Whether you are travelling for a holiday, business trip, family visit, backpacking adventure, pilgrimage or long-term stay abroad, it pays to understand the health risks linked to your destination before you leave the UK. DoseOn Pharmacy offers a professional travel clinic service, combining destination-specific advice with access to a wide range of travel vaccinations. As a pharmacy offering selected face-to-face appointments alongside our online services, we make preparing for travel straightforward and genuinely tailored to your trip.
What Does Our Travel Clinic Cover?
Different countries carry different health risks, some of which are uncommon or absent in the UK. The vaccines recommended for a trip depend on your destination, how long you are staying, your planned activities, and your own health and vaccination history. Our pharmacy team reviews all of this with you before recommending anything.
Alongside vaccinations, our travel consultations cover practical advice on topics such as malaria prevention, food and water safety, insect bite avoidance, sun protection, traveller’s diarrhoea, and general steps to reduce your risk of becoming unwell while away. Not every trip needs the same level of preparation, so advice is always built around your specific plans rather than a generic checklist.
Who Might Need This Service?
You might consider booking a travel clinic appointment if you have an upcoming trip and are unsure what protection or precautions you may need. This is common when:
- You are travelling somewhere outside Western Europe, North America or Australasia
- You are staying for an extended period, volunteering, trekking, or visiting friends and relatives
- Your destination requires proof of a specific vaccination, such as yellow fever, for entry
It can also be useful if you would simply like an appointment to check whether any preparation is needed, even for a shorter or more familiar trip.
This service may be especially useful for people who:
- Are travelling somewhere for the first time and are unsure what to expect
- Have an underlying health condition that may need to be considered before travel
- Are travelling with children or older relatives and want tailored advice for the whole group
- Want convenient access to multiple travel vaccines without visiting several different services
Vaccines We Offer
The vaccines recommended for you will always depend on your specific itinerary, but our travel clinic can offer access to a broad range of protection, including:
- Hepatitis A – recommended for most destinations outside Western Europe, North America and Australasia, since it spreads through contaminated food and water. A single dose offers protection within a few weeks, and a booster given later can extend this protection for many years.
- Typhoid – also spread through contaminated food and water, and particularly relevant for travel to South Asia, parts of Africa and Latin America. The injectable vaccine is usually given as a single dose, offering protection for approximately three years.
- Cholera – recommended mainly for travellers to areas with poor access to clean water and sanitation, including aid and healthcare workers. This vaccine is taken orally as a short course rather than given by injection.
- Tetanus, Diphtheria and Polio – often given together as a single combined booster, recommended if you are not up to date with the UK routine schedule, or travelling somewhere with an increased risk of these diseases.
- Rabies – recommended for travellers heading to remote areas, undertaking outdoor activities, or likely to come into contact with animals, especially where urgent medical care may be hard to reach. Anyone bitten or scratched abroad should still seek urgent treatment, even if previously vaccinated.
- Hepatitis B – recommended for longer stays, certain occupations, or travellers who may need medical or dental treatment abroad, since it spreads through blood and bodily fluids. It is usually given as a course of two or three doses, with accelerated schedules available for later bookings.
- Japanese Encephalitis – relevant for longer or rural stays in parts of Asia, particularly around rice paddies and farming areas, and given as a two-dose course based on your specific itinerary.
- Tick-borne Encephalitis – recommended for hiking, camping or outdoor activities in forested parts of Europe and Asia, particularly during spring and summer, given as a course of doses spaced over several weeks.
- Yellow Fever – required for entry into certain countries in Africa and South America, and sometimes for onward travel from an affected country. This vaccine can only be given at a registered yellow fever vaccination centre, with proof provided through an official certificate.
- Meningitis ACWY – recommended for travel to parts of sub-Saharan Africa, and a mandatory visa requirement for pilgrims travelling to Saudi Arabia for Hajj or Umrah. This is usually given as a single dose.
