There are some very serious diseases in other parts of the world that people in the UK are not routinely vaccinated against and therefore may require vaccination before travel. In addition some countries require that people are vaccinated against certain diseases, such as yellow fever, and are able to prove it (with a certificate) before they are allowed to enter.

Some of the most common travel vaccines are:-

Hepatitis A, typhoid, polio (as a combination vaccine only) and cholera are the only travel vaccinations available free of charge on the NHS, other vaccinations would be provided as a private service from GPs, travel clinics and pharmacists providing travel PGDs. In particular, yellow fever and Japanese encephalitis can only be administered from specialist centres. It is recommended that you find which vaccination services are available in your pharmacy and the local area.

Any patient wanting advice on vaccinations should be referred to the pharmacist who can advise on which vaccinations are required for the country they are travelling to.

Patients can also find out information from the following websites:

• NHS Fit for Travel
• National Travel Health Network and Centre(NaTHNaC)