Travel Information

Travel Vaccinations

If you require any vaccinations relating to foreign travel, please complete our online travel form.

Free Vaccinations provided by the NHS

• Hepatitis A
• Combined Hepatitis A and B
• Typhoid
• Combined Hepatitis A and typhoid
• Tetanus, diphtheria and polio given as combined vaccine

If you require any vaccines that are not offered on the NHS, as listed above, you will need to go to one of the local private pharmacies.

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Diazepam for Fear of Flying

Why we no longer prescribe Diazepam for flying

The manufacturer of Diazepam specifically recommends AGAINST using diazepam for fear of flying. This means that if your doctor prescribes diazepam for fear of flying, he takes full responsibility for any consequences. These could be severe and is therefore not a risk your doctor is willing to take.

Please read the following concerns about using Diazepam for flying:

• Medicines like diazepam cause longer reaction times and slowed thinking.  In an emergency situation on board an aircraft it is critical that passengers are able to follow the instructions of cabin crew and evacuate QUICKLY. Modern aircraft are designed to be evacuated in around 90 seconds.  If you are under the influence of Diazepam you may not be able to do this, ultimately putting the life of you and other passengers at risk
• Medicines like Diazepam cause you to sleep in a particular way that puts you at increased risk of blood clots (also known as deep vein thrombosis, DVT, or pulmonary embolisms, PEs), which you are already at a slightly increased risk of on an aeroplane
• Diazepam can reduce the amount of oxygen in your body. Flying also has this effect. The effect of flying alone is harmless but when both effects are combined this can put you at increased risk of death, particularly if you already have Asthma, COPD or any other conditions affecting your breathing
• In very rare cases, Diazepam can make people agitated and aggressive. This is potentially very dangerous within the confines of an aircraft in the sky
• Some countries, particularly in the Middle East have banned medicines like Diazepam. This means that you will be committing a criminal offence if you take Diazepam into the country. You will therefore only be able to take it on the way there and may find yourself stuck on the way back
• Diazepam is highly addictive and there is some evidence emerging of a link between Diazepam use and Dementia in later life.

Courses to overcome your fear of flying

Courses to overcome your fear of flying are widely available and we would strongly encourage this instead of Diazepam. Some providers can be found as follows:

• Easyjet
• Flying Without Fear
• Flying With Confidence