Most people searching for a travel doctor in Christchurch need a pre-travel health consultation, not a doctor as such. That appointment looks at where you are going, what you will be doing and your health history, then covers vaccinations, malaria prevention and any medicines you need for the trip. A pharmacy travel clinic can do all of that without a GP referral. Some travellers are still better off with their GP, including anyone pregnant, managing a complex medical condition, or on medicines that affect the immune system.
Key takeaways
"Travel doctor" usually means a pre-travel consultation. The person you see matters less than the consult covering your whole trip.
A pharmacy travel clinic can assess your trip, give most travel vaccines and supply malaria prevention, with no GP referral needed.
See your GP instead, or as well, if you are pregnant, have a complex or unstable medical condition, or take medicines that weaken the immune system.
Book early. Six to eight weeks before you fly gives room for vaccines that need more than one dose.
Bring your itinerary, including stopovers, and any record of past vaccinations.
If you have left it late, book anyway. Partial protection is better than none.
What people mean by a travel doctor
Type "travel doctor Christchurch" into Google and you will find GPs, specialist travel medicine clinics and pharmacies, all offering roughly the same thing under different names. That is because "travel doctor" is not a type of doctor. It is shorthand for a pre-travel health consultation: one appointment that looks at your whole trip and works out what you need to stay well on it.
What you are really looking for is someone who can do a proper pre-travel consult for your trip, and who can see you soon enough for the vaccines to work. For most travellers from Christchurch that narrows things down quickly.
What a pre-travel consult covers
Wherever you go for it, a good consult works through the same six things.
Your trip
Every country on the itinerary, stopovers included, how long you will be away, and what you will be doing. A week in a resort is a different conversation from a month of trekking, volunteering or visiting family in rural areas.
Your health
Existing conditions, regular medicines, allergies, pregnancy or plans for it, and anything that affects how your immune system responds to vaccines.
Your vaccination history
What you have had and when. Routine immunisations such as tetanus, measles and flu often need a top up before travel, on top of the destination-specific ones.
Vaccines for your destination
Hepatitis A, typhoid, hepatitis B, Japanese encephalitis, rabies, meningococcal and yellow fever are the common ones for New Zealand travellers, depending on where you are going. Our guide to travel vaccinations covers what each one is for and how far ahead to book.
Malaria and insect-borne disease
Malaria is prevented with tablets rather than a vaccine, and the right one depends on your destination, how long you are away and how you handle side effects. Dengue has no preventive medicine, so the advice there is about avoiding bites.
Medicines and first aid for the trip
Travel sickness, traveller's diarrhoea, enough of your regular prescriptions to last the whole trip, and what to pack in a small first aid kit.
You should walk out with a plan written for your trip. If all you get is a printed list that would suit anyone going anywhere, ask more questions.
Pharmacy travel clinic or GP: which suits you
GP referral needed: Pharmacy travel clinic No; Your GP Not applicable
Pre-travel risk assessment: Pharmacy travel clinic Yes; Your GP Yes
Common travel vaccines: Pharmacy travel clinic Yes; Your GP Yes, though some practices refer travel vaccines elsewhere
Malaria prevention: Pharmacy travel clinic Yes; Your GP Yes
Pregnancy, or planning one: Pharmacy travel clinic Better to involve your GP; Your GP Yes
Complex or unstable medical conditions: Pharmacy travel clinic Better to involve your GP; Your GP Yes
Medicines that affect the immune system: Pharmacy travel clinic Better to involve your GP; Your GP Yes
Getting an appointment soon: Pharmacy travel clinic Often quicker; Your GP Depends on the practice
For a healthy adult heading somewhere that needs a few vaccines and malaria tablets, a pharmacy travel clinic is usually the quicker route. Travel health is all a travel clinic does, so you are not competing for a slot with everyone else who needs a GP that week.
For anyone with a more complicated health picture, the GP is the better starting point, because they hold your full history. That is not either or. Plenty of travellers check in with their GP about a condition and then have the travel side handled at a travel clinic.
How it works at our travel clinic in Sumner
Most of the work happens before you come in, so the appointment itself is short.
Fill in the pre-travel questionnaire online. It asks about your itinerary, your health and your vaccination history.
Our travel pharmacist reviews your answers and sends back a personalised plan for your trip, with a quote, before anything is booked.
Once you are happy with the plan, book in for your vaccinations and anything else you need.
You do not need a GP referral, and you know the cost before you commit. Our price list is on the website if you want to check it first.
When to book
Earlier is better. Six to eight weeks before you fly is the sweet spot, because some vaccines need two or three doses spread over several weeks, and some take time after the last dose to give full protection.
If you are going somewhere that requires a yellow fever certificate for entry, check that early. Only approved clinics can issue the certificate, and some countries will not let you in without it.
Leaving in less than six weeks? Book anyway. Some courses can be given on a faster schedule, and partial protection is a lot better than none.
What to bring
Your full itinerary, including stopovers and any side trips you are considering
Any record of past vaccinations, including childhood ones if you have them
A list of your regular medicines and any allergies
Your questions. If you are not sure whether something on your trip matters, ask
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to see a doctor before travelling overseas?
Not always a doctor, but a pre-travel health consultation is worth having before any trip to Asia, Africa, South America or the Pacific, or any trip where you will be away for more than a couple of weeks. A pharmacy travel clinic can do that consult without a GP referral.
Can a pharmacy give travel vaccinations?
Yes. A pharmacy travel clinic can assess your trip and give the common travel vaccines, as well as supply malaria prevention and travel medicines. Your plan will say which ones apply to you.
When should I see my GP instead of a travel clinic?
If you are pregnant or planning to be, have a complex or unstable medical condition, or take medicines that affect your immune system, start with your GP, because they hold your full history. You can still use a travel clinic for the travel side.
How far before my trip should I book?
Six to eight weeks before you fly, so there is time for vaccines that need more than one dose. If you are leaving sooner, book anyway, because some courses can be given on a faster schedule.
How much does a travel consultation cost?
It depends on what your trip needs. Our travel pharmacist sends you a personalised plan and a quote before you book, and our price list is on the website.
What should I bring to a travel consultation?
Your itinerary, including stopovers, any record of past vaccinations, and a list of your regular medicines and allergies.
Booking a travel consultation
Start with the pre-travel questionnaire and our travel pharmacist will come back to you with a plan and a quote. If you would rather talk it through first, call in to the pharmacy in Sumner and ask for the travel clinic.
