Right to Choose (RTC) & Shared Care Prescribing

If you choose a Right to Choose provider, please be aware:

• These providers are often private companies working under NHS contracts. Some may be able to diagnose only and not prescribe medication.
• The specialist provider must initiate and stabilise any medication where appropriate.
• These medications are usually prescribed under shared care, meaning the specialist may request your GP to take over prescribing once stable.
• GP prescribing is not automatic and will only occur if it is considered safe and appropriate.

The provider must:

• Continue to oversee your care even when they have asked us to prescribe the medication (ie not be discharged). This must be at least annually. If you are discharged or fail to attend your appointments, we would be obliged to stop prescribing any SHARED CARE medication
• Follow our local shared care agreement
• Provide annual reviews for as long as you remain on medication

If these requirements are not met, we may not be able to prescribe medication for safety reasons or may need to stop prescribing.

In addition:

• Some providers require lengthy referral forms (proformas).
• We are unable to complete mandatory proformas and will provide a standard referral letter instead.
• This follows BMA guidance: https://www.bma.org.uk/media/rhjfkmu2/focus-on-proformas-and-referral-forms.pdf
• We cannot proceed with providers who insist on their own forms.

Please ensure your chosen provider can meet these requirements before proceeding.