ADHD Referrals & Shared Care — What Patients Need to Know
If you think you may have Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and want NHS assessment or treatment, it’s important to understand how the process works and what choices you have.
1. NHS Right to Choose Pathway
Under the NHS Right to Choose rules, you can ask your GP to refer you to a specialist ADHD service of your choice that has an NHS contract, even if it is not local.
- Your GP can refer you to this provider without needing extra approvals.
- Referrals must come through your GP, you cannot self-refer.
- Specialist providers under Right to Choose can sometimes continue prescribing ADHD medication directly to you, especially if shared care arrangements with your GP are not in place.
2. Shared Care Arrangements at Queen Square Medical Practice
At our practice, we are committed to safe and convenient ADHD care. We have agreed to:
- Accept referrals from Right to Choose (RTC) providers.
- Accept referrals from private providers, but only if the specialist consultant also works within the NHS and follows NHS governance.
This ensures that any shared care arrangements meet safety and monitoring standards and that your care remains under proper oversight.
3. What Shared Care means for you
A Shared Care Agreement is a formal arrangement between the specialist and your GP:
- Your GP will prescribe and monitor ADHD medication once treatment is stabilised, and once you have signed our shared care agreement.
- The specialist consultant continues to oversee treatment decisions and adjustments.
- Regular monitoring — such as weight checks, blood pressure, and side effect reviews is carried out according to clinical guidance.
Shared care ensures that your ADHD treatment is safe, convenient, and coordinated between your GP and specialist.
Please note – failure to comply with the share care agreement, could result prescribing of these medication being ceased.
4. Ongoing monitoring
Whether your care comes through an RTC provider or a private provider under NHS governance:
- You will need regular monitoring for the safety and effectiveness of your medication.
- Monitoring is considered manageable and is part of ensuring your treatment is safe.
5. Practical tips for patients
- Discuss your preferred specialist provider with your GP before referral.
- If your provider is private, ensure the consultant also works within NHS governance, this is necessary for shared care at our practice.
- Ask your provider what follow-up and monitoring they will provide.
- Keep copies of your referral and shared care documents.
- Contact our practice if you have questions about how shared care works or if you are transferring care from another provider.’
