Travel Clinic
Travellers’ Diarrhoea Prevention and Standby Treatment
The illness most likely to spoil your trip, and a standby pack so you are not searching for a pharmacy abroad.
- Treatment
- Standby pack available
- When to book
- Book before you travel
- Who it is for
- Adults and children assessed
- Included
- Rehydration advice included
About this service
Travellers’ diarrhoea is the most common illness affecting travellers, and depending on the destination it affects a substantial proportion of visitors, most often in the first week. At our Berkeley travel clinic we offer practical prevention advice and, where it is appropriate, a standby treatment pack to carry with you, so you are not searching for a pharmacy or trying to explain your symptoms in a foreign language when you feel unwell.
We look at your destination, itinerary, accommodation and how far you will be from medical care, and we review your medical history, current medicines and allergies before deciding what is suitable. We welcome travellers from Berkeley, Dursley, Cam, Sharpness, Thornbury and across Gloucestershire, and we can usually plan this alongside your other travel vaccinations.
What travellers’ diarrhoea is and how a standby pack helps
Travellers’ diarrhoea is usually caused by bacteria picked up from contaminated food or water and normally settles by itself within three to five days. The single most important treatment is fluid replacement, using oral rehydration salts made up with safe water, because dehydration is what makes people seriously unwell, particularly children and older adults.
Where it is appropriate we can supply a standby treatment pack to carry with you, which is intended for use when symptoms are moderate or severe or when you are far from medical care, and is supplied under a Patient Group Direction after assessment. Medicines that slow the bowel should not be used if you have blood in your stools or a high fever. You should seek medical help rather than self-treating if you have blood or mucus in your stools, a high fever, severe abdominal pain, signs of dehydration, symptoms lasting more than three days, or if the person affected is pregnant, very young or elderly.
Who this service is for
Suitable for
- Travellers to South Asia, South East Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Central and South America
- Backpackers, adventure travellers and anyone going somewhere remote
- Business travellers who cannot afford to be unwell
- People with a previous bad experience of travellers’ diarrhoea
- Travellers with conditions that make dehydration more dangerous, following assessment
Not suitable for
- Some standby treatments are not suitable in pregnancy or breastfeeding, for young children, or alongside certain other medicines, all of which we check
- Anyone already unwell with severe symptoms, who needs medical assessment rather than a standby pack
- People who cannot store or carry medicines reliably
How it works
A simple, consistent process for every service at Berkeley Pharmacy.
Get in touch
Call us or use our contact form to arrange a consultation.
Consultation
A private, face-to-face appointment with our pharmacist in our Berkeley consultation room.
Clinical assessment
We review your medical history and confirm whether the service is suitable for you.
Treatment or referral
If it is suitable we treat you the same day; if not, we explain why and advise on the best next step.
What to expect at your appointment
Your appointment begins with a travel health risk assessment covering destination, itinerary, accommodation and how far you will be from medical care, followed by practical food and water hygiene advice you can actually follow and a review of your medical history, current medicines and allergies.
- Where suitable, a standby pack with clear written instructions on exactly when to use it and when not to
- Oral rehydration advice for adults and children
- A written record and, with your consent, a note to your GP
Aftercare and safety
Start rehydration early rather than waiting to feel bad, using oral rehydration salts with bottled or treated water, and keep eating simple food as soon as you can manage it. Use your standby treatment only as instructed, and stop if you develop blood in your stools or a high fever.
- Get medical help if you are not improving after 48 hours, if you cannot keep fluids down, or if you have any of the warning signs we go through with you
- See a doctor when you get home if symptoms persist, and mention where you have travelled
- Contact us on 01453 810316 if you have any questions before you travel
Frequently asked questions
What causes travellers’ diarrhoea?
Travellers’ diarrhoea is usually caused by bacteria picked up from contaminated food or water, and depending on the destination it affects a substantial proportion of visitors, most often in the first week. It normally settles by itself within three to five days.
Should I carry standby antibiotics for my trip?
