Holiday Healthcare ‘Fit for Travel’ Checklist

Getting ready for that trip can be stressful and fun. With all that excitement though you could forget to pack those all essential must haves. Here at Home Health UK we are able to help make sure that you are ‘fit for travel’ with everything you need to get you through your holiday without disaster striking, before you have even made it to the airport!

Checkout our holiday healthcare checklist to help you remember those essential items you need for your holiday trip. Some of these may not be specifically healthcare items but you’ll feel pretty stressed if you forget any of them. This list is not extensive or exhaustive, more of a place to get started.

There are many different sources of information available, we’ve added links to some of the items so you can get additional information for the more important items.

Click here to download a copy if you want a printable list.

The Essentials

For example in China you will need a doctor’s letter for any prescription drugs and in Japan some cold medication such as Vicks is illegal if it contains pseudoephedrine.

Gov.uk article on travelling with controlled drugs.

BBC News article about travelling with controlled drugs.

Extra Tips for travelling with medicine:

• • carry medicines (including those bought over the counter) in their correctly labelled container, as issued by the pharmacist, in hand luggage;
  • consider packing a spare supply of medication in the hold luggage in case of loss of hand luggage;
  • a letter from the prescriber detailing the medicines with the generic names for the medications can be helpful for border control checks, and in case medicines have to be replaced or medical help is required;
  • carry a note from the prescribing physician on letterhead stationery for controlled substances and injection medications;
  • take out an appropriate level of travel health insurance including repatriation and specific cover for any pre-existing illnesses.

Source: Travel Health Pro

Any medical aids you need, such as blood glucose monitor, for people with diabetes. Also make sure you have plenty of consumables such as lancets and test strips. Remember if you require insulin injections to get a doctors note explaining the items that you need to take to control your condition.

Vaccination documents (if needed)

Malaria treatment check with the Foreign and Commonwealth Office for the latest malaria advice via NHS Fit For Travel.

Foreign Currency.

Flight tickets/boarding pass.

Hotel booking details.

Driving Licence (if needed).

Phones and chargers.

Medicines

• Headache and Pain Relief (Paracetamol 500mg) caplets;
• Diarrhoea Relief (Loperamide) 2mg tablets;
• Indigestion and Acid Reflux Relief (Ranitidine) 75mg tablets;
• Hayfever and Allergy Relief (Cetirizine Hydrochloride) 10mg tablets;
• Lipsore Cold Sore Cream (Aciclovir) 5% w/w Cream 2g;
• Sting, Bite and Itch Cream (Hydrocortisone 1% – 10g) Cream;
• Fungal Infection Cream. (Clotrimazole cream 1% – 20g);

The above over the counter medicines are available in our holiday medications pack available in our online pharmacy or by clicking here.