Over recent years, community pharmacies in the UK have evolved significantly. No longer just a place to collect prescriptions or buy over-the-counter remedies, pharmacies have become a central hub for accessible healthcare services. One area where this evolution can go even further is travel health. Offering a private travel vaccination and advice service is not only logical for community pharmacies—it’s increasingly necessary.
A Growing Gap in Primary Care
Traditionally, travel vaccinations and pre-travel health advice were provided by GP surgeries. However, due to increasing pressure on general practice and shifts in NHS funding, many GP surgeries have scaled back or completely stopped offering non-essential services, including travel vaccinations. This has left a clear gap in care.
As more people seek affordable, convenient options for travel health, community pharmacies are perfectly placed to fill this void. They are accessible, trusted, and already integrated into the lives of local residents. By stepping into this space, pharmacies can meet a growing public need while diversifying their services and income.
Trust in the Pharmacy Profession
The COVID-19 pandemic played a pivotal role in reshaping public perception of pharmacists. Millions of people received their vaccinations in local pharmacies, often praising the ease, efficiency, and professionalism of the experience. This high level of trust now extends beyond routine prescriptions—pharmacists are viewed as knowledgeable and approachable healthcare professionals.
Capitalising on this trust, pharmacies are well-positioned to offer private travel clinics where people can receive advice and vaccinations without long wait times or the complexity of booking GP appointments. Patients are increasingly willing to pay for the convenience and peace of mind of a well-run travel health service.
Convenience and Accessibility
One of the biggest advantages community pharmacies have is convenience. With extended opening hours, weekend availability, and high street locations, pharmacies are easier to access than many GP surgeries. Offering travel health services in this setting allows individuals and families to fit their appointments around work and other commitments.
Appointments can be managed online or through walk-ins, reducing friction in the patient journey. Some pharmacies already offer flu and COVID-19 vaccinations this way—adding travel vaccinations is a natural extension.
Enhancing Public Health Outcomes
Travel health services are not just about vaccinations. They also include risk assessments, malaria prevention advice, travel-related health products, and counselling about food, water, and insect-borne diseases abroad. Providing this service in pharmacies enhances public health outcomes by preventing illness in returning travellers and raising awareness of global health risks.
Pharmacists, with appropriate training, can competently deliver these services and help ensure patients are fully prepared for their trips. This has the added benefit of reducing unnecessary strain on urgent care services when poorly prepared travellers return with preventable conditions.
A Smart Business Opportunity
From a business perspective, offering a private travel health service provides an opportunity for pharmacies to diversify their revenue at a time when NHS income is under increasing pressure. Travel health is a growing market, and patients are willing to pay for the convenience, expertise, and reassurance offered by trusted local providers.
Pharmacies can tailor their offerings to meet local demand, from basic travel vaccinations to comprehensive travel health packages. Collaborations with travel agencies, local businesses, and online booking platforms can further boost reach and visibility.
In Summary
The shift in primary care provision, rising public trust in pharmacists, and growing demand for accessible travel health services make community pharmacies the ideal providers of private travel clinics. This service aligns perfectly with the evolving role of the pharmacy as a community health hub.
By offering private travel health services, pharmacies can meet an unmet need, strengthen public health, and create a sustainable new revenue stream—all while continuing to serve their communities with professionalism and care.
