GP surgeries that offer shared care agreement?

[charlottep]

Hi, I'm wondering if anyone knows if there are GP surgeries in ED that offer shared cared agreement where an NHS GP works with a private practitioner to help treat someone?  My son has adhd, we went down the private route for diagnosis as the waiting list with camhs was almost 2 years.  Now that we have the diagnosis our GP is not willing to take on prescribing this medication as he wasn't diagnosed by camhs, which means we have to pay a small fortune every month to help manage his symptoms.  Thx. Charlotte

[Sonners]

Try asking 306 Medical Centre. We haven’t had the exact same thing as no medication involved but they accepted our daughter’s private ASD assessment and helped with signposting available NHS help off the back of the private diagnosis.

Edited April 11, 2023 by Sonners

[charlottep]

Thanks Sonners, funnily enough I am currently at 306, but they don't do shared services.  I think they are a good surgery but they have been pretty firm on that point and refused to refer my son for the tests he needed before going on to medication and have said that they cannot prescribe his medication either.  Pleased you are having a more helpful experience with them.  It's a shame that more GPs don't support shared services given the huge pressure on CAMHS. 

[Soylent Green]

I think you will have to keep pushing for a CAMHS diagnosis.  I have seen many posts like this on the ADHD parents FB group and no-one had found an NHS gp to prescribe from a private diagnosis.  Methylphenidate (and other ADHD meds) are very tightly controlled which is why CAMHS set up shared care agreements with GPs.  A GP cannot prescribe without the guidance and consent of an NHS psychiatrist. Be persistent and keep pushing and you will get the NHS diagnosis.  It may not take as long as you think.  My daughter was diagnosed in 2016 and we waited less than a year for her first appointment.  Good luck!

[Ella Menopee]

Hi, we have had a shared care agreement with our GP in Herne Hill and a private psychiatrist for about 3 years now. I don’t know if it helps that he also has an NHS post. Interestingly CAMHS refused to enter into a shared care agreement with the psychiatrist  as they wanted to persist with (evidently not working) behavioural therapies rather than medication. They wanted sole control. We did go through several months of paying for private prescriptions before the shared care agreement was set up but it’s worked smoothly since. 
 

Has the medical centre said why they the won’t enter into a shared care agreement and have you raised this with the private psychiatrist? 

[Ella Menopee]

Just another thought - are CAMHS disputing the private diagnosis? If you can get them to accept it, then this might be a way to effectively get a CAMHS diagnosis. 

[charlottep]

Thx for your responses. He has been on the waiting list with CAMHS since April 2022.  I have spoken to the head partner at my GP practice and although she is sympathetic she has been firm on not being able to offer a shared care agreement.  In addition to paying for his assessment and medication, I had to pay for all of his routine tests privately too before he started medication.  CAMHS are not disputing his private diagnosis, at least not yet as they are yet to consider his case. I have had problems with his school though being circumspect about his private diagnosis and not offering the help he should be given as it hasn't been referred through CAMHS. The psychiatrist that diagnosed him is an NHS consultant also.  My husband and daughter also have ADHD so i know how it manifests and my son has major issues with attention deficit, memory and organisation which are really hampering his confidence 😞

[Ella Menopee]

That’s a shame about the school - a diagnosis should be accepted regardless of the letterhead it’s written on. 

[red15]

Ella I have direct messaged you 

[Soylent Green]

This is what you are up against, requesting for an NHS GP to accept a private diagnosis: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-65534449

I am not saying that your son's private assessment is bogus, but the NHS has to put in place one policy fits all because they do not have the resources to investigate individual cases.  Keep pushing for CAMHS and get your child's SENDCO to do the same.  Good luck!