Do not wait until the last minute before booking an appointment in our travel clinic. As the clinics get very booked, especially at this time of the year, to avoid disappointment and unnecessary anxiety, we invite you to book any time throughout the year to update your vaccinations so that you are prepared for any holiday that you might book.

Some vaccines are given as a one off, others need a course of 3 injections usually given within 21-28 days. Some of these have to be ordered from the manufacturer on a 'named patient basis' and others are kept in the surgery. Some have to be paid for whilst others are free. There are posters displayed in the surgery itemising costs of the vaccination courses. BLACKBROOK Surgery is a Yellow Fever Centre and anyone can access this as it is a private service. The vaccine is issued with a certificate and needs to be given 10 days before entering the yellow fever area.

Travel health has become an increasingly complex area. We get our information from the NHS website Travax which is updated every 24 hours. This is extremely helpful for diseases such as malaria, where outbreaks can occur in unexpected areas. It is vitally important to take anti-malarial if needed and to take the correct tablets for the specific malaria spreading mosquito. In short it is never too late to have a vaccination if you need it. Even if you are not fully protected you would have some protection which is better than no protection at all.

Holidays are often hard earned and precious - make the most of them without wasting any time being ill!

Pregnant Women

Pregnant women are able to travel safely. There are restrictions on the timing of their flying during the later part of their pregnancy. There are also a number of other considerations such as insurance and vaccinations for example.

http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/travel/diseases/pregnancy_and_travel.htm

EHIC - European Health Insurance Card

Treatment inside the European Economic Area (EEA) is free or at a reduced-cost emergency treatment for UK patients upon production of the European Health Insurance Card EHIC. Follow this link to learn more about the EHIC.

http://www.nhs.uk/NHSEngland/Healthcareabroad/EHIC/Pages/Introduction.aspx.

Useful Website Addresses

DOH for advice on Travel Related Deep Vein Thrombosis – www.doh.gov.uk/dvt/
Department of Health – www.open.gov.uk/doh/hat/index.htm
Foreign and Commonwealth Office – www.fco.gov.uk/travel/