Sloan Medical Centre | Medical Centre Sheffield | GP Sheffield | Care Sheffield

Travel Clinic

Arranging your Travel appointment
Prior to travelling please allow as much time as possible to arrange your appointment for the Travel Clinic (preferably at least 6 weeks or more), which will be with the Practice Nurse.
The Nurse will require to know which countries, and areas within countries, that you are visiting to determine what vaccinations are required.
It is important to make this initial telephone appointment as early as possible, as a second appointment will be required with the Practice Nurse to actually receive the vaccinations. These vaccines may have to be ordered as they are not a stock vaccine. Your second appointment needs to be at least 2 weeks before you travel to allow the vaccines to work.

Vaccines
Some travel vaccines are ordered on a private prescription and these incur a charge over and above the normal prescription charge. This is because not all travel vaccinations are included in the services provided by the NHS.
Please note only the undernoted vaccines are available on NHS Prescriptions:-

• Hepatitis A
  
• Typhoid
  
• Diphtheria
  
• Tetanus
  
• Polio
  

Drugs for malaria prophylaxis are not prescribed on the NHS

• Patients should be advised to purchase where possible over the counter medications
  
• For prescription only medicines (eg. Doxycycline, Lariam®, Malarone® and Maloprim®), GPs may charge for and issue a private prescription. It is also possible to obtain antimalarials via pharmacy services, e.g. an online pharmacy consultation.
  

All other travel vaccinations are not available on the NHS and must therefore must be offered to patients via a private prescription;

• Meningitis ACWY
  
• Tick Borne Encephalitis
  
• Japanese Encephalitis
  
• Rabies
  
• Hepatitis B
  

Hepatitis immunisation
Immunisation against infectious Hepatitis (Hepatitis A) is available free of charge on the NHS in connection with travel abroad. However Hepatitis B is not routinely available free of charge and therefore you may be charged for this vaccination when requested in connection with travel abroad.

Private Travel Clinics
If you are unable to wait for our next available travel advice appointment, as advised by the reception staff, then you can attend any Private Travel Clinic—charges will apply at these clinics.
Patients can contact the private travel clinic by calling 01142712608 or click here

However, to ensure good patient care the following guidance is offered. People travelling to Europe should be advised to apply for a Global Health Insurance Card.

Medication required for a pre-existing condition should be provided in sufficient quantity to cover the journey and to allow the patient to obtain medical attention abroad. If the patient is returning within the timescale of their usual prescription, then this should be issued (the maximum duration of a prescription is recommended by the Care Trust to be two months, although it is recognised that prescription quantities are sometimes greater than this).
Patients are entitled to carry prescribed medicines, even if originally classed as controlled drugs, for example, morphine sulphate tablets.
For longer visits abroad, the patient should be advised to register with a local doctor for continuing medication (this may need to be paid for by the patient).

General practitioners are not responsible for prescriptions of items required for conditions which may arise while travelling, for example travel sickness or diarrhoea. Patients should be advised to purchase these items from community pharmacies prior to travel.

Useful Links
NHS Overview - Travel Vaccinations
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
International Society of Travel Medicine
Health Advice for the Diabetic
Travel Health Pro
UK travel health - site developed by a nurse

There is further information about countries and vaccinations required on the link below:
www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/destinations#europe-russia

Travelling to Europe IN 2025?

What is the Entry/Exit System?
The European Entry/Exit System (EES) is a new system that will make border checks in the Schengen area more secure.

If you are travelling to a country in the Schengen area using a UK passport, you will be required to register your biometric details, such as fingerprints or a photo, when you arrive. EES registration will replace the current system of manually stamping passports when visitors arrive in the EU.  ​

When EES is introduced, you will need to create a digital record on your first visit to the Schengen area at the port or airport on arrival. You will be required to submit your fingerprints and have your photo taken at dedicated kiosks.
You will not need to provide any information before travelling to a Schengen area country.

Your digital record is valid for 3 years. If you enter the Schengen area again during this time, you will only need to provide a fingerprint or photo at the border, when you enter and exit.

What is happening?
The EU is introducing a new digital border system called the Entry/Exit System (EES). This will affect most travellers from non-EU countries, including those from the UK. It will apply to those travelling to the Schengen area which encompasses all EU countries, except from Cyprus and Ireland. Additionally, the non-EU States Iceland, Norway, Switzerland and Liechtenstein are also part of the Schengen area and will introduce EES.

The UK Government is working with the EU to minimise travel disruptions. They are funding ports and carriers to set up the necessary technology.

Why is the EU introducing EES?
The EES will help make the Schengen area borders more secure by:

Keeping digital records of visitors.
Preventing identity fraud and illegal migration.
Replacing passport stamping with automated checks to ensure people don't overstay.
This system is part of a bigger plan to improve EU border security. Many countries are moving towards digital border systems for better security. The UK is also implementing its own digital border controls.

In 2025, the EU is due to introduce a separate system, called the European Travel Information and Authorization System (ETIAS). ETIAS will require a payment of €7. It has not launched meaning you cannot apply or pay for one yet, and anything claiming you must pay for EES is incorrect and fraudulent.