Packing for holiday? What have you forgotten?

If, like me, you are a 'mere mortal' and did not pursue athletics to an International standard, now is the time to venture abroad for sunshine.

So we will pack clothes for all conditions, enough suncream to cover a medium sized boat, 12 pairs of shoes (ladies), a small library and a bottle opener/cork-screw. If well prepared we will pack our medication and a few days spare, insect repellant and a few plasters. We will splash out on an annual travel insurance policy and even find our E111 at the bottom of the 'swimwear' drawer.

So what have we forgotten? Well how many people will 'pack' their medical record to take with them? I suspect very few, at present, but things may be changing. On a smart-phone, tablet or laptop it is very easy to travel with a copy of our medical record - if made available by the GP surgery. We will have to protect it with security passwords (and this requires discipline for most of us) but it could come in useful after the yearly cycle hire disaster, or attempting a spectacular beach volley-ball recovery.

Perhaps I am over ambitious - but if we bother with travel insurance, is it equally important to take our information to support safe care in an emergency when away from home?

Peter S.