Planning a trip abroad? Make Welshpool Medical Practice your first stop before you travel.

Our experienced travel health nursing team provide comprehensive travel medical advice, based on your destination, your itinerary aligned to your medical history and any medication you may be taking.  A local service, available at your GP Surgery helping you stay healthy wherever your journey takes you.

We offer:

• 🌍 Individual travel health risk assessments
• 💉 NHS and private travel vaccinations (where appropriate)
• 🦟 Malaria prevention advice and medication
• 📋 Up-to-date destination-specific health information
• 🛡️ Advice on staying safe while travelling

Which vaccinations are available?

Some vaccinations continued to be available through the NHS where nationally commissioned, others travel vaccines are provided as a private service subject to a charge.  These may include:-

• Hepatitis B (travel)
• Hepatitis A (travel)
• Combined Hepatitis A & B
• Rabies
• Japanese Encephalitis
• Tick-borne Encephalitis
• Meningococcal ACWY where appropriate

Costings for any private vaccinations will be provided at the time, as manufacturer prices fluctuate.

🟡 Approved Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre

Welshpool Medical Centre is proud to be an approved Yellow Fever Vaccination Centre, offering Yellow Fever vaccinations and the internationally recognised Yellow Fever Certificate required for entry into many countries. This service is available to both our registered patients and patients registered with other GP practices.

Book Early

For the best protection, we recommend completing your travel health questionnaire at least six weeks before you travel, as this allows enough time for any vaccinations or courses of treatment that may be required.  You can access this questionnaire via our practice website, and can we ask that you initially provide as much information as possible.  If you do not have website access, please pop into reception for a paper copy.

Whether you're heading off on a family holiday, backpacking adventure, business trip or once-in-a-lifetime expedition, our travel health team is here to help you travel safely and confidently.

Your journey starts with Welshpool Medical Practice.

To get started:-

You need to complete a travel questionnaire. A member of the clinical team will review your information and contact you to arrange an appointment.

If you are unable to fill out the online form, please call into the surgery and collect a paper copy.

Don’t wait until the last minute and travel with confidence!

FILL OUT YOUR TRAVEL QUESTIONNAIRE HERE: 

www.welshpoolmedicalpractice.wales.nhs.uk/travel-questionnaire

Drs Russell, Aslam, Vibhishanan, Kelly, Kingham and Hirons

July 2026

Why We Do Not Prescribe Diazepam for Flying Anxiety

A message from your GP Practice

We understand that fear of flying can be very distressing. Many people feel anxious before or during air travel, and we appreciate that this anxiety is real and can have a significant impact on holidays, family visits and work trips.

However, after careful consideration and in line with NHS and aviation safety guidance, our practice does not prescribe diazepam (Valium) or other sedative medications for fear of flying.

Why not?

1. Safety during an emergency
Diazepam is a sedative which can cause drowsiness, slower thinking and delayed reactions. In the unlikely event of an in-flight emergency, this may affect your ability to respond quickly and safely.

2. Increased risk of blood clots (DVT)
Sedatives can reduce movement during sleep, potentially increasing the risk of deep vein thrombosis, particularly on flights longer than four hours.

3. Unpredictable side effects
Rarely, diazepam can cause agitation, aggression, disinhibition or confusion. These effects may affect your safety and the safety of other passengers.

4. Alcohol increases the risks
Combining alcohol with diazepam can worsen drowsiness, impair judgement and affect breathing.

5. Diazepam is not recommended for phobias
National prescribing guidance advises that benzodiazepines should not be used for specific phobias, including fear of flying.

6. Travelling abroad
Some countries restrict the importation of diazepam and other controlled drugs.

What does aviation guidance say?

Aviation medicine guidance highlights concerns about slower reaction times, increased DVT risk, reduced oxygen levels and behavioral changes in some passengers. For these reasons, sedative medication is not considered a safe solution for flying anxiety.

What can help instead?

♦   Fear of Flying courses

▫   British Airways:London Heathrow fear of flying courses | Flying With Confidence

▫   Easyjet: Fear of Flying Course - Fearless Flyer

▫   Virgin Atlantic: Flying Without Fear | Fear Of Flying Help | Virgin Atlantic

♦   Cognitive Behavioural Therapy (CBT)

♦   Breathing and relaxation techniques

♦   Mindfulness resources

♦   Music, podcasts and distraction techniques

♦   Preparing in advance and informing cabin crew of your anxiety

We appreciate that fear of flying can be challenging, but we believe that these strategies provide effective, safer practical support to help you travel with confidence. We would be happy to discuss anxiety management strategies if required and direct you towards safer and more effective support.