The Park Practice

The Park Practice Information for Patients Travel Clinics

The Practice has recently re-introduced nurse-led Travel Clinics for patients travelling abroad. However, further to the problems which necessitated the closure of these clinics previously, you are asked to please read the following information carefully. Thank you.

THE APPOINTMENT SYSTEM

• All patients MUST complete a Travel Risk Assessment form before an appointment can be made - 1 form for each person travelling. Please hand the form(s) in to reception and the nurse will telephone you to arrange your appointment.

 The appointment should be at least 8 weeks before your departure date.

PATIENTS NEEDING A MORE URGENT APPOINTMENT WILL BE GIVEN DETAILS OF PRIVATE CLINICS (LEAFLET AVAILABLE FROM RECEPTION)

The form gives our nurses some awareness of the possible health problems that could arise from your trip abroad. It also gives them outline information to identify possible risk factors and to seek advice and make decisions on which vaccines are needed. They must then go through your records (both paper and electronic) for details of your medical history, including known risk factors, previous vaccinations etc. At the same time, they will be comparing this information to that you have given on the form. This will enable them to identify any discrepancies that may need to be clarified during the appointment. This extremely time consuming task is vital as we need to know as much as possible about all aspects of your previous and current general health which may affect your travel plans and whether or not you should receive any particular vaccines.

The Practice arranges designated Travel Clinics depending on the availability of our nurses. Depending on the number of patients travelling and needing vaccinations, you may have to wait for your appointment as the nurse needs to prioritise which patients should be seen first according to their date of travel.

 Should you be unable to attend during the time offered, details of private travel centres are given below.

 Travel Clinics are managed by our nurses. Please do not make an appointment with a GP - they will not give travel advice or vaccinations and you will be asked to rebook.

August 2012 The Park Practice Travel Clinics

YOUR APPOINTMENT Please be prepared for your first appointment to last 20-30 minutes. During this time the nurse will:

1. discuss the assessment form with you to ensure all the details are correct 2. advise you of the vaccines required and give you some or all of the injections during the visit (sometimes up to 4 vaccines) 3. advise you on future appointments 4. discuss malaria prevention and issue a private prescription if appropriate 5. advise you on disease prevention, including those illnesses and hazards which cannot be prevented by a vaccine 6. Complete a travel record card and give you travel health information leaflets

Note: if you cannot keep your appointment, please cancel it.

CHARGES Not all vaccines are provided on the NHS. There are some for which you will need to pay a private prescription fee (currently £15) plus the cost of the vaccine. Details are available at Reception.

Please note that the surgery is not a Yellow Fever Centre

Private Travel Clinics: Please note that charges will be payable. Patients are advised to telephone the clinic before booking an appointment:

 Summerlands Surgery, Starts Hill Road, Farnborough Tel: 01689 861098 www.summerlandssurgery.com\travel.htm  MASTA Travel Clinics Please call 0845 600 2236 for details of locations and opening/ appointment times  MediCentre For details of all centres and opening times Tel: 0870 600 0870  Executive Medical Centre, 24 Chatsworth Road, Purley CRO 1HA Tel: 020 8688 3430  Fleet Street Travel Clinic, 29 Fleet Street, EC4 Tel: 020 7353 5678  Trailfinders Travel Clinic, 194 Kensington High Street Tel: 020 7938 3999  Nomad Travellers Store Travel Clinic, Russell Square Tel: 020 8688 3430  Local Yellow Fever Centre: Dr Pattapola, Croydon Road, SE20 Tel: 020 8659 9343

Useful websites: Scottish NHS public travel site: www.fitfortravel.scot.nhs.uk Department of Health: www.open.gov.uk/doh/hat/index.htm Foreign & Commonwealth Office: www.fco.gov.uk/travel DoH for Advice on Travel Related Deep Vein Thrombosis: www.doh/gov.uk/dvt

August 2012