Why do I need a travel consult?
A travel health consult before you leave reduces your chance of coming home sick, being turned away at the border due to the wrong vaccines, or having your trip cancelled or cut short due to illness or medical evacuation.
Did you know travel health is more than just vaccinations? At Southwest Travel Clinic we perform a comprehensive travel health consultation. This means finding out your itinerary including not just which countries but which places, your planned activities, potential animal exposure, your medical history, previous travel, and much more.
Your consult will include assessment of which routine vaccinations you may need boosters of, which travel related vaccines you may need, whether your destination requires an International Certificate of Vaccination or other documents for entry, whether you need medication to reduce the chance of altitude sickness, whether you should be vaccinated for rabies, whether you need medication to reduce the chance of Malaria, what over the counter and prescribed medications you should travel with, how travel might affect your regular medical conditions and medications, and what precautions to take for non vaccine preventable diseases.
What should I bring to my travel consult?
Please bring your itinerary if you know it, any previous travel vaccination records (sometimes these are in a small yellow book with your passport), and any other travel related information you have. If you are not a usual patient of this practice please bring a summary of your medical history and regular medications if you can.
How long before travelling should I come in?
You will generally need at least 2 consultations, so please do not leave travel vaccinations to the last minute. Ideally come in 4-6 weeks before travelling.
Will my normal doctor get the records?
Any vaccinations given will be uploaded to the Australian Immunisation Register which every GP can access. Any prescriptions can be viewed on My Health Record. If you would like your consult notes printed out we can do that on request but the information on My Health Record and AIR is usually sufficient.
What if I’m scared of needles?
This is really common, and absolutely something we can work around. It is important to come in and discuss your options with us as early as possible. A small number of vaccinations and preventative medications can be given via tablets. We will devise a schedule using combined vaccines wherever possible to reduce the number of injections if needed. When a needle is necessary, we have lots of helpful advice and techniques to reduce pain, including numbing cream, distraction, medication, and devices such as the Buzzy and Shotblocker.
I have a complex health condition. Can I travel safely?
At Southwest travel clinic all our travel doctors are also GPs. We are experienced in managing complex health problems and can help you work out a plan to travel safely, whether it means advising on insulin dose adjustment, working out which vaccines are safe for your condition, or helping arrange access to medical care overseas.
How to Make an Appointment
We offer an online booking system through our website, allowing patients to select a time that suits their schedule for a travel medicine consultation. Alternatively, patients can call our clinic directly to speak with our friendly administrative staff, who can assist with booking appointments and answer any initial queries about our travel medicine services. We encourage travellers to schedule their consultation well in advance of their planned departure date to allow sufficient time for any necessary vaccinations to become effective and for any follow-up appointments that may be required. If you are travelling very soon and a last minute appointment is needed, please phone.
Please book at least 20 minutes for a travel consult, and bring with you your itinerary if you know it, and any vaccination records you have. If multiple people are going on the same holiday, it is easiest to book appointments back to back if possible. If you have previously been given a yellow travel vaccination booklet it is especially important to bring this with you.
