Shared Care in the UK

A shared care arrangement is where your GP takes over your routine prescriptions and check-ups. This typically happens after your stable on your medication and if your GP agrees on shared care. It isn't mandatory for GP’s to accept shared care from private providers so it’s best to check this ahead of time.

Content reviewed by

Adrian Williams

ADHD Specialist Practitioner and Nurse Prescriber

Shared care: what you need to know

It isn't mandatory for GP’s to accept shared care from private providers so it’s best to check this ahead of time.

Stabilisation of your medication before initiating a shared care request. Many GPs prefer if their patients are stable on medication prior to approving shared care.

If your GP declines shared care, you can continue your medication pathway with ADHD Simple on our ongoing care plan.

ADHD shared care, explained

How shared care works

If you’ve been diagnosed, have gone onto medication and this is now stable we will seek a shared care arrangement with your GP. After reviewing the request, if your GP accepts shared care, they will:

Issue regular repeat prescriptions
Undertake routine physical health checks
Monitor side effects and issues
Liaise with us if specialist advice is needed, there are any concerning results or believes medication changes need to be made

If you continue to our ongoing care plan, we will

Provide a treatment plan to your GP
Give ongoing specialist advice and review
Make the complex decisions such as treatment changes or stopping medication

Why GPs sometimes say no

GPs are not obliged to accept shared-care and will have different reasons for declining a request, including:

They may not have experience with ADHD
They may not have capacity to carry out the ongoing care required
Medication has not yet been stabilised, or they have questions about the doses or treatment
They do not have a relationship with the private provider or are unsure if the specialist can fulfil their responsibilities

How we set up shared care to succeed

We’ve put prerequisites in place that GPs look out for when assessing if they will accept shared care. Some of these prerequisites include:

Assessments include a full assessment that follows NICE guidelines. All ADHD Simple assessments follow NICE Guidelines. You can learn more about NICE guidelines here.
Our clinicians are UK-registered and experienced in ADHD. Our team includes psychiatrists, GPs and nurse practitioners, and because we focus only on ADHD, it’s what our clinicians know best. Each clinician is also registered with the GMC or NMC. Find out more about our clinicians here.
Stabilisation of your medication before initiating a shared care request. Many GPs prefer if their patients are stable on medication prior to approving shared care.
Simple and clear communications with your GP

If your GP declines shared care, you can continue your medication pathway with ADHD Simple on our ongoing care plan. Learn more about the different pathways at ADHD Simple here.