Prescribing of medicines by your GP following assessment or treatment by a Private Doctor

 

 

You will always be required to pay for the first month’s private prescription from your consultant while your GP considers if continuing the prescription on the NHS would be appropriate.

 

Once a request is received, we will get back to you within ONE MONTH.

 

We MAY NOT be able to prescribe what your private specialist or GP has suggested.

 

-      Whenever a GP prescribes a medicine for you they are taking full responsibility for your care, even if the medicine is recommended for you by another doctor.  

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-      As an NHS GP practice, we are also required to prescribe in line with the NHS formulary. 

- It, therefore, cannot always be expected that your GP will prescribe the medicine(s) recommended for you by the private doctor.

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How to make your request (allow up to one month for us to review)

-      Send us an online message (https://accurx.nhs.uk/patient-initiated/E87745) with the letter from your private specialist attached

-      The letter needs to include the name of the medication, the dose/strength, duration, reasons for prescribing it. It is your responsibility to obtain the clinic letters and forward them to us.

-      Some medications require specific monitoring in which case we also need this information from your private specialist and any relevant monitoring results

-      Some medications require a Shared Care Agreement which should be sent by your private specialist to us

-      We may still need further information in which case we will contact you or the private specialist

 

Please be aware that your GP may not agree to prescribe the medicine in the following circumstances:

- The GP has not had adequate communication from the private doctor to explain the reasons why you need the medicine.

- The GP does not believe the medicine is appropriate or necessary for you.

- The medicine is not licensed or is being used outside of its licensed use in the UK.

- The GP does not feel they have the specialist expertise to monitor the medicine and to ensure it is safe and working for you.

- The use of the medicine is not in line with national or local prescribing guidelines.

- Your GP believes that a different medicine which is very similar and commonly prescribed on the NHS will be just as effective or appropriate for you to take instead.

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Your GP may be able to prescribe the medicine for you, if the private doctor informs the GP why you need the medicine, and provided that none of the above applies.

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If the GP cannot prescribe the medicine, they will give you a clear explanation of the reason for this and will also contact your private doctor. Your GP may give you the option of having a different but equally effective medicine prescribed on the NHS or you may wish to pay privately for the original medicine via your private doctor.  

 

For further information

Please refer to the North West London Interface Prescribing Policy which can be found on the North West London Medicines Optimisation and Community Pharmacy team website (under Policies and Position Statements): Medicines Optimisation and Community Pharmacy: North West London ICS.