The Occupational Health Service (OHS) is able to advise staff on all aspects of work related travel health.

• Travel Vaccine Service
• Travel Health Advice
• Travel Health Links
• Further Information

Please note that advice regarding travel vaccinations cannot be given over the telephone; all consultations require a face-to-face consultation with an Occupational Health Adviser (OHA).

Travel Vaccine Service

If a  job hazard form has not been completed at the start of employment, it must be completed and returned to Occupational Health at ohsadmin@ucl.ac.uk  by your manager to confirm that you are travelling abroad for work purposes. Please arrange your appointment well in advance (preferably at least two months) of your departure; immunisations may need to be given over a period of time as some take time to become effective.  Once received the OHS will contact you to arrange an appointment.

However, please contact OHS even if you are going at short notice - some protection may be better than none.

Please note – Requests for appointment within 1 week of travel may be not be granted due to clinic availability at peak times. In such instances you may wish to contact your own GP or a private travel health clinic.

If you need anti-malaria medication, we will advise on and can supply the most appropriate type for your trip.

N.B If you require prescribed medicines while abroad, please discuss this with your General Practitioner. Further information and advice on taking medication out of the UK can be found at Health Advice for Travellers .

To make an appointment with an OHA for travel health advice and immunisation please call 020 7679 2802 (Internal: 32802) At your appointment you will be asked for details of your travel plans, including dates of travel, countries visited on route, destinations and type of accommodation. This allows us to provide you with up to date advice relevant to your trip. Please bring previous vaccinations records with you to your appointment.

For general information on vaccine preventable diseases see: Vaccine Preventable Diseases & Travel

Travel Health Links:

• Health Advice for Travellers is the Department of Health’s website and provides useful guidelines on travel health including how to get treatment overseas.
• The Foreign & Commonwealth Office site offers up to date information on travel safety for destinations through out the world.
• The Hospital for Tropical Diseases A comprehensive website for travellers with particular emphasis on travel related ill-health.
• The World Health Organisation provides details regarding world-wide disease outbreaks.
• MASTA The OHS subscribes to Masta and as part of your consultation you will receive a copy of the relevant Health Brief free of charge.
• Travel and Avian Influenza  Current advice for persons travelling to affected countries. 

Further Information

Travel Safety

Safety Services provide advice on work which is carried out in a location or premises not owned or managed by UCL, i.e. not UCL premises. A risk assessment must be undertaken prior to the commencement of such work.

Further advice is available at http://www.ucl.ac.uk/efd/safety_services_www/guidance/fieldwork/acop.pdf or by contacting your Departmental Safety Officer.

Travel First Aid Packs

You should always take your own first aid pack if travelling to an area with limited medical facilities. Please see Health Advice for Travellers for details of what your pack should contain which can then be purchased from The Hospital for Tropical Diseases. The OHS does not supply first aid packs.

Travel Insurance

You must make arrangements for travel insurance and emergency contact information before travelling. The UCL Finance Division can advise you further.

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