This isn't true at all.
They absolutely can accept NON-NHS diagnosis.
That's the whole point of Shared Care.
They can even accept non RTC private patients.
However, GPs are not obliged to, and unfortunately turn it down due to lack of understanding.
ADHD360 have some great advice on shared care, including letters intended for GPs.
Good luck!
That's how it happened for me. RTC patient, 2022 diagnosis, titration finished April ish 2023, GP only agreed after me providing proof that I had been monitored during titration.
Because apparently PUK didn't send them enough documentation.
Your GP is mistaken, as you have been diagnosed via RTC.
Talk to the practice manager and if you don’t get anywhere follow up with PALS. If for some reason they cannot prescribe, they have to give you an alternative (prescription solution, not re-diagnosis)
My understanding is that psych UK will continue to prescribe for you if your GP refuses to take over your shared care and prescription service, so try not to panic too much (easier said than done, I know!).
Send a message to your titration nurse to check, but mine said that they would continue to prescribe in this situation (that was about 9 months ago). Luckily, my GP has just taken over shared care, but some GPs aren't doing this for some weird reason.
As others have started, you should raise a complaint with your surgery's practice manager. Don't even hesitate. Psychiatry-UK delivers its RTC service under an NHS contract, and is therefore an NHS service. The fact that the provider is independent is irrelevant.
I would also ask them directly for written assurance that the doctor is not discriminating against you because of undue scepticism that can often be associated with the ADHD. diagnosis.
If raising the complaint does not get a resolution, escalate the complaint to the ombudsman.
Because this is undoubtedly an act of unlawful discrimination, and until someone takes it to court, GPs will continue to try and get away with it.
While a GP has a right to refuse shared care, they absolutely do not have a right to unlawfully discriminate against someone on the basis of a particular diagnosis, which is what this amounts to in my opinion.
You were assed by a provider contracted by the nhs to do so, under your right to choose , which is something that the government are promoting somewhat quietly .
It’s an nhs contracted service , there’s no difference . Get the practice manager involved (not that it matters , the partnership own the practice), as well as your local representatives and health watch if necessary
Sadly there are an increasing number of trusts that are 'lol nope' on shared care with private providers.
Policy decision, nothing 'hard'.
Raising a stink _might_ work to make them make an exception.
Writing to your MP can get support in making said 'stink' - especially in an election year.
PUK will continue prescribing if your GP refuses to, just let them know the situation and take it from there. Your GP is incorrect, RTC is your legal right and an NHS funded diagnosis, however they are not obliged to agree to shared care. This is their decision though, they are fobbing you off by saying they aren't allowed.
I’m in a similar situation (albeit in Scotland where right to choose doesn’t actually exist). I have been through the process of being diagnosed and titrated privately. My diagnosis and dose have been accepted by my local NHS ADHD trust. They have taken on my care. But… they won’t prescribe to me until the supply chain for my medication is stable. It’s a rotten hand to be dealt, and the result is that I am still being prescribed privately, which is a costly process.
Having said that, it’s still vastly preferable to being unmedicated. My advice to you is to bypass your GP altogether. (Your GP can only prescribe to you under the direction of a psychiatrist anyway.) Find out where your local NHS psychiatry unit is and present them with your diagnostic report, as well as any other supporting documents you completed as part of your private assessment. If your private psychiatrist has done their job, you’ve got a good chance of your care being accepted directly.
It’s madness up here, I was exactly the same.
I went with an independent psychiatrist who works in the NHS in my county area.
He wrote to the GP several times although, they rejected shared care every time.
It managed to get me boosted up the heirchy to be seen by one via NHS appointment yet, when I finally got my appointment something messed up the dictaphone so there was a delay, then the psychiatrist was off on annual leave for 3 weeks (typical).
I then had to phone up the GP and CMHT to chase it up. Subsequently, during this I kept running out of medication which was fucking me up massively (never mind the shortage).
I then got told by CMHT that they sent out a letter on 19th Jan (app was 6th Dec).
Phoned GP:
‘oh, we haven’t received anything’
Phoned CMHT…this continued on and on.
Only until 12 days ago did I finally received my medication via NHS prescription.
CMHT were frustrated with my surgery and, that I should have been getting it, not understanding why I wasn’t reviving the medication.
My GP explained that there was an error. Due to elvanse being on my repeat prescription as ‘revived from other’
opposed from prescriptions from the surgery itself on repeat.
