Travel Medicine

For patients planning foreign travel, either for business or holidays, Ivy Grove Surgery offers medical services via the travel clinic. 

Many diseases can be contracted from foreign travel and as more people travel abroad, especially to remote destinations, it is becoming common to see travel related illnesses presenting.  Many of these infectious diseases can be avoided by taking simple preventative measures or with immunisation.

Procedure For Travel Clinic

1. FILL IN THE TRAVEL QUESTIONNAIRE as fully as possible and return it to Reception. (Please use one form for each family member travelling). Travel Questionnaire.doc
2. PLEASE CONTACT THE SURGERY AFTER 1 WEEK to arrange a mutually convenient appointment for the vaccinations you will need.
3. ATTEND YOUR CLINIC APPOINTMENT where the practice nurse will administer any immunisations and discuss relevant health issues relating to your travel.

How You Can Help

It is especially important that we know your proposed accommodation and destinations within a particular country – and of any previous immunisations, which you have had outside the surgery, which may not be in your current medical notes.

The distribution of various diseases around the world is constantly changing, and resistance to anti-malaria drugs is becoming troublesome in certain countries, so even if you have travelled to a particular country before and think you are already covered, please let us check for you.

Time Scale

The earlier that you can tell us of your travel plans, the easier it is for us to help you. Some immunisations e.g. against hepatitis A take several weeks until they start to provide protection and some immunisations can not be given within 3 weeks of each other.  Malaria prophylaxis usually needs to be started at least a week before travel. Please allow yourself enough time.

Fees

Some of the immunisations are kept in stock at the surgery and provided free on the NHS e.g. against diphtheria/tetanus. Others are not available on the NHS and are therefore chargeable on a private basis e.g. against hepatitis B. However some vaccinations have to be ordered on a named patient basis e.g. Rabies and Meningitis.

Anti-malarial drugs can only be provided by private prescription.

Please refer to our Vaccination Fees on the notice board in the waiting area for the latest fees. Payment for vaccinations for travel is required in full before the vaccinations are given.

These prices were correct 18th July 2008:

Vaccinations marked with an * are ordered in on a named patient basis and therefore must be paid for IN FULL prior to being ordered. Payment is accepted by cash or cheque with valid bank card ONLY. We do not accept debit/credit cards.

Updated on 15/8/08