Information for the school, organising staff and students
Students going on overseas field trips as part of their course (eg; Swaziland, Kenya, China, Chile etc) which have been organised by their school, should all be seen for a travel risk assessment at UMS to ensure they are fully immunised, aware of travel risks and provided with any necessary travel medication (eg anti-malarial tables, anti-diarrhoeal medication…)
By following this process stated below, the school would then get a ‘Fitness to Travel’ certificate as verification the student is ‘travel ready’ for their field trip, and the school and students also benefit from a discounted rate on all travel vaccines.
The student/staff member does not have to be registered with us for us to be able to provide this service – we can see registered and non-registered patients for travel purpose. We would require (to be brought at the time of first travel appointment) for non-registered patients, an up-to-date immunisation history from their current GP surgery and list of any medications/conditions.
By providing the information requested in step 1 (below), the school will be invoiced for all travel risk assessments and immunisations for all individuals and will be provided with individual ‘fitness to travel’ certificates. Accompanying the invoice, will be an itemised document so the school can then either absorb the costs themselves (eg if the field trip has already been included within the original course fees) or is not, the school can then invoice the students individually for reimbursement.
This process should begin at least 8 weeks prior to the field trip date.
Process
STEP 1
School manager/organiser of the field trip should send an email to the Operations Manager [email protected] with the full names, email addresses and contact numbers of all those going on the field trip.
In addition to this, the email needs to include the following details;
- Field trip date
- Destination
- Duration of trip
- Authorising managers name
- Authorising managers email address
- Budget/charge code to send invoice to
- Purchase order number
STEP 2
School manager/organiser should then email all students and staff who will be going on the field trip, informing them they need to book and appointment and attend UMS for a travel risk assessment.
All those going, should be made aware if they are not registered with UMS they need to obtain and bring with them when they see the travel nurse, their immunisation history from their GP, plus of a list of medications they are currently taking.
Any immunisations that could have be given for free on the NHS at the individual’s home GP practice, will be given for free at the appointment. The point in the immunisation history is so they nurse can check if they need any NHS vaccine boosters etc and will work this info a schedule for them toe ensure the individual is appropriately covered for their trip.
The initial appointment is always 30 minutes, followed by subsequent appointments which are 15 minutes. The travel nurse will always look to administer vaccines at the initial appointment as long as the individual is fit and well and there are no contra-indications or uncertainties which may need looking into prior to giving any vaccinations.
STEP 3
UMS will monitor and report back to the school if anyone has not yet attended for their travel risk assessment appointment.
STEP 4
Once all on the field trip list have attended and completed their travel risk assessment and any follow up appointments, UMS will then provide the school with individuals ‘fitness to travel’ certificates along with an invoice to the school for all risk assessments and vaccinations.