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Health and insurance

No vaccinations are required for entry into Britain. Citizens of all EU countries and those with a reciprocal health care agreement are entitled to free medical treatment at National Health Service hospitals. If you don't fall into either of these categories, you will be charged for all medical services, in which case health insurance is strongly advised. Indeed, even though EU health care privileges apply in Britain, visitors from elsewhere in the EU would also do well to take out an insurance policy before travelling to cover against theft and loss as well as illness or injury.

Pharmacies and medical emergencies

Pharmacists (known as chemists in Britain) can dispense only a limited range of drugs without a doctor's prescription. Most pharmacies are open standard shop hours, though in large towns some may stay open as late as 10pm - local newspapers carry lists of late-opening pharmacies. Doctor's surgeries tend to be open from about 9am to noon and then for a couple of hours in the evenings; outside surgery hours, you can turn up at the casualty department of the local hospital for complaints that require immediate attention.

For medical advice by phone you can call NHS Direct (tel 0845/4647, www.nhsdirect.nhs.uk), who also run an increasing number of drop-in centres (usually 7.30am-9pm) in the bigger towns and cities. In an emergency, call for an ambulance on 999.

Insurance policies

Before spending out on a new policy, it's worth checking whether you are already covered: some all-risks home insurance policies, for example, may cover your possessions against loss or theft when overseas, and many private medical schemes include cover when abroad, including baggage loss, cancellation or curtailment and cash replacement as well as sickness or accident. Canadians will find that they are usually covered by their provincial health plans, while holders of official student/teacher/youth cards in Canada and the US are entitled to be reimbursed for accident coverage and hospital in-patient benefits. Students will often find that their student health coverage extends during the vacations and for one term beyond the date of last enrolment. Some bank and credit cards include certain levels of medical or other insurance and you may automatically get travel insurance if you use a major credit card to pay for your trip.

After exhausting the possibilities above, you might want to contact a specialist travel insurance company, or consider the travel insurance deal we offer (see above). A typical travel insurance policy usually provides cover for the loss of baggage, tickets and - up to a certain limit - cash or cheques, as well as cancellation or curtailment of your journey. Most of them exclude so-called dangerous sports unless an extra premium is paid: in Britain this can mean cliff-diving, rock climbing and mountaineering. Many policies can be chopped and changed to exclude coverage you don't need - for example, sickness and accident benefits can often be excluded or included at will. If you do take medical coverage, ascertain whether benefits will be paid as treatment proceeds or only after you return home, and whether there is a 24-hour medical emergency number. When securing baggage cover, make sure that the per-article limit - typically under £500 - will cover your most valuable possession. If you need to make a claim, you should keep receipts for medicines and medical treatment, and in the event you have anything stolen, you must obtain an official statement from the police.