General information
When you consult a private (i.e. non-NHS) healthcare provider you should be aware of what may happen regarding any medication and monitoring recommended by the specialist. You may not always be able to obtain a NHS prescription for medication recommended through a private consultation.
There is guidance available for NHS patients who wish to pay for additional private care (See UK Gov guidance). The guidance says:
- your NHS care will continue to be free of charge
- you can’t be asked to pay towards your NHS care, except where legislation allows charges, such as prescription charges
- the NHS can’t pay for or subsidise your private hospital treatment
- there must be as clear a separation as possible between your private treatment and your NHS treatment
- your position on a NHS waiting list shouldn’t be affected if you choose to have a private consultation.
Private Referral (independent of via GP)
If you choose to refer yourself to a private healthcare practitioner independently of your GP for privately funded care (i.e. outside the NHS), whether in the UK or abroad, you are expected to pay the full cost of any treatment (including diagnosis, monitoring and medication) you receive in relation to the package of care provided privately (including non-emergency complications).
Where your GP has referred you to a private practitioner you may be supplied with a private prescription. This can be dispensed by any community pharmacy and you will be required to pay for the medication dispensed.
Ongoing Treatment After Private Care
If, following initial treatment (package of care), your private practitioner deems it necessary for ongoing medication and/or monitoring they will liaise with your NHS provider to deem if it would be appropriate to transfer care back to NHS provision.
There is no obligation for your NHS provider to accept recommendations made to prescribe treatment by the private practitioner. Only if your GP considers there is a clinical need for your medicine, and that an NHS patient would be treated in the same way, and the medicine is something they would routinely prescribe, would an NHS prescription be considered.
To assess your clinical need for the treatment including the reasons for the proposed medication, your GP must have received a full clinical report from the private practitioner.
If your NHS practitioner does not feel that it is appropriate for them to prescribe the medicine recommended by the private practitioner, then they may consider:
- prescribing you an equivalent locally recommended medication, which should deliver a similar / identical benefit.
- offering a referral to an NHS consultant to consider whether the recommended medication should be prescribed as part of ongoing NHS treatment.
- asking the private practitioner to remain responsible for the treatment because of its specialist nature, and to provide further private prescriptions, for which you will need to pay.
Where can a private prescription be dispensed?
Where the prescribed medication is available to order, any community pharmacy can supply a private prescription. Some private hospitals have pharmacy departments that can dispense your private prescription.
Where medication prescribed is not available to order via community pharmacy, your private healthcare provider can advise on suitable supply routes.
How much will a private prescription cost?
The cost of a private prescription is calculated depending on the cost of the medication. There is considerable variation in the cost of medicines so it is suggested that patients discuss the possible cost of medications with their private practitioner as part of the treatment plan.
The pharmacy will charge for the full cost of your medication as well as a professional fee for the process of obtaining, dispensing and checking your medicine.
Costs can vary between pharmacies so you are entitled to ‘shop around’ before deciding where you would like your medicine supplied from.
