Shared care is the transfer of your ongoing ADHD medication prescriptions from a specialist (such as ProblemShared) to your GP where this is suitable and in your best interest.
If you are seeking an ADHD assessment through ProblemShared, we will ask your GP upfront to accept shared care as part of the referral process.
GPs have the option to accept or reject shared care. In the instances they chose to reject it, the next steps in the process will depend on which of our partners referred you to ProblemShared.
How does shared care work?
If you have received an ADHD diagnosis through ProblemShared, you may be offered the choice to begin a trial of ADHD medication. ProblemShared can prescribe ADHD medication subject to clinical assessment, meeting our medication suitability criteria, a GP referral, and approval by your NHS provider, insurer, or university health service.
If you choose to take ADHD medication, our prescribing team will work closely with you to find the appropriate dosage to meet your treatment goals and tackle any challenges you may face along the way. This process is known as titration.
Once you have reached a stable dosage of medication, we will write to your GP requesting that they accept you into shared care and take on responsibility for your ongoing prescribing.
If they agree to take over, all following prescriptions will be issued by your GP practice, on an NHS prescription form, and the cost will be the same as any other prescription medication you receive from your GP.
It is important to note that while your GP handles the prescriptions, they do not conduct your clinical reviews. You must continue to attend your scheduled follow-up reviews with ProblemShared to maintain the Shared Care Agreement (SCA).
Can I change the brand of my medication during shared care?
During shared care, the GP will only prescribe the medication which we advised when shared care was initiated. Any changes to that medication, including brand changes, will need to occur at the next specialist review.
If you require a change in medication, a different brand, or a ‘top-up’ dose, you will need to undergo a short period of re-titration with our specialist team.
During this re-titration period, your Shared Care Agreement will be temporarily ceased, and the GP will stop prescribing until a new stable dose is reached.
Once stabilised, we will ask the GP to resume shared care at the new dosage.
What if my GP rejects the shared care agreement?
While many GPs will accept shared care, there is a chance that your GP may decline this request. Please check with your GP practice in advance as to whether they accept shared care agreements.
If your GP rejects the agreement, you will have the choice to continue or end your prescription in the knowledge that you will be required to pay for your private prescriptions.
Please be aware that most insurers do not cover medication or specialist costs once you have reached the post-stabilisation stage. If shared care is rejected, you will be responsible for these ongoing costs.
Our clinicians can continue prescribing at a cost per repeat prescription, plus the cost of the medication itself. For specific pricing information, please read the ADHD medication guide available on your client dashboard.
How ProblemShared can help
ProblemShared is a CQC-registered online mind health service, offering the highest quality mental health and neurodevelopmental care, including ADHD assessments and post-diagnostic support.
We partner with the NHS, universities, and other institutions, and are a registered NHS Right to Choose provider.
Our ADHD service is led by a multidisciplinary team, including a consultant psychiatrist, specialist ADHD nurses, cardiologist, pharmacist, and paediatrician. Each clinician must go through our in-house training and meet rigorous competency standards before conducting assessments.
For more details on our ADHD medication service, please visit our ADHD medication page.
If you are seeking an ADHD assessment, we offer ADHD assessments for adults and for children. Please visit the relevant page for more information.