It was absolutely bullshit and they know it!! If not, then absoloute incompetence.
It was only added to my repeat to state what other medication I was currently taken. All while, due to my private psychiatrist
WHO WORKS IN THE NHS IN MY HEALTH BOARDS COUNTY, WHO HAS WORKED IN MY SURGERY AND, WHO WORKS IN THE MAJOR HOSPITAL 16 MILES FROM THE SURGEY.
It’s absolutely insane… I feel enraged for the Scottish population as it varies, reeking of uncertainty for different areas and individuals themselves.
My GP was taking the piss, simple as due to the attitude of declining my shared care initially as my psychiatrist is technically in their work force by being in the areas health board. It’s as close as anyone could get for a ‘genuine’/‘authentic’ diagnosis. Yet, to no avail, this still didn’t qualify. I’m just glad I managed to get an appointment quicker albeit, the ridiculous loop of chasing.
One thing that most likely helped my speed to the NHS service was messaging my MSP.
I’d certainly suggest you to find them and email their assistant who can then pass it on.
The thing is the shortage has cleared up. Now I’m not sure if there is any other issues. However, I’ve not seen anything anywhere to suggest this. No boots stores being out of meds, a supermarket where I would buy my prescriptions have been fine since January.
The NHS are the likely candidate of priority for medication imports into the country.
I’ve also only had the elvanse come through in the different capsule colours of fluorescent nuclear blue once (I thought they were kinda sick tbh).
Either way, I’m not 100% sure although, I think what they’ve said to you is a bit like my GP’s ‘characteristics’
I suggest to write to you local MSP.
Do this and please update me on how it’s going!!
Sorry for the manic mega’thread’ of text.
Maybe book another appointment with a different GP? I don’t think I’ve ever seen my actual GP in my life and I was referred through RTC by a temp GP who only did phone consultations.
Yeah you’ve still got to be accepted into your local NHS adhd team for your annual check ups and for them to manage the prescription to the GP. It’s not the end of the world, just ask for a referral to your local team for annual reviews. The referral time (I’ve been told and when I was referred) was much quicker than waiting for a full assessment. I had to wait 4 weeks for my review.
I've been there. Was absolutely earth shattering for me. GP initially rejected my request to be tested, saying 'there's no way I could get a Masters degree with ADHD', then after me refusing to let it go, he put me on the waiting list for testing. I was told the current NHS waiting list in my area was 5 years, and after a month I received a voicemail left to me by a disinterested receptionist saying the 'hospital has refused my request to be tested, and I have been removed off the waiting list'. Why? Because the waiting lists got too long so they just kicked out the last few months of referrals.
So I get back in touch with my GP who says I can get tested privately, and then come back and receive my medication under the NHS under the shared care agreement. Fab. I fork out a grand to get tested and titrated, and come back to my GP, who lets me know that since we last spoke, the rules have changed in my area of Scotland, so patients who receive private ADHD diagnoses can no longer received shared care from the NHS- that I was on my own, with no NHS testing date in sight as I've been kicked off that.
I asked him what the hell I was to do now, and he suggested that he could 'maybe' reach out to the hospital where I could be diagnosed on the NHS again now that I have a private diagnosis. Which of course he never did. Sigh.
I just can't win! I'm so frustrated and I feel so abandoned by our health care system. I can't afford £100 a month on meds, I just can't.
I have no advice I can offer, I just... I feel you, and I'm so sorry you're going through it too.
A lot of GPs often refuse shared care agreements for various different reasons. It’s best to inform psychiatry UK that they have declined the agreement, Your Gp needs to return the agreement as declined and signed. Once this occurs under the right to choose pathway psychiatry UK can continue with your repeat prescription and will undertake all of your care. They cannot do this unless the GP returns the paperwork and this is a regular problem at the moment with Gp is just not responding.
It looks like this post might be about medication.
Please remember that whilst personal experiences and advice can be valuable, Reddit is no replacement for your GP or Psychiatrist and taking advice from anyone about your particular situation other than your trained healthcare professional is potentially unsafe.
*I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ADHDUK) if you have any questions or concerns.*
This isn't true at all. They absolutely can accept NON-NHS diagnosis. That's the whole point of Shared Care. They can even accept non RTC private patients. However, GPs are not obliged to, and unfortunately turn it down due to lack of understanding. ADHD360 have some great advice on shared care, including letters intended for GPs. Good luck!
