Don't leave it too late - why it's worth visiting the pharmacy before you go on holiday

You've saved up for months, picked the perfect resort, booked your flights and even gone online to check out review of all the local restaurants.

But no matter how carefully you've planned your trip, health problems aboard can ruin a holiday.

Spending a little bit of time to prepare can help you avoid common holiday health issues.

And with practical guidance available from your local pharmacist, such as at Boots, it is quick and convenient to take care of your holiday health on the high street before you go.

Here we explore some of the other ways Boots can help you take care of your holiday health.

Travel vaccinations and anti-malarial medicine

Most Boots pharmacies offer the Malaria Prevention Service, which can help identify if anti-malarials are required for your particular trip.

You should also consider whether you may need any travel vaccinations before you set off.

The Boots Travel Vaccinations and Health Advice Service is available in 280 stores across the UK.*

Each of those stores has a specially-trained travel health pharmacist offering advice and information on vaccinations and antimalarial medicines tailored to you and your trip.

Book an appointment

The first step is to go online and book an appointment at your nearest store offering the Boots Travel Vaccinations and Health Advice Service.

Your pharmacist will ask a few simple questions about when and where you are travelling, and then check whether any vaccinations or anti-malarial medications are recommended. If they are, the pharmacist will carry out a more detailed consultation, including doing a personalised risk assessment just for you.

To find out more, visit the website www.boots.com/travelhealth

Have a consultation on the high street

Boots pharmacists will help you to prepare for your trip, and with weekend and evening appointments available, it is simple and convenient to fit into your routine – ideal if you can’t get extra time off work.

Advance booking is advised, although walk-in appointments may be available in some stores.

Spend a little time preparing

Your local pharmacy advisor can advise you on most everyday holiday issues such as protecting yourself from the sun, how to avoid sunburn, what to do if you get a tummy bug and what you should pack in a travel first aid kit.

If you are on prescription medication, they can help advise on how to make sure you have enough medication to last the planned trip. You don’t need an appointment, you can simply pop into your local Boots Pharmacy store, where you’ll find a trained ­pharmacist and their team happy to answer your questions. Your local pharmacist may also offer some more specialised travel health services.

Mole scanning

Sometimes moles can change, and if they do it’s important to get them checked quickly.

The Mole Scanning Service, operated by ScreenCancer assisted by trained members of selected Boots pharmacy teams, is available in 50 stores. It assesses moles and helps to identify any that are suspicious and need to be investigated further.** See www.boots.com/molescanning for more information.

Period delay

Having your period when you are on holiday can be a real inconvenience, but Boots offers a Period Delay Online clinic** to help delay to help delay it until you get back.

It is available to women aged from 16 to 54, who are not taking the contraceptive pill or any other hormonal contraception***. The online clinic will be able to carry out an assessment to help decide if this service is appropriate for you and your needs.

For more information, simply visit www.boots.com/perioddelay.

Don't forget travel insurance

Travel insurance, including medical cover for when you are abroad, is one of the most important things on your holiday checklist.

However, if you are elderly, or have a medical condition, it can be very difficult, and can be prohibitively expensive, to get cover for a trip abroad.

Boots offers affordable policies with no upper age limit and offers cover for medical conditions such as raised blood pressure , diabetes, cancer and heart conditions, as long as you declare them and they are accepted. Visit boots.com/travelinsurance for more information.

*Available in selected stores only, suitable for ages 5 and over. Subject to specially trained pharmacist and stock availability. Eligibility criteria and charges apply.

**Eligibility criteria apply. Appointment times subject to pharmacy advisor availability. Charges apply.

***Other eligibility criteria apply. Subject to stock availability and clinician approval. Charges apply.

[SPONSORED CONTENT]