Practice Guidance – Seeing Private Healthcare Providers
We understand that some patients choose to have some or all their treatment privately. This guidance explains how the NHS and High Street Surgery work alongside private providers of care.
What do I need to do?
If there is a clinical reason for referral, your GP can write you a referral letter to see a private consultant, please be aware there may be a charge for this private referral.
Seeing the consultant – tests and procedures
If the private consultant recommends that you need a test or procedure, they are responsible for:
– Arranging the test or procedure and providing any medication required beforehand.
– Explaining how and when you will be given a date for the test, and what to do if the date is not suitable.
– Providing your results and explaining what they mean.
⚠️ Please do not contact the practice to arrange or discuss results of tests organised by a private consultant. The consultant is responsible for this, and the practice may not have access to the results or be able to interpret them.
– Arranging the test or procedure and providing any medication required beforehand.
– Explaining how and when you will be given a date for the test, and what to do if the date is not suitable.
– Providing your results and explaining what they mean.
⚠️ Please do not contact the practice to arrange or discuss results of tests organised by a private consultant. The consultant is responsible for this, and the practice may not have access to the results or be able to interpret them.
What happens if I need new medication?
– If a private consultant recommends new medication or changes to your current treatment, they are responsible for issuing the first prescription.
– Sometimes consultants recommend medication that is not normally prescribed in the NHS. In these cases, you will need to continue receiving prescriptions directly from your consultant.
– Sometimes consultants recommend medication that is not normally prescribed in the NHS. In these cases, you will need to continue receiving prescriptions directly from your consultant.
Can my GP continue prescribing this medication?
In some circumstances, your GP may be able to issue future prescriptions if the treatment is within the Staffordshire and Stoke ICB NHS prescribing guidelines.
For this to happen, your private consultant must provide:
– Their full assessment of your condition.
– Details of the treatment plan.
– Exact prescription details.
– What the medication is treating.
– How long the treatment is intended for.
– What monitoring or follow-up is required.
If the treatment, medication, or monitoring falls outside NHS guidelines or services, you will need to continue care with your private consultant.
💡 Important: If you take a private prescription to an NHS pharmacy, you will need to pay the full cost of the medication, not the standard NHS prescription charge.
For this to happen, your private consultant must provide:
– Their full assessment of your condition.
– Details of the treatment plan.
– Exact prescription details.
– What the medication is treating.
– How long the treatment is intended for.
– What monitoring or follow-up is required.
If the treatment, medication, or monitoring falls outside NHS guidelines or services, you will need to continue care with your private consultant.
💡 Important: If you take a private prescription to an NHS pharmacy, you will need to pay the full cost of the medication, not the standard NHS prescription charge.
High Street Surgery prescribing policy
NHS England provides clear national and local guidance on prescribing, which we are required to follow.
This means we may not be able to issue prescriptions (after a private consultation) if:
– There is no clear clinical indication for the medication, and NHS patients would not be offered it under the same circumstances.
– The treatment is new, experimental, outside its licensed use, outside NHS guidance, or restricted to specialist prescribing only.
– The medication is not usually prescribed within the NHS.
– The medication is specialised and requires ongoing monitoring. This includes drugs that can be prescribed in the NHS only if a shared care agreement is in place with an NHS provider.
Examples include (but are not limited to):
– Disease-modifying drugs
– IVF-related medication
– Hormonal therapies
– Melatonin
– ADHD medications
If we cannot issue an NHS prescription, your consultant will need to provide a private prescription. We recommend you check the likely cost of both the medication and any required monitoring.
This means we may not be able to issue prescriptions (after a private consultation) if:
– There is no clear clinical indication for the medication, and NHS patients would not be offered it under the same circumstances.
– The treatment is new, experimental, outside its licensed use, outside NHS guidance, or restricted to specialist prescribing only.
– The medication is not usually prescribed within the NHS.
– The medication is specialised and requires ongoing monitoring. This includes drugs that can be prescribed in the NHS only if a shared care agreement is in place with an NHS provider.
Examples include (but are not limited to):
– Disease-modifying drugs
– IVF-related medication
– Hormonal therapies
– Melatonin
– ADHD medications
If we cannot issue an NHS prescription, your consultant will need to provide a private prescription. We recommend you check the likely cost of both the medication and any required monitoring.
What if I want to transfer my care back to the NHS?
– Please ask your consultant to arrange this for you.
– If they cannot, ask them to send full details of your treatment to the practice, then make an appointment with your GP to discuss referral to an NHS specialist.
– If they cannot, ask them to send full details of your treatment to the practice, then make an appointment with your GP to discuss referral to an NHS specialist.