In short: A travel health consultation is a one-to-one appointment where a trained clinician reviews your itinerary, health and vaccination history, checks current outbreak and entry-requirement information, and agrees a personal plan. That plan may include vaccines, advice on malaria prevention, and practical guidance on bites, food and water, and staying well abroad. You leave with written information and a record of anything given.

This guide, written by a Ready Health prescribing pharmacist, explains step by step what happens at a travel appointment at our clinic in Standish, Wigan.

Why book a travel health consultation?

Health risks abroad depend on much more than the country you visit. Your activities, accommodation, length of stay, medical conditions and medicines all change what is recommended. A consultation turns general destination information into advice that fits you, in line with UK guidance from UKHSA and the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC).

What happens during a travel health consultation?

1. Time to talk through your trip

We typically allow 15 to 30 minutes, and longer for complex trips, so that your itinerary, health and questions can be covered properly.

2. A risk assessment

The clinician will ask about:

every destination, including stopovers, and whether you will be in cities or rural areas
dates and length of stay
planned activities, such as trekking, diving, high altitude or contact with animals
accommodation
your medical history, current medicines and allergies
pregnancy, breastfeeding or plans to conceive
previous vaccinations and any past reactions

3. Checking up-to-date sources

We check TravelHealthPro (NaTHNaC) country information and outbreak alerts, UKHSA guidance including the Green Book and malaria prevention guidelines, and entry requirements such as proof of yellow fever vaccination or meningococcal vaccination for Hajj and Umrah.

4. Prioritising the most important risks

If time before departure is short, or you have a budget in mind, we focus on the risks most relevant to your trip. Examples include malaria prevention for parts of Africa and Asia, hepatitis A and typhoid where sanitation is limited, and rabies advice for travellers likely to be near animals.

5. Agreeing a plan

Depending on your assessment, the plan may include:

checking routine vaccines are up to date, such as MMR and tetanus, diphtheria and polio
travel vaccines recommended for your itinerary
whether malaria prevention is needed and which option, if any, is suitable (antimalarials are supplied only after individual assessment by a prescriber or pharmacist)
advice on travellers' diarrhoea, altitude, sun and heat, insect bites and travelling with your regular medicines

You will be told about any costs before treatment and can ask questions at every stage.

6. Safe vaccination

Before any vaccine, the clinician confirms consent, checks for reasons to delay or avoid it, explains common side effects, and records the vaccine, batch number and date. Please let us know if you feel unwell on the day.

7. Written information and records

Verbal advice can be hard to remember, so we provide written information and a record of your vaccines. If you need a yellow fever vaccine, it can only be given at a registered centre, which also issues the International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis.

8. Follow-up doses

Some vaccines need a course of doses. We will agree dates that fit before you travel.

Frequently asked questions

How long does a travel consultation take?

Usually 15 to 30 minutes, depending on the complexity of your trip.

How far in advance should I book?

The NHS advises at least 4 to 6 weeks before departure. If you are leaving sooner, still book: some protection and advice can be arranged at short notice.

Will I definitely need vaccines?

Not necessarily. Some trips need no travel vaccines at all, just advice and a check of routine immunisations.

Can the whole family be seen together?

Each traveller needs their own assessment, as recommendations vary with age and health. Let us know when booking so appointments can be arranged.

Key takeaways

A travel consultation is a personal risk assessment, not just a vaccine appointment.
Bring your itinerary, medicines list and vaccine records.
Advice follows current UKHSA and NaTHNaC guidance.
You leave with a written plan and a record of anything given.

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.

Ready to plan your trip? Book a travel health consultation at Ready Health, 22 High Street, Standish, Wigan, convenient for Chorley, Bolton and Horwich.

What Happens at a Travel Health Consultation?