Hepatitis A Vaccination

About this service

Hepatitis A is one of the most common travel-related infections, and it is also one of the simplest to protect yourself against. It is caught from food and water contaminated with the virus, which means it can affect almost any traveller, not just those going off the beaten track. At Berkeley Pharmacy our travel clinic offers hepatitis A vaccination after a full travel health risk assessment, so you know it is the right choice for your trip.

A single dose gives good protection for about a year, and a booster six to twelve months later extends that protection for up to 25 years, which is why so many people choose to have it well in advance and then forget about it for years. We welcome travellers from across Gloucestershire, including Dursley, Cam, Sharpness and Thornbury, and we can usually plan your hepatitis A jab alongside any other travel vaccinations you need in a single appointment.

What hepatitis A is

Hepatitis A is a viral infection of the liver caught from food and water contaminated with the virus, including shellfish, salads and ice, and through close personal contact. It causes fever, tiredness, loss of appetite, nausea, tummy pain, dark urine and jaundice. While most people recover fully, it can leave you unwell for weeks or months, and it is more serious in older adults and people with liver disease.

Risk is highest in Africa, Asia, Central and South America, the Middle East and parts of Eastern Europe. A single dose gives good protection for about a year, and a booster given six to twelve months after the first dose extends protection for up to 25 years. The vaccine is licensed from one year of age. Ideally you should have it at least two weeks before travel, although it can still be given closer to departure and is worth having even at short notice.

Who this service is for

How it works

A simple, consistent process for every service at Berkeley Pharmacy.

What to expect at your appointment

Your appointment begins with a full travel health risk assessment covering your destination, dates, itinerary and planned activities, along with a review of your medical and vaccination history. We then give you a clear explanation of which vaccinations are appropriate for this trip.

• The injection is given into your upper arm
• A short wait afterwards in the pharmacy
• A written record for your travel documents
• With your consent, a note to your GP

Aftercare and safety

A sore, red arm for a day or two is the most common effect, sometimes with a mild headache or tiredness. Food and water hygiene still matters, so drink bottled or treated water, avoid ice, peel fruit yourself and be careful with shellfish and salads.

• Make a note of when your booster is due, as it is easy to forget six to twelve months later, and we can remind you
• Contact us if you have any concerns after your appointment

Frequently asked questions

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.

• Berkeley
• Sharpness
• Newport
• Berkeley Heath
• Alkington
• Ham
• Stone
• Rockhampton
• Cam
• Dursley
• Slimbridge
• Cambridge
• Falfield
• Charfield
• Tortworth
• Cromhall
• Oldbury-on-Severn
• Wotton-under-Edge
• Thornbury
• Frampton on Severn
• Stonehouse
• Stroud
• Nailsworth
• Yate
• Chipping Sodbury
• Tetbury
• 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.

Speak to our pharmacy team about hepatitis a vaccination

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