Please be advised that our practice does not offer travel vaccinations.
If you are planning to travel outside the UK, you may need vaccinations to protect against serious diseases found in other parts of the world. It is crucial to be well-prepared to ensure your health and safety during your trip.
For all your travel health needs, we strongly recommend contacting the NHS Ayrshire and Arran Travel Service. You can find more information about their services, including how to make an appointment, by visiting their website: NHS Ayrshire and Arran Travel Service.
General Travel Health Advice from NHS Inform:
According to NHS Inform, planning for your travel health is essential. Here are some key points:
- Timely Assessment: It is highly recommended to arrange a travel health risk assessment at least 6 to 8 weeks before your departure date. This allows sufficient time for any necessary vaccines to become fully effective. Even if your trip is sooner, it’s never too late to seek advice.
- Personalised Advice: During your assessment, a travel health professional will consider various factors, including your destination, the length of your stay, your planned activities, and your general health, to provide tailored advice.
- Vaccines Available:
- Free NHS Travel Vaccines (in Scotland): These commonly include diphtheria, polio, and tetanus (as a combined booster), hepatitis A, typhoid, and cholera.
- Vaccines You May Have to Pay For: You will likely need to pay for vaccines against yellow fever, Japanese encephalitis, tick-borne encephalitis, and rabies. Additionally, hepatitis B, meningitis, and tuberculosis (TB) vaccines may incur costs if they are solely for travel purposes.
- Proof of Vaccination: Some countries require proof of vaccination, especially for yellow fever. Yellow fever vaccines are only available from designated centres.
- Beyond Vaccinations: Vaccines do not protect against all travel health risks. It’s important to take additional steps to protect your health while abroad. Resources like the Travel Health Pro website offer country-specific advice on recommended vaccines, malaria prevention, and other health risks.
- Returning Home: If you become unwell or develop a fever after returning home, particularly within a month of travel, seek medical advice promptly and inform your healthcare professional about your recent travel.
For comprehensive and up-to-date travel health advice, please refer to the official NHS Inform website: Travel health advice and travel vaccinations | NHS inform.
We wish you a safe and healthy journey!