However I'm aware that many now just tell their travellers to go to the pharmacy. Whilst I appreciate this is part of the challenge we have in the time allotted for a travel consultation, I still feel you should be discussing some of the advice and if malaria chemoprophylaxis is advised for a destination, inform the traveller of the options and come to a joint decision on what they need to take. At this point it would be sensible to direct them to a pharmacy to obtain them, although always sensible to consider giving a prescription to any pregnant or child traveller when working in primary care as a GP surgery will hold the medical record, not all patients remember their medical and medication history!
To help in the process I've developed some leaflets for the different options for malaria tablets you may be advising. I designed some in the past, but these new ones not only include information about the tablets and how to take them, but also how to obtain them and then the advice on:
Awareness of risk;
Bite prevention;
Chemoprophylaxis and
Diagnosis.
This would then provide documentary evidence that you gave the information to your traveller. I appreciate its a lot of text on the leaflet but information your travellers also need to be given!
They will be found to download at item no. 25 in TOOLS and further information about their use is on this section. I've also included a leaflet for those who don't need to take malaria tablets but need to be aware of the ABD of advice.
Many now purchase their malaria tablets online for convenience and in some cases to save money. It's very important we let them know they need to seek a supplier is registered with the MHRA, I've made this poster below to explain to patients. This can be found on a 'button' on my Traveller Resources page labelled 'Tips on buying malaria tablets online'.
Click on the image below to obtain directly - you could print it off and laminate perhaps to show your travellers!
