The starting point
Destination review
Destination review
Current recommendations for the specific countries and regions on your itinerary, which change over time and are not the same across a whole country.
Travel health, six weeks before you fly.
Destination-based advice and travel vaccination. Book early — some vaccines need more than one dose, and some need time to become effective before you leave.
Open Monday to Friday, 8:30am – 5:00pm. No referral needed to see a GP.
We are a Medicare Bulk Billing Practice. Standard consultations are bulk billed for eligible patients with a valid Medicare card.
- Six to eight weeks aheadSome vaccines need a course, or time to work
- Destination-specificAdvice depends on where, when and how you are travelling
- Private cost for mostTravel vaccines are usually not funded — quoted first
We are a Medicare Bulk Billing Practice
Now Accepting New Patients
Walk-ins Welcome
Shop 12, 297–299 Brisbane Water Drive, West Gosford NSW 2250
Open Mon–Fri 8:30am – 5:00pm
Travel health
Where you are going changes everything.
A fortnight in a resort and three months backpacking through the same country are entirely different consultations. So a travel appointment starts with the itinerary: where, when, how long, what sort of accommodation, whether you are going rural, and what you will be doing.
From that we work out which vaccines apply, whether malaria prevention needs discussing, and the practical things that actually cause most travellers grief — food and water, insect bites, altitude, and what to do if you get sick a long way from home.
Bring this to the appointment
- Your itinerary — countries, dates, and whether you are going rural.
- Your immunisation history, including anything given overseas.
- A list of your current medicines.
- Any medical conditions, and whether you are pregnant or planning to be.
- Your departure date. It determines what is still possible.
What it covers
What a travel consultation covers.
Not every item applies to every trip. Tap a card for the detail.
Usually private
Travel vaccines
Travel vaccines
Which vaccines apply, how many doses, and how long before departure they need to start. Most travel vaccines are bought privately rather than funded — reception will tell you the cost before anything is ordered.
Often overdue
Routine vaccines
Routine vaccines
Travel is when people discover their tetanus, measles or whooping cough cover has lapsed. Several of these are free on the National Immunisation Program.
Where relevant
Malaria prevention
Malaria prevention
Whether it applies at all depends on the region and season. Where it does, there are options with different trade-offs, and it is a discussion rather than a default.
The most common problem
Traveller's diarrhoea
Traveller's diarrhoea
Far and away the thing most likely to spoil a trip. We cover prevention, what to do about mild cases, and when it needs more than fluids.
If you are going high
Altitude
Altitude
Relevant for trekking and for some cities that are higher than people realise. Ascent rate matters more than fitness.
Worth planning
Travelling with a condition
Travelling with a condition
Medicines across borders, carrying documentation, insulin and cold chain, time zones and dosing, and what to do if you need care while away.
Tell us where you have been
Coming home unwell
Coming home unwell
If you develop a fever after travel, particularly from a malaria region, say where you have been when you ring. It changes what we look for and how quickly you need to be seen.
How it works here
Timing and cost.
How far ahead should I book?
Six to eight weeks before departure is the useful window, because some vaccines are given as a course and some take time to become effective. If you are leaving sooner, still come — there is usually something worth doing.
What does it cost?
The consultation is bulk billed with a valid Medicare card. The vaccines themselves are mostly not funded and are charged at the supplier price we pay. Reception will confirm the amount before anything is ordered.
Do I need a yellow fever certificate?
Some countries require proof of yellow fever vaccination for entry, and it can only be given at an approved centre. If your itinerary needs it we will tell you and point you to where it can be done.
Can I get everything in one visit?
Sometimes. Where a vaccine needs multiple doses you will need to come back, which is the main reason to start early.
What if I am pregnant or breastfeeding?
It changes what is suitable, and some live vaccines are not given in pregnancy. Tell us at the start, including if you are planning a pregnancy.
Do I need travel insurance advice?
We are not insurance advisers, but we will tell you if anything in your history is worth declaring, and we can provide a letter about your conditions and medicines if you need one.
Questions
Travel health questions.
How far in advance should I get travel vaccinations?
Ideally six to eight weeks before you fly. Some vaccines are given as a course of doses and some take time to become effective. If you are leaving sooner, book anyway — there is usually still something worth doing.
Are travel vaccines covered by Medicare?
The consultation is bulk billed with a valid Medicare card, but most travel vaccines are not funded and are charged at the supplier price. Reception will tell you the cost before anything is ordered.
What should I bring to a travel health appointment?
Your itinerary with countries and dates, your immunisation history including anything given overseas, a list of your current medicines, and details of any medical conditions.
Do you provide yellow fever vaccination?
Yellow fever vaccine can only be given at an approved vaccination centre. If your itinerary requires it, we will tell you and point you to where it can be done.
I have just come back from overseas and I am unwell.
Ring us and say where you have been. Recent travel — particularly to a malaria region — changes what we look for and how quickly you need to be seen. In an emergency, call 000.
This page is general information for people in the Gosford and Central Coast area. It is not advice about your situation and it does not replace a consultation. If you are worried about a symptom, book an appointment or call us on (02) 4311 3800. In an emergency, call 000.
Book before you book the flights.
Or at least well before you fly. Bring the itinerary and we will work out what applies. All Medicare-eligible consultations are bulk billed for patients with a valid Medicare card.
Open Monday to Friday, 8:30am – 5:00pm · Shop 12, 297–299 Brisbane Water Drive, West Gosford · Serving Gosford, West Gosford, Point Clare, Narara, Wyoming, Springfield, Tascott, Koolewong, East Gosford, Erina, Green Point and Lisarow.