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First Aid and Medical help abroad


Talk to your GP

Wherever you are going, it is advisable to check with your doctor or pharmacist before heading out for medical advice and any required vaccinations. Immunisation and treatment for a number of contagious diseases such as Typhoid, Hepatitis types A and B, Malaria, Rabies and Tetanus are available from your local GP.


Do your homework on your destination and find out about any potential health risks - if, for example, you're heading out to popular travel destinations such as India and Thailand then protection against malaria is a must. Check the Department of Health and World Health Organisation websites for updates and information on any potential health risks or outbreaks.


Travelling within the EEA

If you are travelling within the EEA (European Economic Area), you should take your EHIC (European Health Insurance card) with you.


The old E111 form is no longer valid, and so if you still have this, you will need a European Health Insurance Card (EHIC) to receive necessary healthcare during a visit to an EEA country, or Switzerland. If you do not have one, you can get a form from your local Post Office, or apply online - the EHIC card is free and entitles you to reciprocal health service care in the EEA countries you visit.


However, as not all EEA member states have an equivalent NHS, you will likely have to pay for part of the cost of any treatment you receive as, you're likely to be treated in a private clinic or hospital. This is where your travel insurance policy comes in to cover you later - be sure to keep all hospital and doctors bills with you to support any claim you make when you return home.


Travelling outside the EEA

The UK has healthcare arrangements with other states outside the EEA, which means you will be entitled to some treatment either at reduced cost or free in certain countries.


For example, UK citizens travelling to Australia will be able to qualify for free public hospital treatment after registering at a Medicare office and providing their NHS medical card and evidence of UK residence. Fees for surgeries, prescribed medicines, ambulance travel and dental treatment are not covered by the agreement and will have to be paid for in full - again, retain all bills to support future claims.


The levels of healthcare available differ between countries, and are listed on the Department of Health website.

Countries and states where free or partial healthcare is available to UK citizens currently include:


• Anguilla
• Australia
• Barbados
• Bosnia and Herzegovina
• British Virgin Islands
• Bulgaria
• Channel Islands
• Croatia
• Falkland Islands
• Gibraltar

• Isle of Man
• Macedonia
• Montserrat
• New Zealand
• Romania
• Russia
• St. Helena
• Serbia and Montenegro
• Turks and Caicos Islands
• Former USSR (excl. Belarus, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, and Russia)

If you are travelling to a country not included in the list above, then you should not travel abroad unless you have comprehensive medical insurance, particularly if you are going to the United States. Ask your insurer or a travel agent for advice on your destination and the level of cover you will need.


First aid and other preparations

Be prepared by packing a basic first aid kit along with your regular holiday gear. If you take prescription drugs, take the prescription with you and their generic names. You'll avoid mix-ups with customs officials and, if necessary, can get new supplies.

Put together or buy from a chemist or travel clinic a basic first aid kit, containing antiseptic cream, a packet of good-quality assorted plasters, a sealed bandage, bandage tape, sealed gauze, scissors and tweezers. To this you can add:

  • General painkillers, paracetamol, aspirin
  • Multivitamins and other supplements
  • Screw-top bottles of distilled water
  • Antihistamine cream for soothing rashes, burns and stings
  • Mosquito/insect repellent
  • Decongestant tablets for earache on flights
  • Medicine for diarrhoea, nausea and vomiting
  • Motion-sickness treatments


First aid for children

Travelling with an ill child can be a miserable affair for them and you. The following could be added to a parent's first aid kit:

  • Junior painkillers/painkilling syrup
  • Rehydration treatments, particularly for babies on flights
  • Plastic syringe/spoons for liquid medication
  • Antiseptic wipes
  • High factor suncream/total sunblock
  • Junior decongestant nasal spray
  • An alcohol-based thermometer - not a mercury one

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