Introduction
If you have ADHD or suspect you might, this summary outlines how Claypath Medical Practice will work with you and other healthcare specialists to provide the best care possible. We are committed to offering the best possible care for our patients with ADHD. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us.
Initial Steps
- Consultation: To begin, you’ll have a face-to-face consultation with one of our GPs. This meeting is to assess your symptoms, rule out other conditions, and perform basic physical checks.
- Referral: If needed, you’ll be referred to a specialist for further evaluation and treatment. You have the option of choosing a private provider – which you will have to pay for – but please note that we cannot vouch for the quality of care provided by private specialists and we will not able able to enter into “Shared Care Agreements” with them (see below).
Shared Care Agreement
Note: We only enter into shared care agreements with in-person NHS specialists (i.e. not private specialists or remote-only NHS providers).
- Start of Medication: If medication is prescribed, the specialist will handle the initiation phase until your treatment is stable, which usually involves a three-month review.
- Ongoing Care: After stabilisation, the responsibility for prescribing your medication might shift to your GP under what’s known as a “shared care agreement.”
- Annual Reviews: The specialist will need to conduct an annual review of your treatment, and you will need to attend a GP appointment every six months for physical checks like blood pressure, pulse rate, and weight.
Important Notes
- Checklist: The practice will follow a checklist to make sure that all protocols have been followed. Your GP will only prescribe medication if these conditions are met.
- Missed Appointments: If you fail to attend your scheduled check-ups, your prescription will be stopped for your safety.
Private Providers and NHS “Right to Choose” providers
Due to clinical safety concerns, the practice has made the difficult decision not to enter into shared care agreements with private providers or NHS remote-only providers.
Private Providers
If you have started treatment with a private provider, you will either need to:
- approach the practice to request a referral to an NHS specialist, or
- continue to receive your treatment directly from your private provider indefinitely.
Please note that there may be a significant delay in having your diagnosis reviewed by the NHS team and them agreeing to participate in a shared care agreement. During this time, you will need to continue to receive your treatment directly from your private provider. The practice is not able to provide a “bridging” prescription.
NHS Remote-Only “Right to choose” Providers
If you are under the care of an NHS remote-only provider under the “right to choose” scheme, the provider should be able to offer prescriptions to you on an ongoing basis directly. If they are not able to do so, then you would need to request a referral to a local face-to-face NHS provider, which may incur the same delays noted above. The practice is not able to provide a “bridging” prescription. We recommend that you contact your provider directly to clarify their approach to this matter.
Moving ADHD Treatment To Claypath
Please follow the link to view information on moving your ADHD care to Claypath & University Medical Group