Shared Care for ADHD Medication

Many patients choose to transition to a Shared Care Agreement with their GP once their ADHD medication has been stabilised.

A Shared Care Agreement allows your GP to prescribe your medication through the NHS, while ISC-CARE continues to provide the specialist monitoring required for ADHD medication.

This page explains how Shared Care works, the requirements involved, and what to expect during the process.

What is a Shared Care Agreement?

A Shared Care Agreement is a formal clinical arrangement between ISC-CARE and your GP practice.

Under this arrangement:

• Your GP prescribes your ADHD medication on an NHS prescription

• ISC-CARE remains responsible for specialist ADHD monitoring

• Patients attend regular medication reviews with our clinical team

Shared Care allows patients to receive their medication through their GP while still benefiting from specialist ADHD oversight.

Eligibility for Shared Care

Before a Shared Care application can be submitted, patients must have:

• completed the medication titration process

• remained stable on the same medication and dosage for at least 8 weeks

• confirmed they are happy to remain on this dosage

GPs will normally only prescribe the exact medication and dosage that has been stabilised during titration.

If a change to medication or dosage is required later, this must be reviewed and authorised by the ISC-CARE clinical team.

Ongoing Monitoring Requirements

ADHD medication requires ongoing specialist monitoring.

As part of the Shared Care arrangement, patients must attend regular medication reviews with ISC-CARE.

Medication reviews:

• take place every 6 months

• cost £120 per appointment

• are conducted remotely via Microsoft Teams

• last up to 25 minutes

These reviews are required for the full duration of the Shared Care Agreement and form part of the clinical safety requirements agreed with GP practices.

Changes to Medication

If a patient wishes to change their medication or dosage between scheduled reviews, an earlier medication review appointment can be arranged.

The cost of an additional medication review is £120.

Medication changes cannot be made directly through your GP under Shared Care without review from the specialist provider.

NHS Waiting List

Patients are strongly encouraged to ask their GP to join the NHS waiting list for an ADHD assessment, if they are not already on one.

This is currently the only pathway that allows patients to eventually receive ADHD medication prescribing and monitoring entirely through NHS services.

Without NHS involvement, patients will usually need to continue specialist monitoring privately, even if their GP agrees to prescribe medication through Shared Care.

Important Information About GP Decisions

Although Shared Care Agreements are common, the final decision to accept or decline a Shared Care request always rests with the GP practice.

ISC-CARE currently supports around 300 active Shared Care Agreements, and many GP practices accept Shared Care arrangements regularly.

However, some GP practices decline Shared Care requests due to their own prescribing policies.

These policies vary between practices and are outside the control of ISC-CARE.

Why Some GP Practices Decline Shared Care

Although many GP practices support Shared Care Agreements, some practices choose not to participate.

This decision is based on individual GP surgery policies rather than the quality of your assessment or treatment.

Common reasons a GP may decline Shared Care include:

• The GP practice has a policy not to prescribe ADHD medication initiated privately
• The practice requires patients to be assessed through NHS services only
• The GP does not feel they have sufficient specialist support within their practice
• Local prescribing guidance or regional policies restrict Shared Care arrangements

It is important to understand that these decisions are made by the GP practice and are outside the control of ISC-CARE.

ISC-CARE will always ensure that Shared Care applications contain the required clinical information and are submitted appropriately, but the final decision always rests with the GP practice.

If a GP declines a Shared Care request, ISC-CARE will assist where possible by helping patients explore alternative options.

If Your GP Declines Shared Care

If your GP chooses not to enter into a Shared Care Agreement, several options may still be available.

Request clarification or reconsideration

ISC-CARE may request further information from the GP practice and ask whether the decision can be reconsidered.

Register with another GP practice

Some patients choose to register with a different GP surgery that supports private Shared Care Agreements.

Continue with private prescriptions

Patients may continue to receive private prescriptions through ISC-CARE, obtaining their medication through their local pharmacy.

While ISC-CARE will always aim to support patients in exploring available options, GP prescribing decisions and policies are outside of our control.

