Shared Care Prescribing: What You Need to Know

Introduction

Shared Care means your GP and a specialist work together to prescribe and monitor certain medications. This ensures your treatment is safe and properly monitored.

How shared care works

• The specialist starts your medication and makes sure it’s safe and effective.
• The specialist continues to review your treatment and gives advice to your GP.
• Your GP may prescribe the medication under the shared care agreement, but only if the specialist remains involved.

Important information about ADHD medications

• Adults and 16+: GPs cannot enter shared care agreements for ADHD medications started by private providers even though they may be under Right to Choose. You must get prescriptions from the specialist who initiated your treatment.
• Children under 16: ADHD medications are specialist-only. GPs cannot prescribe them, even under NHS shared care, due to national safety rules.

Other specialist medications

Shared care arrangements exist for some conditions (e.g., rheumatoid arthritis, Parkinson’s, inflammatory bowel disease), but only when the specialist remains responsible for ongoing review.

Private or right-to-choose providers

GPs cannot prescribe medications started privately, because these services do not meet NHS shared care standards.

Gender dysphoria / hormone therapy

• GPs cannot start bridging hormone therapy while you wait for an NHS specialist.
• We will refer you to a specialist service and provide mental health support while you wait.
• Once a formal shared care agreement is in place, your GP can prescribe and monitor under NHS guidance.

Support while you wait

1. Mental health resources and support organizations (e.g., Mermaids, Gendered Intelligence)
2. NHS mental health services

Summary

Our priority is your safety. Shared care works only when the specialist remains responsible for your treatment. Please contact your NHS specialist if you want to transition care from a private provider.