If you’re planning to travel outside the UK, you may need to be vaccinated against some of the serious diseases found in other parts of the world.
When should I start thinking about the vaccines I need?
You should aim to get advice at least eight weeks before you’re due to travel, as some jabs need to be given well in advance to allow your body to develop immunity. Some vaccines involve a number of doses spread over several weeks or months.
Please remember that as Travel is an optional service for the Practice to provide, you may need to wait longer for an appointment than you would for a normal medical appointment. Let our Reception Team know that you need to book an appointment with one of our Practice Nurses trained to provide Travel Vaccinations.
You may be more at risk of some diseases, for example, if you’re:
- travelling in rural areas
- backpacking
- staying in hostels or camping
- on a long trip rather than a package holiday
If you have a pre-existing health problem, this may make you more at risk of infection or complications from a travel-related illness.
Which travel vaccines do I need?
You can find out which vaccinations are necessary or recommended for the areas you’ll be visiting on these websites:
Some countries require proof of vaccination (for example, for polio or yellow fever vaccination), which must be documented on an International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP) before you enter or when you leave a country.
Saudi Arabia requires proof of vaccination against certain types of meningitis for visitors arriving for the Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages.
Even if an ICVP is not required, it’s still a good idea to take a record of the vaccinations you have had with you.
Find out more about the vaccines available for travellers abroad
Which travel vaccines are free?
The following travel vaccines are available free at the Practice on the NHS (you may have to pay a prescription charge):
- polio (given as a combined diphtheria/tetanus/polio jab)
- 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.
Which travel vaccines will I have to pay for?
You’ll have to pay for travel vaccinations against:
- hepatitis B
- Japanese encephalitis
- meningitis vaccines
- rabies
- tick-borne encephalitis
- tuberculosis (TB)
- yellow fever
Yellow fever vaccines are only available from designated centres (our Practice does not provide yellow fever vaccines).
Please ask a member of our reception team for the current cost of the vaccines we provide.