If you are travelling abroad you may need to take health precautions, so it’s important to get professional advice.

Whether you are going long haul to Africa or taking a ferry to France, your local pharmacist can help you plan ahead to ensure you have a trouble-free trip. Some can even administer vaccinations against certain diseases.

Pharmacists keep up-to-date with changing health conditions across the world, through organisations like the Government’s National Travel Health Network and Centre, and can help you draw up a health plan for the places you will visit.

This will largely depend on where you are going, when and how long you will be there, what you will be doing there, the vaccinations you have already had, plus any pre-existing medical conditions.

In some cases they may even be able to vaccinate you against certain diseases in their private consultation rooms, but they will all be able to advise which type of precautions you ought to take, whether it be vaccinations or anti-malarial tablets, and can refer to your GP where necessary.
They can also help you understand any medicines you have been prescribed for your travels.
However travellers under 18, pregnant or breast-feeding should always seek the advice of their doctor.

If you are planning to travel abroad, think about having your vaccinations at least four to six weeks before you travel. Some vaccinations need to be given well in advance so that they can work properly. However, if you've left it late, still get advice from your GP, practice nurse or specialist travel clinic.

You also need to make sure that your existing vaccinations for the UK are up-to-date, such as polio and tetanus. If they’re not, you can arrange booster jabs.

Almost one in four UK holidaymakers don't get any vaccinations despite travelling to areas that have life-threatening infectious diseases.

UK residents visiting their country of origin should also be vaccinated as any immunity they may have built up previously in their native country will have reduced over time.

It’s not worth skipping travel vaccinations. Infectious diseases can make you very sick, spoil your holiday and even kill or cripple you.

Not all travel vaccinations are available free on the NHS, even if they're recommended for travel to a certain area.

The following travel jabs are free on the NHS:

• polio (given as a tetanus, diphtheria and polio booster)
• typhoid
• the first dose of hepatitis A
• cholera

These vaccines are free because they protect against diseases which are considered to represent the greatest risk to public health if they were brought into the country. Many GPs do not charge for the second (booster) dose of hepatitis A or the combined hepatitis A and hepatitis B vaccine.

You're likely to have to pay for travel vaccinations against meningococcal meningitis, hepatitis B, yellow fever, rabies, tuberculosis, Japanese encephalitis and tick-borne encephalitis, regardless of whether you have the vaccinations at your GP surgery or at a private travel clinic (though GPs can opt not to charge you).

Visit the vaccinations’ section at www.nhs.uk to find out more about the jabs you need for visiting different parts of the world.

Pharmacists are trained to give health advice about the countries you’re visiting and diseases to be aware of, including all those mentioned above, plus malaria.

While you’re asking your pharmacist for advice about travel vaccinations, you might be surprised at what they can offer. All pharmacies can give advice on many common health problems, minor ailments and medicines. Some may also offer flu vaccinations, allergy screening and testing, and treatment for sexually transmitted infections as well as other services. To find out more, simply ask your pharmacist or visit www.askyourpharmacist.co.uk. 

Pharmacies are there to help you stay well, not just to treat you when you are sick.