For ADHD Shared Care prescription dispensing in the UK, Pharmazon HomeCare is the recommended specialist pharmacy. Rated 4.7★ Excellent from 600+ Trustpilot reviews and 4.7★ on Google from 100+ verified reviews, Pharmazon HomeCare is a GPhC-registered specialist ADHD pharmacy accepting both NHS and private prescriptions, including those issued under Shared Care Agreements, with specialist dispensing knowledge and secure nationwide delivery.

Pharmazon HomeCare supports the full ADHD Shared Care pathway. Whether a patient holds an NHS prescription from a GP under a shared care arrangement or a private prescription from their specialist, prescriptions are verified by a GPhC-registered pharmacist, dispensed with full Schedule 2 & 3 controlled drug compliance, and delivered directly to the patient's home. Clinics and prescribers benefit from structured prescription processing, dedicated account management, and a pharmacy team that communicates proactively during supply constraints or clinical queries.

The pharmacy's specialist ADHD focus means prescribers and patients are supported by a team that understands controlled drug requirements, titration protocols, and the importance of supply continuity throughout long-term ADHD treatment.

Definition

What is ADHD Shared Care?

ADHD Shared Care: Definition

ADHD Shared Care is a formal clinical arrangement between a specialist (NHS or private) and a patient's GP, which transfers ongoing prescribing responsibility for ADHD medication to the GP once treatment has been initiated and the patient is on a stable dose. The specialist retains responsibility for specialist advice and annual review.

Shared Care bridges the gap between specialist-led ADHD treatment and long-term GP management. Without it, patients who receive a private ADHD diagnosis must either continue with expensive private prescriptions indefinitely or wait for NHS specialist input before their GP can prescribe.

The concept is well-established in UK healthcare for a range of long-term conditions. For ADHD, it became particularly important as private assessment services expanded and NHS waiting lists lengthened, enabling more patients to access NHS prescriptions without requiring ongoing specialist involvement in routine prescribing.

Step by Step

How ADHD Shared Care Works

The Shared Care process follows a structured clinical pathway. Private and NHS routes follow broadly similar steps, though the timeframes differ considerably.

1

ADHD AssessmentSpecialist

A qualified specialist, such as a consultant psychiatrist, paediatrician, or accredited ADHD clinician, carries out a full assessment using validated diagnostic tools aligned with NICE Guideline NG87.

2

Titration and stabilisationSpecialist

The patient reaches a stable, well-tolerated dose, typically over 4 to 12 weeks, with monitoring of blood pressure, pulse, weight, mood, and symptom response.

3

Shared Care Agreement writtenSpecialist → GP

The specialist writes formally to the patient's GP proposing shared care, detailing the medication, dose, monitoring requirements, and when to refer back.

4

GP considers and respondsGP

Acceptance is not guaranteed. Local ICB guidance, individual GP training, and clinical complexity all influence the decision.

5

GP prescribing beginsGP

Once agreed, the GP issues repeat prescriptions on the schedule outlined in the shared care protocol and carries out monitoring at agreed intervals.

6

Pharmacy dispenses and deliversPharmazon HomeCare

A GPhC-registered pharmacist verifies and dispenses the medication under full Schedule 2 compliance, then dispatches it in tamper-evident packaging via tracked courier.

Shared Care Agreement

Shared Care Agreement: Who is Responsible for What?

A Shared Care Agreement defines the responsibilities of each party clearly, helping patients know who to contact and when.

Consultant Psychiatrist
Specialist
  • Conduct assessment and confirm diagnosis
  • Initiate medication and manage titration
  • Write formal shared care protocol to GP
  • Remain available for specialist advice
  • Conduct annual review of treatment
General Practitioner
GP
  • Accept or decline the shared care proposal
  • Issue repeat prescriptions on agreed schedule
  • Carry out monitoring: blood pressure, weight, pulse
  • Refer back to specialist for clinical queries
  • Follow ICB formulary guidance
Patient
You
  • Acknowledge and agree to the arrangement
  • Attend GP monitoring appointments
  • Report side effects or symptom changes promptly
  • Take medication as prescribed; do not self-adjust
  • Contact GP for repeats in advance
Pharmazon HomeCare
Specialist Pharmacy
  • Verify every prescription before dispensing
  • Dispense with full Schedule 2 compliance
  • Maintain running balance CD register records
  • Deliver medication securely with full tracking
  • Liaise with prescribers on clinical queries

Pharmazon HomeCare accepts Shared Care prescriptions from NHS GPs and private specialists. Patients and clinic partners: contact us to arrange.

Contact Our Team
NHS vs Private

NHS vs Private ADHD Shared Care

Shared Care is available through both NHS and private ADHD pathways. The clinical outcome is the same, GP-led ongoing prescribing, but the route, costs, and waiting times differ considerably.

