- Open 7 Days a Week
- +44 1206 322109
- Dedham Pharmacy, High Street, Dedham
At Dedham Pharmacy, our travel clinic in Colchester offers professional pre-travel consultations, all major travel vaccines, and prescription medications, available without a long NHS wait.
Getting travel-ready at Dedham Pharmacy takes three straightforward steps. No forms, no confusion.
Call us, walk in, or book online. Tell us your destination and travel dates, and we’ll set aside enough time for a proper consultation.
A trained pharmacist reviews your travel plans, medical history, and any existing vaccinations. You’ll get clear, destination-specific advice, not a generic leaflet.
Vaccines are administered on the same day where possible. Prescriptions for antimalarials or other travel meds are issued during the same visit.
Every destination carries its own risks. Here’s a summary of what travellers should know before heading to each major region.
A lot of travellers assume that because a destination is popular, it must be safe from a health perspective. That’s not always how it works. Travel vaccinations protect you from diseases that your immune system has never encountered before. You won’t have built-up immunity, and local healthcare may not be equipped to handle serious infections quickly.
Some vaccines also take time to become effective. A single-dose vaccine might need two weeks to fully work, while a course of rabies pre-exposure vaccines requires three doses over at least three weeks. Leaving it too late means leaving yourself exposed.
Beyond personal protection, some countries require proof of vaccination as a legal entry requirement. Yellow fever is the most common example. Without a valid International Certificate of Vaccination or Prophylaxis (ICVP), you can be denied boarding or entry.
All vaccines are administered by GPhC-registered pharmacists at our travel vaccination clinic in Colchester. Prices are per dose unless stated otherwise.
Protects against three serious bacterial or viral infections that remain active in many parts of the world. Often required as a booster for travellers who were last vaccinated in childhood.
Doses: 1 (booster) or 3 (primary course)
Protection: 10 years
A viral liver infection spread through contaminated food and water. Common in countries with poor sanitation. Protection kicks in within two weeks of the first dose.
Doses: 2
Protection: 25 years (with booster)
Transmitted through blood and bodily fluids. Recommended for travellers working in healthcare, those likely to need medical treatment abroad, or anyone with higher exposure risk.
Doses: 3
Protection: Long term
Covers both strains in one course, reducing the number of injections needed. A practical option for most travellers heading to high-risk regions.
Doses: 3
Protection: Long term
Bacterial infection spread through contaminated food and water, most common in South Asia, Africa, and Central America. Available as an injection or oral capsules.
Doses: 1
Protection: 3 years
Recommended for travellers going to active outbreak zones or spending extended time in areas with poor sanitation and limited clean water.
Doses: 2
Protection: 2 years
Spread through animal bites or scratches. Pre-exposure vaccination is strongly advised for travellers visiting remote areas, those trekking or cycling, or anyone likely to be far from rapid medical care.
Doses: 3
Protection: Long-term (boosters required)
A viral brain infection transmitted by mosquitoes, predominantly in rural and agricultural areas of Asia. Particularly relevant for longer stays or travel during monsoon season.
Doses: 2
Protection: Long term
Protects against four strains of bacterial meningitis. Mandatory for Hajj and Umrah pilgrims, and recommended for travel to sub-Saharan Africa’s meningitis belt.
Doses: 1
Protection: 5 years
A legally required vaccine for entry into several African and South American countries. Administered only at registered yellow fever vaccination centres, and recorded on an official ICVP certificate.
Doses: 1
Protection: Lifelong
Spread through tick bites in forested areas across Central and Eastern Europe and parts of Asia. Relevant for hikers, campers, and outdoor workers.
Doses: 3
Protection: 3 years (with booster)
Protects against a mosquito-borne viral disease common in tropical regions including parts of Africa, Asia, and the Caribbean. The vaccine is newer and not widely discussed but increasingly relevant.
Doses: 1
A mosquito-borne virus found across tropical and subtropical regions. The Qdenga vaccine is available for individuals aged four and above who have had a previous dengue infection.
Doses: 2
Protection: Ongoing
Travel can expose you to measles in countries where vaccination rates are low. If your childhood MMR is incomplete or uncertain, a top-up dose is quick and important.
Doses: 1 or 2
Protection: Lifelong
Prescribed and dispensed in-clinic, with the right type selected based on your destination, trip length, and medical history.
