Travellers to some countries may be required or advised to have vaccinations against certain diseases that they are more likely to catch when abroad. These vary according to the country €“ or even part of a country €“ being visited, so it is vital for customers to get the latest information on the risks they face once they have reached their destination.

Your pharmacist will be able to provide advice on this, and is likely to refer to a website such as the National Travel Health Network and Centre (NaTHNaC), NHS Fit for Travel or the Government's Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO). Some diseases, such as tetanus and polio, are protected against as part of the UK's childhood vaccination programme, but it is important to check that people have had all the injections they should have done or whether a booster dose is necessary.

Other illnesses are not routinely vaccinated against, and only hepatitis A, cholera, typhoid, and the combined diphtheria, polio and tetanus injection are usually available free of charge on the NHS. Others can be provided on a private (paid for) basis, including hepatitis B, rabies, tuberculosis, and Japanese encephalitis, and it is worth bearing in mind that some countries require travellers to prove they have had certain inoculations before they are allowed to enter. Examples of this include Saudi Arabia which requires visitors making Hajj and Umrah pilgrimages to have been protected against certain types of meningitis, and several South American and African countries, which will not admit anyone who has come from or recently been to an area where there is yellow fever unless they can prove they have been vaccinated against it.

Some GP surgeries provide travel advice and injections, but services are also available from some pharmacies and specialist clinics. It is worth maintaining a list of where customers can go if they need to.