Please Note: We are not obliged to offer a travel immunisation service.

However, we do so for the benefit of our patients BUT this means that we may not always be able to help you if you are travelling last minute. In this circumstance, you would need to obtain your vaccinations privately and pay a fee.

You can find a  private clinic in the Solihull and Birmingham area by visiting masta.com, or telephoning 03301004128.

---

General Travel Advice

firfortravel

fitfortravel is a public access website provided by the NHS (Scotland). It gives
travel health information for people travelling abroad from the UK – you can access this website below.

Important information to read before going travelling regarding taking prescription medication with you and what we can and cant prescribe can be found here.

---

Telephone Travel Appointments

Going travelling – home or abroad? Then we can help.

Our nurses offer telephone travel appointments, so if you think you might need immunisations, please book one of these appointments at least 6 weeks in advance. Some vaccinations cannot be given at the same time and some take a while before they give you full protection. However, even if you are traveling at short notice, please still book a telephone advice appointment as we will need time to obtain your medical records for your consultation.

If it is decided that you do need further immunisation, then the nurse will book an appointment for you to come into the surgery. Before you attend, you will need to print off and complete a travel questionnaire by clicking on this link. If you are taking children with you, you should check that they have had their full course of childhood immunisations.

If you need anti malaria medication, your practice nurse will be able to advise you.

We have a travel safety leaflet for you to look at for further information.

For Hajj and cruise, these leaflets may be of information.

If you need to take medication whilst you are away, make sure you have ordered this from us before you go. Please note that we can only give a maximum three month supply.

Due to changes in the way that the NHS cover our nurses, we are no longer able to provide you with private travel vaccinations which include

• hepatitis B
• Japanese encephalitis
• meningitis vaccines includes MENACWY usually required for pilgrimages, nor can we issue a certificate
• rabies
• tick-borne encephalitis
• tuberculosis (TB)
• yellow fever

---

Health Insurance

This is often the very last item on a traveller’s checklist, yet it is perhaps the most important of all. Cover should be arranged at the time you book your holiday

---

Global Health Insurance Card

A UK Global Health Insurance Card (GHIC) gives you the right to access state-provided healthcare during a temporary stay in the European Union (EU). Applying for the card is free. However, other, unofficial, websites may charge you if you apply through them.

---

Pre-travel Risk Assessment Form

This form is to be completed by the traveller prior to vaccination appointment, one will be needed for each family member
the following vaccines should not be prescribed on the NHS exclusively for the purposes of travel (in England):

• Hepatitis B
• Japanese Encephalitis
• Meningitis ACWY
• Yellow Fever
• Tick-borne encephalitis
• Rabies
• BCG

These vaccines should continue to be recommended for travel but the individual traveller will need to bear the cost of the vaccination

Everyone with diabetes has the right to an annual foot check.

Your foot check is part of your 15 healthcare essentials, which means you’re entitled to it and it’s free on the NHS. This is because you’re more likely to have serious foot problems and these can lead to amputations.

Diabetes leads to 169 amputations a week.

That’s 24 amputations a day and 1 amputation every hour. Going to your foot checks and knowing the signs to look out for could prevent this from happening.

In most cases, serious foot problems can be prevented. You can do this by checking your feet yourself every day, and having a foot check at least once a year that’s arranged by your GP practice. Everyone with diabetes should have an annual foot check, so make sure you get yours – even if you’ve been referred to a foot specialist or clinic. They will check your feet but also tell you your level of risk of foot problems.

What happens at your foot check

It will usually be at your GP surgery as part of your annual diabetes checks. 

You’ll need to take off any dressings and footwear, including socks and tights. Your feet will be examined. Numbness or changes in sensation (also known as neuropathy) will be tested with a special piece of equipment. They’ll also check your shoes to make sure they’re not causing any problems.

You’ll also be asked lots of questions about your feet and how you manage your diabetes. Such as: 

• Have you had any problems or noticed any changes like cuts, blisters, broken skin, corns?
• Have you ever had any foot problems or wounds?
• Have you had any pain or discomfort?
• How often do you check your feet?
• Do you have any cramp-like pains when walking?
• How well are you managing your diabetes?

To help you get the best out of your foot check, we’ve made a short guide on your annual foot check (PDF, 41KB) that explains what you should expect and give you a space to record results. 

Know your risk of a foot problem

Your healthcare team will tell you your results and how much you’re at risk of a foot problem. These include:

• Low – no risk, or a callus without any other problem.
• Moderate – one sign of a foot problem, such as a loss of sensation or a change in foot shape.
• High – more than one sign of a foot problem, or a previous ulcer or amputation.

You might also hear your healthcare professional say your level of foot problem is active. This means you have highly serious foot complications, such as a spreading infection or ulcer and you should be having treatment for it already.

You’ll get information that explains what your level of risk means, and be told what you need to do next. If your feet are moderate or high, you’ll be referred to the foot protection team where you’ll see a foot specialist.

We have a doctors’ and nurses’ phone clinic where we can give advice on minor ailments over the phone. Please ring the surgery for more information.

Our practice is recognised for post-graduate medical training. Each year a fully qualified doctor joins us as a Registrar in General Practice. Occasionally we may ask for your permission to videotape your consultation – doctors will only see this and this will be used for training purposes only.

Our practice is also active in undertaking various research projects, which include new approaches to treating various diseases. You may be requested to participate in these research projects but participation is purely voluntary.

All medicals for insurance, HGV licences, driving, elderly drivers etc. can be arranged via the receptionists. These are not covered by the NHS and a fee will be payable.

When you join the Practice as a new patient, you will be offered a new patient check. If you are on repeat medication, this will be with one of our doctors, if not, then please book to see our health care assistant. You will be weighed, have your urine checked and be asked a series of health questions, this will also give you the opportunity to raise any concerns you might have.

Confidential advice on contraception, emergency contraception and sexual health is offered during all clinics. This is a nurse led service.

You may also find the information on the Umbrella website useful – you can order self test kits, speak to them for advice and arrange an appointment.

All adults should be immunised against tetanus every ten years. If you are travelling abroad and think you may need immunisation, please make an appointment with the practice nurse at least eight weeks in advance. See our travel health page for more information.

We provide a comprehensive service for minor surgery (mainly skin lesions) and joint injections. Dr Crichton is mainly responsible for minor surgery, so we advise seeing him in a routine appointment to discuss any treatment.

Patients with existing heart disease or with known risk factors can be seen on a regular basis, in order to monitor blood pressure, diet and blood cholesterol levels.