Door to Door: a travel guide for disabled peopleBefore you travel: Medical preparationsImprovements are gradually but constantly being made to public transport vehicles and interchanges to make them more easily accessible. There is often a choice of different ways to make a journey. The biggest problem for many disabled people is knowing where to find advice and information to help you choose the travel option that best meets your particular travel needs. If you are going abroad, you should always check any special health requirements for the country you are visiting. Vaccinations may be required, or advisable, against certain diseases, especially for 'third world countries'. However, vaccination may not be possible for people with known allergies or certain medical conditions. If this applies to you, you can get an Exemption Certificate from your Doctor or Consultant well before your date of travel. If you are taking medication or medical equipment with you, make sure that it will last you for your stay. Always ensure that medicines and tablets are clearly labelled on the outside of the containers. It is a good idea to get a letter from your doctor to say that you need the medication and perhaps list them in case you lose them or need to obtain a further supply. You may also wish to check with the relevant Embassy, Consulate or High Commission whether there are any restrictions on taking your medication into the country you are visiting. You should be aware that some medicines prescribed by your doctor may contain controlled drugs. If you need to take with you more than the permitted allowance, you will need to get a licence from the Home Office before you travel. Details of the controlled drugs, allowances and how to apply for a licence, if necessary, are available in HMCE Notice 4, 1998, which can be downloaded from HM Customs and Excise website at: customs.hmrc.gov.uk/channelsPortalWebApp/downloadFile?contentID=HMCE_CL_001589. If you are going abroad, you should always check any special health requirements for the country you are visiting. Vaccinations may be required, or advisable, against certain diseases, especially for 'third world countries'. However, vaccination may not be possible for people with known allergies or certain medical conditions. If this applies to you, you can get an Exemption Certificate from your Doctor or Consultant well before your date of travel. If you are taking medication or medical equipment with you, make sure that it will last you for your stay. Always ensure that medicines and tablets are clearly labelled on the outside of the containers. It is a good idea to get a letter from your doctor to say that you need the medication and perhaps list them in case you lose them or need to obtain a further supply. You may also wish to check with the relevant Embassy, Consulate or High Commission whether there are any restrictions on taking your medication into the country you are visiting. If you are travelling to another country in the 'European Economic Area (EEA)' and you are a UK National, you may get free or reduced rate emergency medical treatment while you are there. Only emergency treatment is covered, which is provided on the same basis as for its own Nationals. Until the end of 2005 you could obtain this benefit if you held a form E111. The E111 is no longer valid; from January 2006 it has been replaced by the European Health Insurance Card (EHIC), which offers the same benefits. You can apply for the EHIC by post (application form available from post offices) by telephone or on line at: www.dh.gov.uk/en/Healthcare/Healthadvicefortravellers/Gettingtreatmentaroundtheworld/EEAandSwitzerland/DH_4114793. If you will need continuing medical treatment such as blood tests, medication, or injections when abroad, you will need Form E112. You can get full details of health care and advice for travellers abroad in a free booklet "Health Advice for Travellers" - containing further information about both the EHIC and E112 and how to obtain them - published by the Department of Health, available from post offices, or by telephoning 08701 55 54 55 at any time (quoting "T7.1 Health Advice for Travellers"), free of charge, or at: www.dh.gov.uk/en/Publicationsandstatistics/Publications/PublicationsPolicyAndGuidance/DH_4123441. This web page also includes information about UK health services for travellers to the UK. You can not use an EHIC or E112 if you are travelling outside the EEA, for example to America. You will normally have to pay for any medical treatment at the time that you receive it and then claim it back on your holiday insurance when you return home. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, can give advice and information on visa requirements, personal safety, local laws and customs. They have a list of countries which could be quite dangerous to visit and produce a set of very helpful leaflets called "Dos and Don'ts" for many countries (www.fco.gov.uk) or telephone 0870 606 0290. Medical Advisory Services for Travellers (MASTA) (www.masta.org) was set up in 1984 at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine. They provide information on health matters related to travel abroad. Updated: 26.05.07 | Contact: dptac@dft.gsi.gov.uk |