Prescriptions issues after private consultation

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There are a number of reasons why your GP may not be able to transfer your private prescription onto an NHS prescription.

These include:

  • The medicine being recommended on your private prescription is not allowed on an NHS prescription.
  • If a medicine is not allowed on an NHS prescription (blacklisted) then it cannot be prescribed by anyone on the NHS.
  • The medicine being recommended is not provided by your local NHS.
  • In your local area the medicine may not be included in the normal NHS treatment for your condition, therefore it would not normally be recommended on an NHS prescription.
  • The medicine being recommended is not included in your local medicine formulary.
  • A medicine formulary contains a list of preferred local medicine choices. You may be offered a preferred alternative on NHS prescription instead of the medicine on your private prescription.
  • The medicine being recommended is only suitable for specialist or specialised prescribing.
  • Normally, NHS specialists and not GPs, would prescribe the medicine. So, GPs may be unfamiliar with the medicine and how it should be prescribed and reviewed. GPs would not normally prescribe these medicines on NHS prescription.
  • Your GP may not agree with the choice of medicine being recommended.
  • Your GP may not agree with the choice of medicine recommended by your private clinician. You may be offered an alternative on NHS prescription.
  • The medicine is not what would normally be prescribed for you first.

In your local area other treatments are recommended to be tried and considered first. You may be offered one of these medicines on NHS prescription first.

With a private prescription you will need to pay for the full cost of the medicine plus a dispensing fee, which covers the pharmacy’s costs. The pharmacy will calculate the total cost, and this is paid by you or your medical insurance company.

The total cost can vary at different pharmacies, so it is worth asking more than one pharmacy how much they will charge you to provide the prescription.

Sometimes private prescriptions cost less than the NHS prescription charge. With an NHS prescription you pay an NHS prescription charge per item (a fixed tax) unless you are entitled to free NHS prescriptions.

It is important to consider all potential costs when using a private consultant and this includes medicine costs. If your GP is unable to prescribe the medicine on an NHS prescription for one of the reasons documented, you should speak to the clinician that issued you with the private prescription to discuss what to do next.

This may include them recommending an alternative less costly medicine or one which may be prescribed
by your GP on an NHS prescription.