What Information Do We Need at a Travel Health Consultation?

In short: At a travel health consultation we ask where you are going, when you leave, how long you will stay, what you will be doing, where you will sleep, and about your health, medicines and vaccination history. These answers let a clinician work out your personal risks and recommend only the vaccines, antimalarials and advice you actually need. Having the details ready makes the appointment quicker and the advice more accurate.

This guide, written by a Ready Health prescribing pharmacist, explains what information we need before a travel appointment at our clinic in Standish, Wigan, and why each question matters.

Why does a travel clinic ask so many questions?

There is no single vaccine list for a country. Recommendations depend on the individual traveller and the trip. UK travel health professionals follow a structured risk assessment, based on guidance from the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC, TravelHealthPro) and the UKHSA Green Book, so that advice is safe, proportionate and personal to you.

What information should I bring to my travel consultation?

1. Your destinations and itinerary

List every country you will visit, including stopovers, and whether you will be in cities, rural areas, at altitude or near water or forests. Risks such as malaria, rabies, dengue or Japanese encephalitis can vary between regions of the same country, so detail matters.

2. Your departure date and length of stay

Some vaccines need a course of doses spread over weeks, and protection takes time to develop. The NHS advises getting travel health advice at least 4 to 6 weeks before you travel, and earlier is better for longer trips or multiple destinations. If you are leaving sooner, still come in: accelerated schedules exist for some vaccines, and advice on bites, food and water hygiene and malaria prevention is useful at any point. A longer stay generally means more exposure and can change what is recommended.

3. Why you are travelling and what you will be doing

• Holiday activities such as trekking, diving, cycling or caving
• Work in healthcare, with animals or in remote locations
• Visiting friends and relatives, which often means closer contact with local food, water and communities. Immunity from childhood in another country fades, so these travellers are not automatically protected.
• Pilgrimage or large gatherings, such as Hajj or Umrah, which have specific vaccine requirements

4. Where you will be staying

Air-conditioned hotels, hostels, camping and staying in family homes carry different levels of exposure to mosquitoes, animals and food- and water-borne infections. This helps us judge risks such as malaria, dengue, typhoid and hepatitis A.

5. Your medical history

• Long-term conditions (for example diabetes, heart, lung, kidney or liver disease, epilepsy)
• Conditions or treatments affecting the immune system, including steroids, chemotherapy and biologic medicines, as some live vaccines may not be suitable
• Pregnancy, possible pregnancy or breastfeeding, and plans to become pregnant
• Mental health conditions, which matter when choosing some antimalarials
• Allergies, including any previous reaction to a vaccine, egg, gelatin or antibiotics

6. Your current medicines

Bring a list of prescribed, over-the-counter and herbal medicines. Some interact with antimalarial tablets or affect which vaccines are suitable. We can also advise on carrying medicines abroad, as some countries restrict certain medicines, including some controlled drugs.

7. Your vaccination record

Bring any records you have: NHS App records, a yellow fever certificate, or previous travel clinic cards. This avoids unnecessary repeat doses and shows whether boosters are due, for example tetanus, diphtheria and polio.

8. Your priorities and budget

Some travel vaccines are free on the NHS and others are only available privately. If cost is a concern, tell us. The clinician can explain which protections matter most for your trip and which risks can be reduced through precautions alone.

What happens with this information?

Your clinician uses it to:

• assess your personal travel health risks
• recommend vaccines and a schedule that fits your departure date
• decide whether malaria prevention is needed and, if so, which option is suitable for you (antimalarials are prescription-only medicines and are only supplied after an individual assessment)
• give practical advice on insect bites, food and water, sun and heat, travellers' diarrhoea, and travel insurance

Information is recorded confidentially in your clinical record in line with data protection law.

Frequently asked questions

How far in advance should I book a travel consultation?

At least 4 to 6 weeks before departure if possible, so there is time to complete any vaccine courses. A last-minute appointment is still worthwhile.

What if I do not have my vaccination records?

Check the NHS App or ask your GP practice. If records cannot be found, the clinician will advise based on what is known and current UK guidance.

Do I need to tell you if I am pregnant or trying to conceive?

Yes. Some vaccines and antimalarials are not recommended in pregnancy, and some destinations carry particular risks for pregnant travellers, such as Zika.

Do I need a consultation for every trip?

Risks differ between trips, so a fresh assessment is sensible for each new destination, even if you have travelled before.

Key takeaways

• Travel advice is personal: destination, timing, activities and health all change what is recommended.
• Bring your itinerary, medicines list and vaccination records.
• Book at least 4 to 6 weeks ahead if you can, but late advice is better than none.
• Tell us about pregnancy, immune problems and allergies.

Sources and further reading

• TravelHealthPro (NaTHNaC): risk assessment and risk management checklist
• NHS: travel vaccinations
• UKHSA: Immunisation against infectious disease (the Green Book)
• GOV.UK: foreign travel advice

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? You can book a travel health consultation at Ready Health in Standish, Wigan, convenient for Chorley, Bolton and the surrounding area. A clinician will assess your trip and agree a plan with you.