Can I get my new private prescription transferred to an NHS prescription?

If you see a private doctor or specialist and they recommend a particular medication or treatment for you to start urgently, this will be a private prescription. The GP practice will not usually be able to transfer a private prescription to an NHS prescription.

Dental prescriptions cannot be transferred to a NHS prescription by your GP (including antibiotics) as GPs are not insured to prescribe for dental issues.

What happens if I wish to continue my treatment on the NHS?

If you ask your GP to take over or continue a prescription recommended by a private doctor or specialist the GP will only be able to do so if they are satisfied that this prescribing is appropriate, cost  effective and something that would be prescribed by GPs for other NHS patients with the same condition.

Please allow a minimum of 7 working days for a prescription following the specialist sending us a letter for medication.

It may not be possible to prescribe in the following circumstances.

• We have not yet received the specialist letter – we are unable to consider a request based on just a prescription
• It is a dental prescription
• The medication is a “shared care” medication which has to be started by a specialist and stabilised before the GP can take over. We cannot prescribe until this stage is reached
• The medication is generally not prescribed on the NHS
• The medication is not licenced in the UK for this condition
• The GP does not believe the medication to be appropriate or necessary.

If your GP is not able to prescribe the medication suggested by your private specialist, they may suggest an alternative formulary item. If you prefer to have the treatment suggested by the private  consultant, please use the private prescription that your consultant issues.

This will not affect any medications you are currently being prescribed by your NHS GP.

Please keep us informed of any medications you are accessing privately as we add them to your medication screen so we can check for drug interactions when prescribing other medications.