Travel Information

Vaccinations

If you require any vaccinations relating to foreign travel you need to make an appointment with the practice nurse at least 6 – 8 weeks before departure.

It is important to make this initial appointment as early as possible  – at least 6 weeks before you travel.

Some travel vaccines are ordered on a private prescription and these incur a charge over and above the normal prescription charge.  This is because not all travel vaccinations are included in the services provided by the NHS. eg Rabies.

Please download & complete this travel risk assessment form https://richmondlocksurgery.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/sites/17/2023/08/Travel-risk-assessment-form-2018.pdf

and bring in a printed copy to reception or email to swlicb.richmondlock@nhs.net

Useful links:

https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/malaria/

https://www.fitfortravel.nhs.uk/home

Phobia (flying)

FEAR OF FLYING

Patients come to us, asking us to prescribe diazepam for fear of flying. There are a number of very good reasons why prescribing this drug is not recommended.

1) Diazepam is a sedative, which means it makes you sleepy and more relaxed. If there is an emergency during the flight it may impair your ability to concentrate, follow instructions and react to the situation. This could have serious safety consequences for you and those around you.

2) Sedative drugs can make you fall asleep, however when you do sleep it is an unnatural non-REM sleep. This means you won’t move around as much as during natural sleep. This can cause you to be at increased risk of developing a blood clot (DVT) in the leg or even the lung. Blood clots are very dangerous and can even prove fatal. This risk is even greater if your flight is greater than 4 hours.

3) Whilst most people find benzodiazepines like diazepam sedating, a small number have paradoxical agitation and increased aggression. They can also cause disinhibition and lead you to behave in a way that you would not normally. This could impact on your safety as well as that of other passengers and could also get you into trouble with the law.

4) According to the prescribing guidelines doctors follow (BNF) Benzodiazepines are contraindicated (not allowed) in treating phobia. Your doctor would be taking a significant legal risk by prescribing against these guidelines. They are only licensed short term for a crisis in generalised anxiety. If this is the case, you should be getting proper care and support for your mental health and not going on a flight.

5) Diazepam and similar drugs are illegal in a number of countries. They may be confiscated or you may find yourself in trouble with the police.

6) Diazepam stays in your system for quite a while. If your job requires you to submit to random drug testing you may fail this having taken diazepam .We appreciate that fear of flying is very real and very frightening. A much better approach is to tackle this properly with a Fear of Flying course run by the airlines. We have listed a number of these below.

Easy Jet  Fear of flying course | Fearless Flyer (easyjet.com)

British Airways     Glasgow fear of flying courses | Flying With Confidence

 Virgin     Tips For Nervous Flyers | Advice For Nervous Flyers | Virgin Atlantic