Norethisterone or utrogestan prescribed for travellers who want to safely delay their period during holidays, long-haul trips, or physically demanding travel.
A standby antibiotic supply issued to take with you, so severe gastrointestinal illness can be treated immediately if you fall ill somewhere with limited medical access.
Acetazolamide available on prescription for travellers heading to high-altitude destinations including the Andes, the Himalayas, and Kilimanjaro, helping reduce the risk of acute mountain sickness.
Meningococcal ACWY is a requirement for all pilgrims travelling to Saudi Arabia for Hajj or Umrah. We can arrange the required documentation alongside the vaccine, and advise on additional recommended jabs for the region.
Children often need different vaccine schedules to adults, and some vaccines aren’t suitable under a certain age. We assess each child individually and provide age-appropriate advice that keeps the whole family covered.
Older travellers can be more vulnerable to certain infections and may need adjusted dosing or additional review of how travel medications interact with existing prescriptions.
Vaccine choices during pregnancy require careful consideration. Some are safe, some are not. Our pharmacists review each case individually and align recommendations with current NaTHNaC and NHS guidance.
Travellers on immunosuppressant medication or with conditions that affect immune function need specialist advice, since live vaccines may carry risks that standard guidance doesn’t account for.
Trekking in remote areas, jungle expeditions, or wildlife volunteering all carry higher exposure risks. We provide extended consultations for this group, covering rabies, altitude, and vector-borne disease in detail.
Healthcare workers, researchers, aid workers, and others travelling for professional reasons often need an expanded vaccine profile. We can advise based on your role and destination.
Your consultation at our travel health clinic in Colchester is a proper clinical appointment, not a tick-box exercise.
The pharmacist will ask about your destination, planned activities, and travel duration. You’ll also be asked about your existing vaccination history and any medical conditions or medications that could affect your travel health choices.
From there, you’ll receive a personalised recommendation list. Some vaccines can be given on the same day. Others that require a course will be scheduled in advance to ensure you complete them before you depart.
The earlier, the better. Ideally, visit a travel vaccination clinic at least six to eight weeks before departure. Some vaccine courses require multiple doses spread over several weeks.
For last-minute travellers, don’t assume it’s too late. Some vaccines offer useful protection even within a shorter window, and prescriptions for antimalarials or other travel meds can still be issued.
If you’re travelling within two weeks, call us directly and we’ll advise on what’s still achievable.
No long waits or GP referrals needed. Book and receive your vaccines in a single visit wherever your schedule allows.
From Yellow Fever to Japanese Encephalitis, we stock a broad range so you're not sent elsewhere for specialist jabs.
Your consultation is built around where you're actually going. The pharmacist won't hand you a printout and call it done.
Every vaccine is administered by a qualified pharmacist with specific training in travel health and immunisation.
Antimalarials, altitude tablets, and standby antibiotics can be prescribed and dispensed during your appointment.
We serve travellers from across Colchester and the surrounding area, from first-time holiday makers to frequent international workers.
Mandeep Sandhu is the superintendent pharmacist and owner of Dedham Pharmacy, registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council under registration number 2064849.
With over a decade of experience in community pharmacy practice, Mandeep leads the clinical services at Dedham including the travel health clinic, weight management programme, and private consultation services.
Great having a pharmacy that is open late and during weekends. Quick and efficient, great service.
I see they were also offering a flu jab service, if that’s something you need.
Great having a pharmacy that is open late and during weekends. Quick and efficient, great service.
I see they were also offering a flu jab service, if that’s something you need.
Great having a pharmacy that is open late and during weekends. Quick and efficient, great service.
I see they were also offering a flu jab service, if that’s something you need.
No. Our travel clinic is a private service and you can book directly without any referral from your GP. Same-day appointments are often available.
Six to eight weeks is the recommended window. That said, even two to four weeks before departure is worth coming in, as some vaccines and all prescriptions can still be arranged.
Yes, we accommodate families including young children. We assess each person individually and provide age-appropriate vaccine recommendations for the whole group.
Yes, Dedham Pharmacy is a registered Yellow Fever vaccination centre. We issue the official ICVP certificate required for entry to Yellow Fever risk countries.
Yes. Our pharmacist can prescribe and dispense antimalarials during your travel health consultation. The type recommended will depend on your destination and medical history.
