Shared Care Agreements

This statement outlines the process and responsibilities regarding prescriptions for patients accessing specialist care privately in the UK. Here's a summary of the key points:

1. Private Clinician's Responsibility: When a patient sees a private specialist, the Clinician is responsible for providing prescriptions for any medication initiated in the private setting.

2. Long-term Medication: If a medication is intended for long-term use, the private Clinician may ask the GP to take over prescribing. However, there is no obligation for the GP to agree to this.

3. GP's Role: A GP must ensure that any prescription they issue is safe, appropriate, and follows NHS guidelines. GPs can refuse to prescribe a medication started by a private Clinician if they are not satisfied with its appropriateness or safety.

4. Shared Care Agreements: Some medications (like stimulants for ADHD, immunosuppressants, and hormones for gender-affirming treatment) require a "shared care agreement." This agreement allows GPs to prescribe medications under the guidance of a specialist.

5. Private vs. NHS Shared Care Agreements: Shared care agreements are established between NHS specialists and GPs. The prescibing of Shared Care medications are only agreed by the GP when patients are stable on their medication and we have clear direction on what tests need to be done and when. There is no such agreement between private clinicians and GPs. As a result, medications requiring a shared care agreement, initiated by a private clinician, must be prescribed by the private Clinician directly.

In essence, if someone is receiving specialist treatment privately and requires ongoing prescriptions, it is typically the private clinician's responsibility to continue prescribing, especially for complex or specialist medications.