Important Notice Regarding Private Prescriptions.

Notice Regarding Private Prescriptions:

Private prescriptions are issued for medications recommended by your private doctor. Please note that a private prescription is not covered by the NHS, and therefore, the cost of medication will not be reimbursed by the NHS.

A prescription is a legal document, and the prescriber assumes responsibility for both the use of the medication and its ongoing monitoring. The prescriber must ensure they have all relevant information to assess the appropriateness of the medication and any potential risks, especially in cases where they have not been involved in the initial referral or assessment.

If a private doctor has assessed the patient and issued a private prescription, the GP at Littleton Surgery cannot alter the prescription to an NHS prescription. The GP cannot transfer responsibility for monitoring or prescribing when they have not been directly involved in the assessment of the patient and the recommended medication is considered safe.

Our GPs and other NHS prescribers adhere to strict guidelines, formularies, licensing information, and protocols that apply to NHS prescriptions. Some medications cannot be prescribed in primary care (i.e., by a GP rather than a hospital consultant). An NHS prescription can only be issued if the medication would typically be provided on the NHS.

Once a patient has been established and stabilised on their new medication by their private doctor, our GPs will consider taking on the responsibility for ongoing prescribing of the medication. This will only be considered once we have received clear and detailed information from the relevant private consultant/provider, including their recommendations, dosage, treatment plans, and clinical justification. Please note that this process can take up to two weeks, and it is NOT our responsibility to chase up this information.

Additionally, Littleton Surgery is not obligated to convert privately issued prescriptions to NHS prescriptions, nor do we assume responsibility for medications recommended under private shared care agreements.