Our specialist travel health pharmacist will conduct a risk assessment based on your itinerary, previous vaccination history and any medical conditions. Based on this they will make recommendations as to what vaccinations they recommend for you. They will also assess whether anti-malarials are needed and will provide valuable advice on any other risks.
Your consultation with us is always free of charge, even if you choose not to have any vaccinations or to purchase any medication.
Yes, if our pharmacist recommends vaccinations based on your itinerary, medical history and previous vaccination history, as long as you are feeling well the pharmacist will be able to provide vaccinations straight away.
It is safe and equally effective to have multiple vaccinations at the same time with us. We regularly administer up to four vaccinations at any one time to a patient.
Ideally, you should come in for a consultation 4-6 weeks before travelling, to ensure you have time to complete a course of vaccinations if recommended. If a course is not required, then vaccinations should be completed 2 weeks before travel. However, it is never too late to come in for a travel consultation even if you are travelling imminently, as vaccinations and other valuable advice may still be given.
When you come in for your appointment, our travel health pharmacist will assess whether you are up to date with your routine immunisations and whether any immunisations are required or recommended for your trip. Whilst it would be very helpful if you could bring a record to your appointment, if you do not have a record, our pharmacist will assume you are unimmunised and recommend vaccinations accordingly. Remember, there is no harm in over vaccinating.
NHS records are not linked to private clinics. We would strongly recommend you contact your surgery before your consultation to retrieve a vaccination record. After your appointment, we would also recommend that you update your surgery with any vaccinations we may have administered so that they have a complete record. If you would like us to do this for you, please ask your pharmacist at the end of your consultation.
There are some countries which require a certificate for proof of vaccination. For certain countries, according to International Health Regulations you may require a Yellow Fever or Polio certificate to enter or exit the country. It is also a visa requirement to have the Meningitis ACWY for pilgrims travelling for Hajj or Umrah. Please note, International Health Regulations are constantly changing, so it is critical that you get up to date advice before you travel, which our travel health pharmacist will be able to assess during your consultation. It may also take a certain length of time before this certificate becomes valid, so always plan this well in advance of your trip.
The risk of contracting Hepatitis A and Typhoid exist even for those staying in luxury hotels following good food and water hygiene.
All vaccinations can cause side effects, although not everybody gets them. The most common side effect is a heavy, sore arm sensation and sometimes you may develop a temperature, headache, muscle aches, nausea and a reduced appetite. This is usually mild and lasts about 48 hours should you be affected. The vast majority of patients find that they can continue with their normal activities. Certain vaccinations such as Yellow Fever, may have the potential to cause more side effects compared to other vaccinations. During your consultation, our travel health pharmacist will inform you of potential side effects and how to manage them if they occur.
We would only recommend deferring vaccination if you have a fever on the day of vaccination. If you only have mild symptoms in the absence of a fever, we would still recommend vaccination. Our travel health pharmacist will discuss this with you during your appointment.
Some GP surgeries provide a travel health service, where they will be able to provide you with Hepatitis A, Typhoid and Diptheria, Polio, and Tetanus vaccinations for free. All other vaccinations and anti-malarials will be chargeable on the NHS. Please note, we are a private travel clinic and so all vaccinations and medications that we supply will be chargeable.
Unfortunately this is not the case. Those returning to their original home country in malarious regions after prolonged residence in the UK may actually be at an increased risk of an acute attack of malaria. This is because they are likely to have suffered a decline in partial immunity to malaria that may have developed. It is therefore essential that you still take a recommended anti-malarial tablet alongside using bite prevention methods. This will be discussed during your consultation.
At both of our clinics, we offer anti-malarials and a wide range of travel essentials to purchase during your consultation. We also offer a range of medication that may be useful for you to take with you during your travel, however please note, that these are only available at our Liverpool Street branch, subject to availability and our pharmacist’s professional discretion.
We would be happy to open an account for local businesses in the area. Please contact the clinic you would like your employees to attend to discuss this further.
Unfortunately we do not currently offer post-exposure vaccinations. If you have had potential rabies exposure, it is critical that you contact your NHS GP or local A&E department as soon as possible who will be able to access vaccines and provide advice to you.
Unfortunately we do not currently offer post-exposure vaccinations. If you believe you may require a Tetanus vaccination, please contact your NHS GP or local A&E department as soon as possible who will be able to access vaccines and provide advice to you.
You can eat or drink as normal before and after all vaccinations, with the exception of the Cholera Oral vaccine, where all food and drink and any other medication that you take, should be avoided from 1 hour before until 1 hour after the vaccination.
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