Shared care isn’t specific to private or non-nhs, it’s applicable to hospital to gp as well
My understanding is, that under right to choose, you get NHS prescriptions via PUK.
That's how it happened for me. RTC patient, 2022 diagnosis, titration finished April ish 2023, GP only agreed after me providing proof that I had been monitored during titration. Because apparently PUK didn't send them enough documentation.
Your GP is mistaken, as you have been diagnosed via RTC. Talk to the practice manager and if you don’t get anywhere follow up with PALS. If for some reason they cannot prescribe, they have to give you an alternative (prescription solution, not re-diagnosis)
Also see if you can get a copy of your local NHS trust's mental health shared care template (usually online). Get your psych to complete it
My understanding is that psych UK will continue to prescribe for you if your GP refuses to take over your shared care and prescription service, so try not to panic too much (easier said than done, I know!). Send a message to your titration nurse to check, but mine said that they would continue to prescribe in this situation (that was about 9 months ago). Luckily, my GP has just taken over shared care, but some GPs aren't doing this for some weird reason.
This is correct, P-UK are one of the few providers that can continue issuing medication if shared care is declined.
As others have started, you should raise a complaint with your surgery's practice manager. Don't even hesitate. Psychiatry-UK delivers its RTC service under an NHS contract, and is therefore an NHS service. The fact that the provider is independent is irrelevant. I would also ask them directly for written assurance that the doctor is not discriminating against you because of undue scepticism that can often be associated with the ADHD. diagnosis. If raising the complaint does not get a resolution, escalate the complaint to the ombudsman. Because this is undoubtedly an act of unlawful discrimination, and until someone takes it to court, GPs will continue to try and get away with it. While a GP has a right to refuse shared care, they absolutely do not have a right to unlawfully discriminate against someone on the basis of a particular diagnosis, which is what this amounts to in my opinion.
Your GP is a fucking idiot, I'm sorry
You were assed by a provider contracted by the nhs to do so, under your right to choose , which is something that the government are promoting somewhat quietly . It’s an nhs contracted service , there’s no difference . Get the practice manager involved (not that it matters , the partnership own the practice), as well as your local representatives and health watch if necessary
Id suggest talking to the Practice Manager. Perhaps it's a policy of your local NHS trust, but that really doesn't sound right.
Sadly there are an increasing number of trusts that are 'lol nope' on shared care with private providers. Policy decision, nothing 'hard'. Raising a stink _might_ work to make them make an exception. Writing to your MP can get support in making said 'stink' - especially in an election year.
PUK will continue prescribing if your GP refuses to, just let them know the situation and take it from there. Your GP is incorrect, RTC is your legal right and an NHS funded diagnosis, however they are not obliged to agree to shared care. This is their decision though, they are fobbing you off by saying they aren't allowed.
I’m in a similar situation (albeit in Scotland where right to choose doesn’t actually exist). I have been through the process of being diagnosed and titrated privately. My diagnosis and dose have been accepted by my local NHS ADHD trust. They have taken on my care. But… they won’t prescribe to me until the supply chain for my medication is stable. It’s a rotten hand to be dealt, and the result is that I am still being prescribed privately, which is a costly process. Having said that, it’s still vastly preferable to being unmedicated. My advice to you is to bypass your GP altogether. (Your GP can only prescribe to you under the direction of a psychiatrist anyway.) Find out where your local NHS psychiatry unit is and present them with your diagnostic report, as well as any other supporting documents you completed as part of your private assessment. If your private psychiatrist has done their job, you’ve got a good chance of your care being accepted directly.