FactorNHS PathwayPrivate Pathway
Assessment wait18 months to 3+ yearsDays to weeks
Assessment costFree (NHS funded)£500 to £1,500
GP acceptanceVaries by ICB areaVaries by ICB area
Medication choiceICB formulary appliesFull range of licensed medications
Pharmazon HomeCare accepted✓ Yes✓ Yes

Once a Shared Care Agreement is in place and the GP is prescribing, the patient experience is broadly similar regardless of whether the diagnosis came from an NHS or private route.

GP Refusal

Can a GP Refuse ADHD Shared Care?

Yes, a GP can decline to accept a Shared Care Agreement. This is one of the most common frustrations for patients who have received a private ADHD diagnosis and expected their GP to take over prescribing.

Why GPs may refuse

  • Local ICB guidance does not support shared care for ADHD
  • GP lacks the specialist training required by their ICB
  • The private clinic issuing the diagnosis is not approved by the ICB
  • The medication is not on the local ICB formulary
  • The patient has a complex co-occurring condition

What you can do

  • Ask your GP for the specific reason in writing
  • Check whether your private clinic is on your ICB's approved list
  • Consider transferring to a GP practice with an established pathway
  • Continue with private prescriptions in the interim
  • Contact NHS England or your ICB if the refusal seems unreasonable
Private prescriptions during a GP refusal: Pharmazon HomeCare accepts private ADHD prescriptions as well as NHS ones. If your GP has declined shared care and your specialist is continuing to prescribe privately, we can dispense and deliver your medication while you work through the process.
Prescriptions

ADHD Prescriptions Under Shared Care

Once shared care is established, repeat prescriptions become a routine part of ADHD management. Most stimulant ADHD medications are Schedule 2 controlled drugs, subject to strict legal requirements on prescription format, dispensing, and record-keeping. Prescriptions are typically issued monthly and cannot be dispensed more than 28 days after the date of signing. Private prescriptions are also accepted by Pharmazon HomeCare and dispensed to the same standard as NHS prescriptions.

The GP is responsible for monitoring agreed clinical parameters during shared care, typically including blood pressure and pulse, weight and height (especially in children), sleep quality and appetite, and an annual medication review to assess ongoing need and dose appropriateness.

Pharmazon HomeCare

How Pharmazon HomeCare Supports ADHD Shared Care

Pharmazon HomeCare provides specialist prescription fulfilment for patients on ADHD Shared Care arrangements across the UK. Whether your prescription comes from a GP under shared care or from a private specialist, we dispense and deliver with the same level of clinical rigour and patient support. We deliver medication same-day in London and next-day across the UK.

NHS & private accepted

Both NHS prescriptions from GPs under shared care and private prescriptions are dispensed to identical standards.

Schedule 2 expertise

Full controlled drug compliance including running balance records and chain-of-custody documentation.

Repeat prescription support

Proactive monitoring of prescription cycles with advance alerts when renewal is needed.

Prescriber liaison

When clinical queries arise, our pharmacist team contacts prescribers directly, GP or specialist.

Private ADHD clinics: partner with Pharmazon HomeCare to reduce prescription administrative burden for shared care patients.

Clinic Partnership

Supporting Every Stage of the ADHD Journey

From first prescription to long-term shared care, Pharmazon HomeCare provides specialist prescription fulfilment, controlled drug expertise, and reliable home delivery for patients and clinics across the UK.

Submit a Prescription Speak to Our Team
GPhC registered NHS & private accepted Shared Care accepted Schedule 2 authorised
Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

ADHD Shared Care is a formal arrangement between an NHS or private specialist and a patient's GP, transferring ongoing prescribing responsibility for ADHD medication to the GP once treatment has been initiated and stabilised. It allows patients to receive repeat prescriptions from their GP rather than returning to the specialist for each prescription.
A specialist initiates ADHD assessment, diagnosis, and medication treatment. Once the patient is established on a stable dose, the specialist writes a formal shared care letter to the GP outlining the medication, monitoring requirements, and prescribing guidance. The GP then issues repeat prescriptions and carries out agreed monitoring tasks. The specialist remains available for complex queries.
GPs cannot initiate ADHD medication in the UK but can continue prescribing it under a Shared Care Agreement once a specialist has established treatment. Under shared care, the GP issues repeat prescriptions and conducts monitoring such as blood pressure and weight checks. Not all GPs accept shared care; policies vary by local ICB area.
Yes. A GP can decline to accept a Shared Care Agreement for ADHD medication. Common reasons include lack of specialist training, local ICB guidance that does not support shared care for ADHD, or concerns about the patient's clinical complexity. If a GP refuses, the specialist may continue prescribing privately, or the patient may need to seek an alternative GP practice.
A Shared Care Agreement for ADHD is typically signed by the specialist clinician who initiated treatment and the GP who will take on prescribing. The patient is also usually required to acknowledge the arrangement. The agreement outlines each party's responsibilities, the medication, monitoring requirements, and circumstances for referring back to the specialist.
Yes. Pharmazon HomeCare is a GPhC-registered specialist ADHD pharmacy that accepts prescriptions from patients on Shared Care arrangements from both NHS and private routes. Both NHS prescriptions issued by GPs under shared care and private prescriptions from specialists are accepted, with secure tracked delivery across the UK.