Health HQ is your travel doctor on the Gold Coast
The Health HQ travel clinic is affiliated with the Travel Medicine Alliance

Gold Coast travel doctor since 1995

The Travel Health Doctor at Health HQ in Southport has been delivering a premium travel health service, including the most up to date travel vaccinations, since 1995 which makes us the longest established travel clinic on the Gold Coast.

The travel doctors and nurses at Health HQ have lived and worked in several developing countries around the world, so they have firsthand knowledge of the specific challenges of travelling to and living in these types of areas.

Click for more information regarding yellow fever vaccinations and our comprehensive range of travel medical kits and accessories.

The travel doctors at Health HQ have all completed post-graduate study in travel medicine. Two of the Health HQ travel doctors, Dr Norman Hohl and Dr Simon Thatcher, were the first on the Gold Coast to hold the internationally-recognised Certificate in Travel Health from the International Society of Travel Medicine.

Passing this rigorous exam is evidence of specialised travel medicine knowledge.

Book online to see Dr Thatcher (bookings open in new window).

Global patterns of disease and entry requirements for different countries are variable, and advancements in medical research alter the recommendations for vaccines and medications over time. To provide all our travellers with the most accurate and current information, we regularly participate in ongoing education with travel health leaders and utilise expert resources so we can confidently advise you of the specific risks you may encounter on your adventure and how to minimise them.

Health HQ is a member of the Travel Medicine Alliance, a network of independent travel health clinics around Australia. This alliance shares travel health knowledge, resources, and latest research, and it gives us more secure vaccine supply lines and access to lower cost travel vaccines, medications, and travel health products. These benefits are then passed on to you, the traveller.

Travel Consultations

“Forewarned is forearmed. Ignorance is NOT bliss.” - Dr Simon Thatcher

Ideally, most travellers should have their initial consultation 6-8 weeks before departure as some vaccination courses take several weeks to give you adequate protection for your trip. Even if you’re leaving next week, it’s never too late—some vaccines work straightaway, medications in the travel kits are still necessary, and the travel health advice is always beneficial. Just be aware that some vaccine options may be limited.

The Travel Health Doctors’ main aim is to improve the quality of your time overseas. You’ve worked hard to save up the time and money for your trip; we believe that precious time should not be ruined by illness. We take into account the following factors to give you individualised, up-to-date travel health advice based on the best available evidence:

• reason for travel
• detailed itinerary (and possible changes to itinerary)
• environmental & seasonal conditions at destination
• length of stay
• recreational activities
• accommodation
• number of fellow travellers
• quality of medical care available at destination
• age
• past medical history
• immunisation history
• allergies
• current health status
• current medications

Up to 80% of all travellers experience some type of medical issue on their trip, but many illnesses can be prevented by vaccines or quickly treated with the appropriate prescription medication. The Travel Health Doctors are well-stocked to provide you with the required vaccinations and medications to prevent and treat infectious disease at the time of your consultation.

Our travel health advice is comprehensive. Besides vaccinations and medications, travellers are given individualised education on personal safety and security (how to avoid road accidents and robbery), tips for safe eating and drinking clean water, avoiding non-malaria insect-borne illnesses, overcoming jet lag, prevention of deep vein thromboses (DVTs), dealing with motion sickness, and advice on safe sex. We will also discuss with you what symptoms you may experience during or after your trip that require follow up for treatment once you arrive back in Australia.

To ensure you have all this crucial health and safety information while enjoying your trip, we provide you with a free copy of Travelling Well, a 190-page essential handbook for travel health and safety, written by Dr Deborah Mills, the spokesperson for the Travel Medicine Alliance.

We are affiliated with travel health clinics around the world through the International Society of Travel Medicine, and we can provide you with the details of reputable medical professionals in many countries.

Travel Medical Kits

The Travel Health Doctors can provide you with essential prescription medications and supplies to have on hand while overseas to prevent and treat many travel related illnesses. Our travel medical kits are stocked on-site and designed to meet your particular needs.
They may contain:

• antibiotics for travellers’ diarrhoea and other infections
• antimalaria tablets
• mosquito & insect repellent
• mosquito nets
• permethrin (insecticide) soak for clothing
• motion sickness tablets
• altitude sickness tablets
• sleeping tablets
• water sterilising tablets
• circulation socks

Your registered nurse (RN) will take the time to explain all of these products and make sure you understand when and how to use them.

The Health HQ travel clinic has a wide range of the most effective travel health products, first aid kits and mosquito protection so please ask us if we stock any travel supplies you need.

Group Vaccinations

The travel doctors at Health HQ either see travellers 1-on-1, in a family group or, if you are travelling with a group or sporting team, we can see several people in the same consultation.

The Travel Health Doctors at Health HQ offer a discount for group vaccinations of 10 or more (conditions apply, speak to a receptionist for details).

For these large groups, we provide an education session for all members, followed by 1-on-1 consultations to determine individual requirements for vaccines and travel medications.

Travel health related resource websites

For more travel-related information and resources, see the following websites we recommend:

• smarttraveller.gov.au (Australian Government Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade or DFAT)
• World Health Organisation (WHO) United Nations
• Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Govt of the USA
• International Society of Travel Medicine (ISTM) Global
• How you can legally bring your prescription medicines back into Australia Australian Border Force (ABF)
• Therapeutic Goods Administration Travel Advice (TGA) Aust Govt
• Travelling with medicine and medical devices includes video
  Leaving Australia with PBS medicine (both are other TGA Aust Govt pages)
• Page contains links to Medicine export declaration form and standard doctor's letter template to outlining the medicines you are taking overseas for personal use including drug name and strength and daily doses (Aust Govt Human Services Dept)

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