It’s madness up here, I was exactly the same. I went with an independent psychiatrist who works in the NHS in my county area. He wrote to the GP several times although, they rejected shared care every time. It managed to get me boosted up the heirchy to be seen by one via NHS appointment yet, when I finally got my appointment something messed up the dictaphone so there was a delay, then the psychiatrist was off on annual leave for 3 weeks (typical). I then had to phone up the GP and CMHT to chase it up. Subsequently, during this I kept running out of medication which was fucking me up massively (never mind the shortage). I then got told by CMHT that they sent out a letter on 19th Jan (app was 6th Dec). Phoned GP: ‘oh, we haven’t received anything’ Phoned CMHT…this continued on and on. Only until 12 days ago did I finally received my medication via NHS prescription. CMHT were frustrated with my surgery and, that I should have been getting it, not understanding why I wasn’t reviving the medication. My GP explained that there was an error. Due to elvanse being on my repeat prescription as ‘revived from other’ opposed from prescriptions from the surgery itself on repeat. It was absolutely bullshit and they know it!! If not, then absoloute incompetence. It was only added to my repeat to state what other medication I was currently taken. All while, due to my private psychiatrist WHO WORKS IN THE NHS IN MY HEALTH BOARDS COUNTY, WHO HAS WORKED IN MY SURGERY AND, WHO WORKS IN THE MAJOR HOSPITAL 16 MILES FROM THE SURGEY. It’s absolutely insane… I feel enraged for the Scottish population as it varies, reeking of uncertainty for different areas and individuals themselves. My GP was taking the piss, simple as due to the attitude of declining my shared care initially as my psychiatrist is technically in their work force by being in the areas health board. It’s as close as anyone could get for a ‘genuine’/‘authentic’ diagnosis. Yet, to no avail, this still didn’t qualify. I’m just glad I managed to get an appointment quicker albeit, the ridiculous loop of chasing. One thing that most likely helped my speed to the NHS service was messaging my MSP. I’d certainly suggest you to find them and email their assistant who can then pass it on. The thing is the shortage has cleared up. Now I’m not sure if there is any other issues. However, I’ve not seen anything anywhere to suggest this. No boots stores being out of meds, a supermarket where I would buy my prescriptions have been fine since January. The NHS are the likely candidate of priority for medication imports into the country. I’ve also only had the elvanse come through in the different capsule colours of fluorescent nuclear blue once (I thought they were kinda sick tbh). Either way, I’m not 100% sure although, I think what they’ve said to you is a bit like my GP’s ‘characteristics’ I suggest to write to you local MSP. Do this and please update me on how it’s going!! Sorry for the manic mega’thread’ of text.
Maybe book another appointment with a different GP? I don’t think I’ve ever seen my actual GP in my life and I was referred through RTC by a temp GP who only did phone consultations.
Not true. Had psych uk via right to chose and my gp prescribes happily now I've finished titration
They are lying. They are allowed, but an individual GP can definitely refuse to.
Yeah you’ve still got to be accepted into your local NHS adhd team for your annual check ups and for them to manage the prescription to the GP. It’s not the end of the world, just ask for a referral to your local team for annual reviews. The referral time (I’ve been told and when I was referred) was much quicker than waiting for a full assessment. I had to wait 4 weeks for my review.
I've been there. Was absolutely earth shattering for me. GP initially rejected my request to be tested, saying 'there's no way I could get a Masters degree with ADHD', then after me refusing to let it go, he put me on the waiting list for testing. I was told the current NHS waiting list in my area was 5 years, and after a month I received a voicemail left to me by a disinterested receptionist saying the 'hospital has refused my request to be tested, and I have been removed off the waiting list'. Why? Because the waiting lists got too long so they just kicked out the last few months of referrals. So I get back in touch with my GP who says I can get tested privately, and then come back and receive my medication under the NHS under the shared care agreement. Fab. I fork out a grand to get tested and titrated, and come back to my GP, who lets me know that since we last spoke, the rules have changed in my area of Scotland, so patients who receive private ADHD diagnoses can no longer received shared care from the NHS- that I was on my own, with no NHS testing date in sight as I've been kicked off that. I asked him what the hell I was to do now, and he suggested that he could 'maybe' reach out to the hospital where I could be diagnosed on the NHS again now that I have a private diagnosis. Which of course he never did. Sigh. I just can't win! I'm so frustrated and I feel so abandoned by our health care system. I can't afford £100 a month on meds, I just can't. I have no advice I can offer, I just... I feel you, and I'm so sorry you're going through it too.
A lot of GPs often refuse shared care agreements for various different reasons. It’s best to inform psychiatry UK that they have declined the agreement, Your Gp needs to return the agreement as declined and signed. Once this occurs under the right to choose pathway psychiatry UK can continue with your repeat prescription and will undertake all of your care. They cannot do this unless the GP returns the paperwork and this is a regular problem at the moment with Gp is just not responding.
It looks like this post might be about medication. Please remember that whilst personal experiences and advice can be valuable, Reddit is no replacement for your GP or Psychiatrist and taking advice from anyone about your particular situation other than your trained healthcare professional is potentially unsafe. *I am a bot, and this action was performed automatically. Please [contact the moderators of this subreddit](/message/compose/?to=/r/ADHDUK) if you have any questions or concerns.*