Travel Health

We are no longer able to provide private travel vaccinations at Fownhope Medical Centre. In light of the increasing amount of Nurse appointments taken up by providing private travel vaccinations, the GP Partners feel it is not in the best interests of the majority of our patients to continue this service. 

As we hope patients will appreciate, our Practice Nurse time must be focused on NHS work; caring for patients with long term conditions, wound care, childhood immunisation and supporting the GP team. 

The decision to end the service has not been taken lightly, and we apologise for the inconvenience this might cause for some patients needing travel advice. 

There are some vaccinations recommended for travel which are available on the NHS due to the public health risk certain diseases pose. 

Please see the attached pages for information about advice, and which vaccinations are private. 

Firstly you need to consider vaccinations at least 8 weeks before you are due to travel, as some jabs need to be given well in advance in order to be effective. 

The following websites provide information about which vaccinations are advisable in different areas of the world:

• www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/

• www.travelhealthpro.org.uk

We can give you a print out of your immunisation history for information if you need to check what vaccinations you’ve had in the past. 

See below for which vaccinations are provided free on the NHS and which must be arranged privately:

NHS Vaccinations	How Often Should it be Renewed for Travel?
Diptheria, polio and tetanus (combined booster)	Every 10 years – following initial course of 5 vaccines
Typhoid	Every 3 years – if needed for travel
Hepatitis A	Every 25 years – following 2 initial vaccinations
Private Vaccinations	Private Vaccinations
Rabies	Japanese Encephalitis
Hepatitis B	Tick borne encephalitis
ACWY	Yellow Fever
Anti malarial medication

If you think you may need an NHS vaccination please pick up a travel vaccination form from Reception, or print one from ‘Our Documents’ page and return it to us. 

Are You Taking Medication Abroad?

The advice below is taken from the gov.uk website.

You need to prove your medicine is prescribed to you if:

• It contains a ‘controlled drug’.
• You have it on you when you’re entering or leaving the UK.

You could get a fine or go to prison if you travel with medicine that is illegal in another country – check with the embassy of the country you’re going to before you travel. 

It is your responsibility to establish the rules for your destination, airline and any country you are travelling through. These may all be different! Please check your prescribed, and any over the counter medications you are taking.

Fownhope Medical Centre can provide a medication for travel letter authorising your prescribed medication, this is signed by a GP. You will need to fill in a form at least 2 weeks before you travel.

There is a charge for this non NHS work of £20.00 plus vat. 

The form you need to fill in can be printed from the ‘Our Documents’ page of this website, or collected from Fownhope Medical Centre. 

There are travel vaccinations which are not provided free on the NHS. These include; Rabies, Hepatitis B, Japanese Encephalitis, Tick borne encaphalitis, ACWY,  Yellow Fever and Malaria.

You will need to arrange this privately. These clinics currently provide a service.

1. ASDA Pharmacy offer a Malaria prevention service, including anti-malarial medication.

ASDA Pharmacy,

Belmont Road,

Hereford,

HR1 7JE

Tel: 01432 346300

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2. MASTA Travel Clinic: www.masta-travel-health.com

Barnett Way,

Barnway,

Gloucester,

GL4 3RT

Tel: 0330 100 4106

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3. BOOTS Pharmacy –  Book online for Boots at: www.boots.com

72 – 74 High Street,

Worcester,

WR1 2EU

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BOOTS Pharmacy

197 – 199 High Street, and 12 – 15 North Street,

Cheltenham,

GL50 1DB