Planning for travel

Plan ahead with insurance and medicine before you travel.

Medical advice for travellers

  • Bring a supply Make sure you that have enough supply of all your medications on hand to cover your needs during the entire length of your stay abroad. Plan ahead to allow time to fill your prescriptions. You may need to allow extra time for any weekends or holidays when the pharmacy may be closed, prior to your departure or when you return.
  • Tell your medical team Always inform the nurse/travel clinic regarding your illness and medications and if necessary inform your consultant.
  • Check if you need jabs Check with the practice nurse in your local GP’s surgery to see if you need any vaccinations prior to travel. Some vaccinations are not suitable for people on certain MPD medications or with particular conditions. Check with your GP and/or haematologist to see if vaccinations are suitable for you.
  • Carry your medication If at all possible, bring your medication with you in your hand luggage. You may need to check whether there are any restrictions on medications that you can take into particular countries. If so you will need to obtain a letter from your consultant stating they are necessary for your health.
  • Bring a letter If you are travelling with liquid medicines or with needles, you may want to consider obtaining a letter from your consultant stating why you are carrying these medications, and that liquid medications must be hand-carried, not placed in the hold luggage to avoid the risk of freezing.
  • Pack with care Pack any injections in a suitable container to avoid bending needles during travel. It can be helpful to bring a sharps bin with you so that you have a place to store used needles.
  • Wear a tag Obtain a medical tag if you feel it may be necessary to identify your illness clearly in case of accident or unexpected illness.
  • Plan your equipment Sort out any necessary equipment you may need whilst on holiday such as oxygen or pumps.
  • Protect yourself from the sun Use high-factor sun cream and wearing protective clothing and a hat.
  • Stay hydrated Be alert to the need to stay hydrated on flights and when travelling to sunny climates. Drink plenty of water while travelling to prevent dehydration. You can take other steps to prevent DVTs, such as wearing pressure tights and avoiding staying too sedentary during the flight.
  • Inform the airlines Inform airline if you need disability aids and help whilst booking your flight.
  • Know where to find help When you arrive at your destination, check where the local medical centre is in case you need to use it.

Consider insurance

It is very important to seriously consider getting insurance in case you become ill or have an accident while on holiday to provide medical expenses cover while you are outside the UK and or need to be flown back to the UK in an emergency. Check our travel leaflet for more details.

The European Health Insurance Card

  • A European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) covers you when you travel within mainland Europe, Norway, Liechtenstein, Iceland and Switzerland.
  • The card entitles you to free medical services while in Europe for emergencies, but it does not cover the cost of repatriation.
  • The card covers management of chronic conditions, maternity care and renal dialysis. It reduces many medical costs, and some treatments may be available free of charge.
  • If you are expected to pay towards your medical care while abroad, you may be able to claim back costs on your return to the UK. The amount reimbursed will only be the equivalent cost of care under the NHS. You can claim back  by visiting www.ehic.org.uk (for up to seven days) or 08456062030 (for up to 10 days), or you can obtain an application form from your local post office.

Purchasing coverage

  • Check for exclusion Many insurance companies are reluctant to insure patients who already have an illness and may ask you to take a related exclusion. It is probably advisable not to accept this offer.
  • Provide detail Insurance companies assess all individually. For this reason, when applying for cover it is always useful to provide as much detail as possible. If necessary, you can ask your consultant to write a letter stating your current diagnosis, related problems and medications.