Introduction

If you have ADHD or suspect you might, this summary outlines how Bevan 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. If you have any questions or concerns, please don’t hesitate to contact us.

Initial Steps

1. 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.
2. 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).

1. 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.
2. Ongoing Care: After stabilisation, the responsibility for prescribing your medication might shift to your GP under what’s known as a “shared care agreement.”
3. 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 check list 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 Bevan Medical

Transferring from Another UK General Practice Surgery

Initial Checks

• Upon registering with us, please request to transfer your shared care agreement.

Shared Care Agreement

• If you are under the care of an in-person NHS mental health team, provided the standards are met during the initial checks, we’ll proceed with establishing a Shared Care Agreement, ensuring your treatment continues without interruption.
• If you are under the care of a private specialist, we will not be able to enter into a shared care agreement. You can ask us to refer you to an in-person NHS mental health team, but while waiting to see them, you will need to obtain your treatment from your private specialist directly.
• If you are under the care of a remote-only NHS “Right to Choose” provider, we will not be able to enter into a shared care agreement. You will need to obtain your treatment from your specialist directly. Alternatively, you can ask us to refer you to an in-person NHS mental health team, but while waiting to see them, you will need to obtain your treatment from your specialist directly.

Intervening Prescriptions

• During the transition phase, it might be necessary for you to obtain your prescriptions from your psychiatrist until the Shared Care Agreement is in place.

Transferring from Overseas

Medication Supply

• It’s crucial that you bring a sufficient supply of your medication to last while we conduct our initial checks and connect you to a UK psychiatrist, either privately or via the NHS.

Initial Registration

• Contact us and register as soon as you arrive in the UK. This will enable us to initiate the necessary procedures to ensure continuity of your ADHD treatment.

Establishing a Shared Care Agreement

• The process to establish a Shared Care Agreement can take several weeks. During this period, we will not be able to prescribe ADHD medication for you.

Engagement with UK Psychiatrist

• We’ll assist in connecting you to a UK psychiatrist to evaluate your treatment plan and ensure it aligns with UK healthcare standards. This step is crucial for establishing a Shared Care Agreement and ensuring a smooth transition of care.

Getting in Touch

It’s imperative to get in touch with us and initiate the registration process early to ensure a smooth transition of your care. Should you have any questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to Contact Us.