Speak To An Expert
Get clear, personalised advice for your situation.
Jot down a few questions to make the most of your conversation.
What to bring to your appointment
For a travel health check before visiting a high-risk country, it helps to bring any documents that give the clinician a full picture of your trip and your health. This makes it easier for them to recommend the right vaccines, medicines and precautions.
Try to gather everything in advance so your appointment can be used efficiently. If you are travelling with family, bring documents for each person who needs advice or treatment.
Your travel details
Bring your full itinerary, including the countries you will visit, the dates you will be away and the areas you will travel through. This is especially important if you are visiting rural areas, spending time in different climate zones or crossing multiple borders.
If you already know your accommodation, work placement, safari plans, cruise route or volunteer project details, bring those too. These details can affect the health risks you may face and the vaccinations you may need.
Your vaccination records
Take your vaccination history with you, including your NHS record if you have one. This may be a printed summary, a note from your GP practice, or details from the NHS App if your records are available there.
If you have had travel vaccines before, bring any proof of these as well. Having accurate records avoids unnecessary repeat jabs and helps the clinician decide what boosters or new vaccines you may need.
Your medical information
Bring a list of any medical conditions you have, such as asthma, diabetes, epilepsy, heart disease or immune-related conditions. It is also useful to mention any past illnesses, allergies, pregnancy, or if you are trying to conceive.
If you take regular medicines, bring a list of them, including the dose and how often you take them. If possible, bring the actual medicines or a recent repeat prescription so the clinician can check names and strengths accurately.
Documents for children and older travellers
If you are arranging a travel health check for a child, bring their red book or any child health record, plus their vaccination details. This helps the clinician check whether they are up to date with routine and travel-related vaccines.
Older travellers may also benefit from bringing information about long-term conditions, previous surgeries and any recent changes in medication. The more complete the information, the more tailored the advice can be.
Useful extras to take along
It can also help to bring your passport, especially if you need your name written exactly as it appears on official travel documents. Some travel vaccines or certificates may need your details recorded correctly.
If you have insurance documents, a GP summary, or any letters from specialists, bring those too if relevant. These are not always required, but they can be useful when your health needs are more complex.
Frequently Asked Questions
Typically you should bring a valid passport or government ID, your appointment confirmation, any vaccination records, a current medication list, previous medical summaries if relevant, and any country-specific forms requested by the clinic or destination.
Review the destination health requirements, gather identification and immunization records, complete any pre-visit forms, and bring details about your travel dates, itinerary, and planned activities so the clinician can advise appropriately.
Vaccination records help the clinician confirm what vaccines you have already received and what additional vaccines or boosters may be recommended or required for your destination.
Yes, you can usually attend without full medical records, but bringing any recent summaries, medication lists, and known diagnoses helps the clinician make safer and more accurate recommendations.
For children, bring a passport or ID if available, vaccination history, the child’s medication list, any relevant medical letters, and a parent or guardian who can provide consent if required.
A passport or official government ID is usually required to verify identity, and some clinics may also use it to match your travel details and documentation.
Yes, bring a complete medication list including prescription drugs, over-the-counter medicines, supplements, doses, and how often you take them, because this can affect travel advice and vaccine planning.
Useful itinerary details include the countries and cities you will visit, entry and exit dates, stopovers, rural or urban stays, planned activities, and whether you will have healthcare, outdoor, or exposure risks.
Lab results are not always required, but they may be needed in special cases such as chronic illness management, immunocompromised status, or destination-specific medical clearance.
It is best to gather documents several weeks before travel, ideally 4 to 8 weeks in advance, because some vaccines, forms, or follow-up appointments may take time to complete.
Many destinations or clinics may require proof of vaccination, especially for yellow fever, polio, meningococcal disease, or routine immunizations, depending on where you are traveling.
If you lost your vaccination card, try to request records from your doctor, pharmacy, school, or public health registry, and bring any available documentation or digital records to the appointment.
Digital copies may be accepted for some documents, but it is wise to bring printed copies as well because clinics and border authorities may prefer original or easily verifiable paperwork.
Forms may include travel health questionnaires, consent forms, medical history forms, vaccine consent forms, or destination-specific certificates that the clinic or country requires.
Insurance documents are not always required for the health check itself, but bringing your travel or health insurance details is helpful in case the clinic needs coverage information or you need follow-up care.
You should document chronic conditions, allergies, immune disorders, pregnancy, recent surgeries, heart or lung disease, and any other condition that could affect vaccine safety or travel risk.
A doctor’s letter may be useful or required if you have a complex medical history, need special medications or equipment, or require an exemption or additional explanation for destination health rules.
Keep your documents in one folder with identification, vaccination records, medication list, travel itinerary, medical summaries, and any forms arranged in an easy-to-access order for the clinician.
If you forget documents, the clinic may still see you, but recommendations could be delayed or less precise, and you may need to return with records or have forms completed later.
Some high-risk destinations require country-specific health certificates or proof of vaccination, so check your destination rules and ask the clinic whether any official certificates are needed.
Ergsy Search Results
This website offers general information and is not a substitute for professional advice.
Always seek guidance from qualified professionals.
If you have any medical concerns or need urgent help, contact a healthcare professional or emergency services immediately.
Some of this content was generated with AI assistance. We've done our best to keep it accurate, helpful, and human-friendly.
- Ergsy carefully checks the information in the videos we provide here.
- Videos shown by Youtube after a video has completed, have NOT been reviewed by ERGSY.
- To view, click the arrow in centre of video.
- Most of the videos you find here will have subtitles and/or closed captions available.
- You may need to turn these on, and choose your preferred language.
- Go to the video you'd like to watch.
- If closed captions (CC) are available, settings will be visible on the bottom right of the video player.
- To turn on Captions, click settings.
- To turn off Captions, click settings again.