Prescribing Shared Care Policy

Shared Care Prescribing Policy

In some cases, your GP may enter into a shared care agreement with an NHS consultant. This means that responsibility for your treatment—usually involving medication that a GP would not typically initiate or manage alone—is shared between the GP and the consultant. A written protocol will clearly outline the responsibilities of each clinician to ensure your treatment is safe and effective.

Shared care agreements are not always possible with private specialists, including ‘Right to Choose’ providers. This is due to the less integrated nature of private services. We advise patients to select private or 'Right to Choose' practitioners who are able to prescribe and manage medications themselves, rather than relying on a GP to take over care. In situations where there are exceptional circumstances—such as prolonged delays in accessing NHS care—we may consider private shared care arrangements on a case-by-case basis.

Please note:

Your GP is not obliged to accept a shared care agreement if they feel it places an inappropriate level of responsibility on primary care.
In such cases, the specialist (NHS or private) must retain full responsibility for prescribing and monitoring the recommended treatment.
It is not appropriate for a patient or provider to pressure a GP into prescribing a medication they are not comfortable or contractually obliged to manage.

If you have questions about how this policy affects your current or future treatment, please book a routine appointment with your GP.