Any dispute regarding a refusal must be addressed directly with the GP practice.

Starting a Shared Care Application

Once a patient has been stable on their medication and dosage for at least 8 weeks, a Shared Care application can be submitted.

To begin the process patients will need to:

• complete the Shared Care application form

• pay the £50 Shared Care administration fee

Patients will also need to provide:

• a recent blood pressure reading

• their current weight

This information forms part of the clinical documentation sent to your GP.

GP Response Times

GP practices can sometimes take several weeks to review Shared Care applications.

Patients are encouraged to follow up directly with their GP practice regarding the progress of the request.

ISC-CARE will notify patients as soon as a response has been received.

Medication While Waiting for a Decision

If a patient is running low on medication while waiting for a GP response, they can request a private repeat prescription from ISC-CARE.

The cost for this service is £33.50.

This helps ensure patients do not experience a break in treatment while their Shared Care application is being reviewed.

Supporting Your ADHD Treatment Journey

ISC-CARE supports patients through every stage of the ADHD treatment pathway, including:

• ADHD assessment

• medication titration

• shared care applications

• ongoing specialist monitoring

Shared Care provides a practical pathway for many patients to receive medication through their GP while continuing to benefit from specialist ADHD expertise.

Shared Care Frequently Asked Questions

Will my GP automatically accept Shared Care?

No. Each GP practice makes its own decision about whether it will accept Shared Care.

Many GP practices do support Shared Care arrangements, and ISC-CARE currently works with around 300 active Shared Care Agreements, but acceptance cannot be guaranteed.

What happens if my GP refuses Shared Care?

If a GP declines Shared Care, several options may still be available:

• ISC-CARE may request clarification and ask whether the decision can be reconsidered
• You may choose to register with another GP practice that supports Shared Care
• You can continue to receive private prescriptions through ISC-CARE

Will my GP change my medication?

Under Shared Care, your GP will normally only prescribe the medication and dosage that has already been stabilised during titration.

Any changes to medication or dosage must be reviewed and authorised by the ISC-CARE clinical team.

Do I still need medication reviews if my GP prescribes the medication?

Yes.

Even if your GP prescribes the medication, specialist ADHD monitoring must continue through ISC-CARE.

Medication reviews are required every 6 months and cost £120.

What happens if I miss my medication review?

GPs may refuse to continue prescribing ADHD medication if the required specialist reviews are not completed.

For this reason, it is important to attend scheduled medication reviews so that safe prescribing can continue.

What if I run out of medication while waiting for my GP?

If you are waiting for a GP response or need medication urgently, you can request a private repeat prescription from ISC-CARE.

The cost of this service is £33.50.

Should I join the NHS waiting list?

Yes.

Patients are strongly encouraged to ask their GP to join the NHS waiting list for an ADHD assessment, if they are not already on one.

This is currently the only pathway that may eventually allow ADHD medication to be fully managed through NHS services without ongoing private monitoring.

Important Information About Private ADHD Treatment and NHS Prescribing

ADHD assessments and treatment provided by ISC-CARE are private medical services.

While many GP practices are willing to enter into Shared Care Agreements with private providers, GPs are not obligated to prescribe medication that has been initiated privately.

The decision to prescribe ADHD medication through the NHS always rests with the individual GP and their practice policies.

This means that even if a patient has received a diagnosis and completed titration through a private provider, a GP may still decide not to prescribe medication through Shared Care.

Patients should therefore be aware that private ADHD treatment does not guarantee NHS prescribing.

If a GP declines Shared Care, patients may choose to:

• continue receiving private prescriptions through ISC-CARE, or

• register with another GP practice that supports Shared Care arrangements, or

• remain on the NHS waiting list for ADHD services, which may eventually allow medication to be prescribed and monitored fully through NHS care.

ISC-CARE will always ensure that clinical documentation and Shared Care requests are completed appropriately and submitted to GP practices with the necessary information. However, GP prescribing decisions are independent and outside the control of ISC-CARE.

Patients are encouraged to discuss Shared Care with their GP if they have any questions about their practice’s prescribing policies.