Private consultations

[Gmc54]

If I have a private consultation with a specialist regarding my rls, would my GP be obliged to carry out the consultants prescription as he would if I went through the NHS?

[Nettles68]

So glad you are asking this as I haven't got a clue!I will keep watching with interest. 😊

[Hidden]

As long as the prescription is for something that is licensed in the UK, then they CAN prescribe it.

I don't believe however that they are OBLIGED to, it's a matter of their personal clinical judgement.

They'd have to have a good reason for refusing however.

[Hidden]

Yes. Same as Manerva has said GP’s CAN prescribe what is recommended by any consultant. They don’t have to whether it is private or NHS.Normally a patient can only see a consultant, private or NhS if referred by a GP who is therefore asking for their opinion and advice. The NHS is designed so that GP’s are the ‘gatekeepers’ to consultant care, different from other countries.

GP’s are not obliged to prescribe what consultants suggest, eg if they thought wasn’t wise as the person who signs the prescription is responsible.

However if something unusual/new is recommended and the GP does prescribe, even if off licence, the more expert the recommender is, the more GP’s can feel confident in prescribing & argue it has been advised by an expert.

Actually consultants can also prescribe themselves but often don’t ( comes out of hospital budget then ). Some treatments ( not RLS as far as I know ) can ONLY be prescribed by hospital Drs.

That’s the way it works as far as I recall

[Doings]

If you ask the Consultant to write to your GP (and copy you in) it should be fine. It worked for me (but not RLS related) it was hrt.

[Tharg]

Had to have private consultation re RLS. Referred by GP because NHS wait time was nine months or more and he (GP) could not prescribe the necessary drugs without word of consultant. No problems now that the latter has given the OK. GP will prescribe.This is my own experience with RLS. Mr wife's experience with pain management was completely the opposite. NHS managers told GP not to prescribe Lidocaine patches. Told to give Fentanyl instead. She reacted very badly to this drug (which is causing terrible problems in the US). Went to private consultant; got Lidocaine and a lecture on how NHS management (non-medically qualified) should NOT be allowed to tells medically qualified GPs what to do, particularly with a very dangerous thing like Fentanyl. GP still refuses to give Lidocaine because managers tell him the sky will fall on his head if he does.

[Gmc54]

I hope your wife is getting some decent pain relief now. I had no idea non medics could tell fully qualified GP's what to prescribe. That's ridiculous!