Health

Practicalities Health Finding Medical Care 

It would be an excellent idea to make sure that any guidebook you take details local emergency phone numbers and procedure in foreign countries.

If caught without this information, a good first stop is the local pharmacy. In many countries pharmacists are highly trained, often speak English, and may well be able to supply the help you need on the spot. Failing that they can usually direct you to someone who can.

Failing this, in any undeveloped areas you could go to the nearest international chain hotel and ask for the house doctor, who is certain to speak English, or even whether there are any doctors staying there who could help.

Do note the local emergency number and note that in the US for example some areas are not serviced by the standard 911 number. Also worth remembering in the US is that there are poison control centres if your child accidentally eats anything or is bitten by anything dangerous.

If you are particularly concerned about the issue and have booked through a tour operator, ask to be provided with appropriate details in advance. It should be able to give you the name and contact number for a suitable doctor for example. Options travel insurance for example details approved clinics to travellers to Spain taking out a travel policy with the company.

Note that not all medical care is equal and even going private does not guarantee the highest standards.

Wherever you go bear in mind that many less developed parts of the world are still enthusiastic about medical drugs in a way that people in the UK are ceasing to be. If they are prescribed you should ask for a details of potential side effects and note that if the drugs have not been properly stored they will have lost effectiveness. You should also check the expiry date (if there is none have doubts about what you are being given). If the date is past the drugs are best avoided.

Reciprocal Health Cover

If you pick up an E111 form for each member of your party from a UK Post Office, complete it and get it stamped you will be entitled to various levels of reciprocal medical care in certain other countries, principally in the EU. The care offered is seldom of the level provided in the UK, the system may well require users to pay for at least part of any consultation and prescription and in some countries it can be difficult to find doctors who work other than privately.

Insurance

Even when travelling to countries covered by the E111, and in all others, medical travel insurance advisable as well, and it is vital in north America because of the costs of health care there. For more on this see travel insurance.