Shared Care Agreement Policy

Green Meadows Surgery is committed to providing high quality and equitable healthcare to all our patients; with this in mind, we have updated our position on shared care agreements for ADHD medications. This is in line with the guidance around shared care agreements as stated below. These medications are complex and require monitoring from a specialist team, even when this is in addition to GP based monitoring under a shared care agreement. National guidance set out by NICE, expects long term involvement of specialists (consultant psychiatrists) to review patients with ADHD and their medical treatment, regularly (often at least annually).

It is crucial to recognise that the management of ADHD, particularly through medication, necessitates regular monitoring and specialist oversight. While we remain dedicated to delivering high-quality care to our patients, our resources and capabilities may not extend to providing the specialised monitoring required for patients diagnosed and treated privately.

As such, we kindly request that patients who have received a diagnosis of ADHD through private consultation continue to seek medication prescriptions from their private specialists. This approach ensures that individuals receive the comprehensive care they deserve, tailored to their specific needs and under the supervision of a specialist equipped to provide ongoing support and monitoring.

For patients who may wish to start with, or transition to, NHS care for their ADHD management, we are here to assist. We encourage those seeking NHS support to initiate contact through our e-consultation platform. Upon receipt of your request, we will (if appropriate) facilitate your referral to the appropriate NHS service.

For patients who we have already agreed to take on shared care agreements before now, we will continue to prescribe, according to the terms of the shared care agreement. Patients currently awaiting Private or Right to Choose assessment or prescribing – we will not take over any new ADHD prescribing on a shared care agreement. We will refer on to the local NHS pathway where a private provider writes to us recommending medication.

Therefore, patients that opt to pay for a private ADHD assessment and opt to commence treatment privately need to be aware (and accept) that prescribing through their NHS GP will usually only be possible once they are similarly under the care of a NHS ADHD specialist team and that prior prescribing would need to occur privately- either with the provider that made the initial diagnosis or an alternative private provider.

Where appropriate, we will consider sharing care with the local NHS service under a NHS shared care agreement for patients diagnosed with ADHD, as long as they adhere to the conditions set out in the agreed NHS shared care policy.

For patients considering a private assessment or Right to Choose referral, you need to be aware we will not take over prescribing but will be happy to refer on to the local NHS pathway. The Right to Choose does generate an NHS referral to the Private service, but we cannot always be assured about how these services function in assessment and management, and we unfortunately are not able to take responsibility for prescribing medications on their behalf as a result. We are happy to refer on the NHS where appropriate, as stated above.