Where it is appropriate we can supply a standby treatment pack to carry with you, intended for use when symptoms are moderate or severe or when you are far from medical care. It is supplied under a Patient Group Direction after assessment, and we will tell you if a standby pack is not suitable for you.
When should I not use anti-diarrhoea medicine?
Medicines that slow the bowel should not be used if you have blood in your stools or a high fever. You should seek medical help rather than self-treating if you have blood or mucus in your stools, a high fever, severe abdominal pain, signs of dehydration, symptoms lasting more than three days, or if the person affected is pregnant, very young or elderly.
How do I make up oral rehydration salts safely?
Make up oral rehydration salts with safe water, using bottled or properly treated water, and follow the instructions on the packet exactly. Start rehydration early rather than waiting to feel bad, because dehydration is what makes people seriously unwell, particularly children and older adults.
How can I reduce the risk in the first place?
Practical food and water hygiene advice is a key part of your appointment. In general, drink bottled or properly treated water, avoid ice, eat freshly cooked food served piping hot, and avoid raw foods that may have been washed in unsafe water. We give you advice you can actually follow for your specific destination.
When should I seek medical help abroad?
Get medical help if you are not improving after 48 hours, if you cannot keep fluids down, or if you have blood or mucus in your stools, a high fever, severe abdominal pain, signs of dehydration, or symptoms lasting more than three days. See a doctor when you get home if symptoms persist, and mention where you have travelled.
How we can supply treatment without a GP appointment
Some treatments at Berkeley Pharmacy are supplied under a Patient Group Direction, or PGD – a written instruction, signed by a doctor and a pharmacist, that legally allows our trained pharmacists to supply and administer specified medicines to people who meet defined clinical criteria, without a prescription from your GP. If you do not meet the criteria set out in the PGD we cannot supply the treatment, and we will explain why and advise you on the best next step. Our pharmacists also work as independent prescribers where that is appropriate.
Serving Berkeley and the surrounding Gloucestershire villages
Berkeley Pharmacy is on Market Place in the centre of Berkeley, with easy access from junctions 13 and 14 of the M5. We welcome patients from Berkeley, Sharpness, Newport, Berkeley Heath, Alkington, Ham, Stone and Rockhampton, and we are a short drive from Cam, Dursley, Slimbridge, Cambridge, Falfield, Charfield, Tortworth, Cromhall, Oldbury-on-Severn, Wotton-under-Edge, Thornbury, Frampton on Severn and Stonehouse. Patients also travel to us from Stroud, Nailsworth, Yate, Chipping Sodbury, Tetbury and Gloucester.
Safe, regulated care from your local pharmacy team
- Berkeley Pharmacy is registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council. You can check any pharmacy or pharmacist on the GPhC register at pharmacyregulation.org.
- Every consultation is face to face and private, in our dedicated consultation room – not an online questionnaire.
- Serving the Berkeley community for over 25 years.
- This service does not replace care from your GP. With your consent we will inform your GP of any treatment provided. If you are unwell, have new or worsening symptoms, or need urgent care, contact your GP or NHS 111, and in an emergency call 999.
- If you experience a side effect from any medicine you can report it through the MHRA Yellow Card scheme at yellowcard.mhra.gov.uk.
Page last reviewed: September 2026. Next review due: September 2027.
Related services
Other services you may be interested in at Berkeley Pharmacy.
Typhoid Vaccination
Commonly recommended alongside hepatitis A, particularly for travel to South Asia.
Find out more Travel ClinicCholera Vaccination
An oral vaccine for travellers heading to areas where cholera is a genuine risk, such as aid work, disaster relief or remote travel.
Find out more Travel ClinicHepatitis A Vaccination
One of the most commonly recommended travel vaccinations, and one of the easiest to arrange before you go.
Find out moreSpeak to our pharmacy team about travellers’ diarrhoea treatment
Visit us in Berkeley or get in touch to arrange a private consultation with our pharmacist.
Book a consultation Call 01453 810316
Address
14 Market Place, Berkeley, GL13 9BB
Opening hours
Mon–Fri 9am–6pm (closed 1–2pm)
Sat 9am–1pm
Sun Closed