It is worth knowing that some vaccines, including cholera, polio, hepatitis A and typhoid, may be available free of charge through a GP surgery following a risk assessment, while others are only available privately. Our travel clinic offers all of the above as part of a single, convenient paid service, and we are always happy to be upfront about which options may also be available on the NHS.
Planning Ahead: Timing and Malaria Prevention
Some vaccines require more than one dose, or need time to become fully effective, which is why the NHS recommends seeking travel health advice at least four to six weeks before you travel. If your trip is sooner than this, it is still worth booking an appointment, as partial protection or alternative options may be possible depending on your circumstances.
Malaria is not prevented by a vaccine, but by taking antimalarial tablets alongside practical measures such as insect repellent, covering up in the evenings, and sleeping under a treated net where recommended. The right choice of antimalarial tablet depends on your destination, health and other medicines, and our team can talk you through the most suitable option as part of your consultation.
Benefits of the Service
- Tailored travel advice – receive advice based on your destination, length of stay, travel activities and personal health needs.
- Convenient appointments – access professional support through a pharmacy team that makes travel healthcare simple and easy to arrange.
- Protection before travel – help reduce your risk of vaccine-preventable illness before travelling abroad.
- Clear guidance – understand which vaccines may be recommended and receive practical advice on staying well while away.
Why Choose DoseOn Pharmacy?
At DoseOn Pharmacy, we combine professional pharmacy care with a patient-focused approach. We understand that preparing for travel can feel overwhelming, especially when advice varies depending on your destination and plans, so our aim is to make the process easier with clear information and practical recommendations.
Our team takes the time to discuss your trip properly, explain any relevant health risks, and help you understand your options, rather than making healthcare feel confusing. As a pharmacy offering both online services and selected in-clinic support, we are well placed to help you access safe, convenient travel healthcare, whatever your destination.
We place a strong focus on safety, professionalism and convenience, ensuring every patient receives advice that is reliable, honest and suited to their specific trip.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far in advance of travel should I book my appointment?
Ideally, at least four to six weeks before you travel, since some vaccines require more than one dose, or need time to become fully effective. If you are travelling sooner than this, please still get in touch, as some protection may still be possible even if the full course cannot be completed before you leave.
Can I have multiple travel vaccines at the same appointment?
In many cases, yes, multiple vaccines can be given during the same appointment, depending on which ones are recommended for you and your general health. Our team will confirm what can be combined safely and let you know if anything needs to be spaced out or given at a separate visit.
Do I need a yellow fever certificate for my destination?
Some countries legally require proof of yellow fever vaccination for entry, particularly if you are arriving from a country where yellow fever is present. This vaccine can only be given at a registered yellow fever vaccination centre, so please share your full itinerary with our team so we can confirm whether this applies to you.
Are travel vaccines available on the NHS, or do I need to pay?
Some travel vaccines, including cholera, polio, hepatitis A and typhoid, may be available free of charge through a GP following a risk assessment, while others are only available privately. Our team can advise which category your recommended vaccines fall into, though our travel clinic itself operates as a private, paid service.
What if I’m pregnant, breastfeeding, or have a weakened immune system?
Please let us know if any of this applies to you, as it can affect which vaccines are suitable. Some travel vaccines use a live, weakened virus and are not recommended in these circumstances, so we may need to suggest alternative precautions or refer you for specialist travel health advice instead.
Do you offer antimalarial tablets as well as vaccines?
Yes, alongside vaccinations we can offer advice on antimalarial tablets where these are recommended for your destination. Malaria prevention is not a vaccine, and the right choice of tablet depends on your itinerary, health and any other medicines you take, so this is discussed as part of your consultation. We also offer jet lag support for those travelling long distances.
If I’m travelling again soon, do my previous vaccines still count?
This depends on which vaccines you have had and how long ago. Some travel vaccines provide long-lasting or lifelong protection after the full course, while others need a booster after a certain number of years. Bringing any previous vaccination records to your appointment helps us advise you accurately rather than starting from scratch unnecessarily.
Book Your Appointment
Planning a trip abroad? Book your travel clinic appointment with DoseOn Pharmacy and receive professional advice before you travel.