TRAVEL/ADVICE/VACCINATIONS – AUGUST 2023
Provision of travel advice is not part of the GP NHS Contract. However, some vaccines for travel are available free of charge on the NHS. Travel vaccine appointments are not considered as urgent or take priority and therefore the patient may need to wait some time for a Nurse appointment. Due to increasing NHS workforce pressures and demands, our Nurse appointments have to be prioritised for mandatory NHS work so there is limited capacity to accommodate travel vaccinations.
If patients are planning on a trip, they should first consult the Fit for Travel or Travel Health Pro websites for advice as to which vaccinations are needed. If you do require one or more of the free NHS vaccinations:
Typhoid
Hepatitis A
Diptheria, Tetanus and Pertussis (DPT)
Please submit a request via PATCHS (via Practice website: Headstoneroadsurgery.nhs.uk) at least 6-8 weeks prior to travel to allow us to order in sufficient vaccines as the Surgery does not keep a rolling stock of them.
Your PATCHS submission should include where you are travelling, when and how many of the family members will require the NHS vaccines. Please note that the vaccines need to be administered at least 2 weeks before travel to provide sufficient immunity when abroad.
Once the PATCHS request is submitted, the Practice will respond within five working days to confirm the appointment with the Nurse.
However, if timelines are too short, you will be advised to go to a local private Travel Clinic – there are several in Harrow.
- There are no NHS prescriptions for anti-malarials – they must be done privately
- Patients can ask the Practice for a print out of their vaccinations record to take to the Travel Clinic for their information and review. This information is also available on the NHS App.
- For reference, the average cost of other vaccines which may be required for overseas travel is:
Hepatitis B £55 Tick-borne encephalitis £65
Japanese Encephalitis £99 Yellow Fever £65
Meningitis ACWY £60 Cholera £28
Rabies £80
