at their destination.

Advice for patients requesting medicines for taking on extended holidays and for taking prescribed controlled drugs outside the UK is available at NHS Choices: Can I take my medicine abroad?

Prophylactic medication

A person is not entitled to NHS provision of drugs where there is no existing condition. Any requests for items to be prescribed in case of illnesses contracted whilst travelling abroad (eg ciprofloxacin or oral rehydration sachets for diarrhoea) are a private transaction.