In short: Travel health services help people stay well before, during and after a trip abroad. They provide a personal risk assessment, recommended vaccines, advice on malaria and other preventable illnesses, and practical guidance for staying safe. They also protect public health by reducing the chance of travellers bringing infections such as measles, hepatitis A or typhoid back to the UK.

This guide, written by a Ready Health prescribing pharmacist, explains what travel health services do and why they matter.

What is travel health?

Travel health (sometimes called travel medicine) is the area of healthcare concerned with preventing and managing illness and injury in people who travel. In the UK, it is guided by the UKHSA Green Book, UKHSA malaria prevention guidelines and the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC), which publishes country information and outbreak alerts on TravelHealthPro.

Why are travel health services important?

Preventing illness: many travel infections, such as hepatitis A, typhoid, rabies and Japanese encephalitis, can be prevented or made less likely with vaccines and precautions.
Reducing serious risks: malaria can be fatal, but the risk is much lower when travellers follow bite prevention advice and take antimalarials when recommended.
Keeping up with change: outbreaks, entry requirements and guidance change frequently, and travel clinics check current information before advising.
Personalising advice: the same destination can carry different risks for a backpacker, a business traveller, a pregnant woman or someone with a long-term condition.
Protecting others: preventing infection abroad lowers the chance of passing it on to family and the wider community at home.

What does a travel health service provide?

A personal risk assessment based on your itinerary, activities and health
A check of routine vaccines, such as MMR and tetanus, diphtheria and polio
Travel vaccines recommended for your trip, or required for entry to some countries (yellow fever vaccine is only given at registered centres)
Advice on whether malaria prevention is needed and which option is suitable, following individual assessment
Guidance on food and water hygiene, insect bites, sun and heat, altitude, and travellers' diarrhoea
Advice on travelling with medicines and on travel insurance
Extra support for children, pregnant travellers, older people and those with long-term conditions

Who provides travel health services in the UK?

Travel advice and vaccines are available from some GP surgeries (which can give certain travel vaccines free on the NHS), community pharmacies, private travel clinics, occupational health services, and specialist services for groups such as the armed forces and students. Not every GP surgery offers travel services, so it is worth checking early.

When should I get travel health advice?

The NHS recommends seeking advice at least 4 to 6 weeks before you travel, as some vaccines need several doses or time to work. Even if you are leaving at short notice, advice on bite prevention, food and water safety and malaria is still worthwhile.

Frequently asked questions

Do I need travel advice for a trip within Europe?

Often not for vaccines, but it is still worth checking routine immunisations and any outbreaks, for example tick-borne encephalitis in forested areas or measles.

What should I do if I become unwell after travelling?

See a doctor and tell them where you have been. A fever after visiting a malaria area needs same-day assessment.

Is travel health advice only for exotic destinations?

No. Any trip can raise health questions, such as travelling with medicines, pregnancy, or managing a long-term condition abroad.

Key takeaways

Travel health covers advice, vaccines and prevention before, during and after travel.
Advice is personal and based on current UK guidance.
Seek advice at least 4 to 6 weeks before departure where possible.
Preventing infection abroad protects you and people at home.

Sources and further reading

Last reviewed: October 2026 by Shamir Patel, Independent Prescribing Pharmacist, Ready Health. This article is general information and does not replace advice from your own clinician.

Planning a trip from Wigan, Standish, Chorley or Bolton? Book a travel health consultation at Ready Health and a clinician will help you prepare.

Why Travel Health Services Matter: Staying Safe Abroad