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Private Shared Care Prescribing Policy

We understand that some of our patients choose to access private healthcare alongside their NHS care. While we respect this choice, it is important to explain our practice policy regarding private shared care prescribing.

Why we cannot accept private shared care prescribing

General Practice is contracted to deliver NHS care. Shared care prescribing requires formal agreements, governance structures, and ongoing clinical monitoring. These arrangements exist within the NHS, where responsibilities between specialists and GPs are clearly defined and supported.

When prescribing is initiated by a private provider, we are unable to take on shared care responsibilities for the following reasons:

  • We cannot be assured of the quality and governance of private providers.
  • Ongoing care depends on patients continuing to self-fund, which is not guaranteed.
  • Accepting these requests risks creating a two-tier system, giving faster access to treatment for those able to pay privately.
  • General Practice does not have the capacity to manage additional private sector workload.
  • Shared care with private providers is not funded and sits outside our NHS contractual obligations.

What this means in practice

  • If you start treatment with a private provider, that provider is responsible for prescribing and monitoring your medication.
  • We will not enter into shared care agreements with private providers.
  • In most cases, your private specialist should continue to prescribe until your care has been transferred into the NHS (if appropriate). Transfer of care to the NHS can only be achieved if you have been referred to an NHS secondary care specialist AND they agree to shared care prescribing of the medicine.
  • If the medication is available on the NHS and your care is transferred to an NHS specialist, we can then review prescribing in line with NHS guidance and local formulary policies.

Your ongoing care

Your right to NHS care remains unaffected if you choose to see a private specialist. If your private provider feels you require NHS input, they should make a referral directly to NHS services. Once under NHS specialist care, we will consider prescribing as per local shared care agreements.

We hope this clarifies our position. This policy is in place to ensure fair, safe, and consistent care for all our patients.

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