psychiatrist prescribing

[shiznit76]

Hi, can psychiatrists prescribe drugs that your GP cannot?

[pulisa]

Private psychiatrists can prescribe drugs which aren't available on the NHS.

[MyNameIsTerry]

There are rules about the levels of doctors who can prescribe what. When it comes to antidepressants, GP's are usually restricted to 1st & 2nd line med I think. The it's off to the psychiatrists to make a decision. Anything like augmenting or using anti psychotics or too advanced for a GP.

Like pulisa says, when you get into private sector the drug world opens up as they are not limited to NHS approval and any psychiatrist will "off label" more than a GP would, let alone private ones who don't have the restrictions of the NHS either.

[shiznit76]

So if a private psychiatrist prescribes a med, do you have to pay the full cost of that med rather than get it on NHS?

[MyNameIsTerry]

It won't be on the NHS, so you will need to purchase it. If the psychiatrist is being used to approve a med your GP won't or can't, then if they accept the approval and start prescribing it will be your GP who takes control of that and so it becomes NHS again.

It depends what you are buying from there. For instance, when I was on Citalopram it would cost me the NHS prescription charge. What I didn't know is that the "per pill" price is so cheap online that I could have bought this med and saved cash! My current med though is more expensive and would cost more. The NHS really is conning people who are on the low cost meds!

[pulisa]

It will be up to your GP as to whether approval can be given for a drug- prescribed by a private psych- to be prescribed on the NHS.

[shiznit76]

It won't be on the NHS, so you will need to purchase it. If the psychiatrist is being used to approve a med your GP won't or can't, then if they accept the approval and start prescribing it will be your GP who takes control of that and so it becomes NHS again.

It depends what you are buying from there. For instance, when I was on Citalopram it would cost me the NHS prescription charge. What I didn't know is that the "per pill" price is so cheap online that I could have bought this med and saved cash! My current med though is more expensive and would cost more. The NHS really is conning people who are on the low cost meds!

Thinking it may be pregabalin so the NHS might not be too keen to pay for that

---------- Post added at 09:31 ---------- Previous post was at 09:31 ----------


It will be up to your GP as to whether approval can be given for a drug- prescribed by a private psych- to be prescribed on the NHS.

My GP basically said that he would prescribe what the psych suggested, hope he sticks to his word

[pulisa]

It will depend on your diagnosis though. It's good that a psych will be assessing you rather than the GP

[shiznit76]

It will depend on your diagnosis though. It's good that a psych will be assessing you rather than the GP

Aye, but having to pay for it as NHS waiting list was months

[pulisa]

It's worth it though especially if you haven't seen one before.

[shiznit76]

yeah , I'm sure it will be. Can't really put a price on recovery/happiness

[MyNameIsTerry]

Thinking it may be pregabalin so the NHS might not be too keen to pay for that

---------- Post added at 09:31 ---------- Previous post was at 09:31 ----------



My GP basically said that he would prescribe what the psych suggested, hope he sticks to his word

Looks like around £1.50 per tab online. So, more than the NHS will be paying. More in the £60+ per month region if your GP accepts it.

[shiznit76]

Looks like around £1.50 per tab online. So, more than the NHS will be paying. More in the £60+ per month region if your GP accepts it.

Thanks Terry, hopefully he will

[shiznit76]

Got appointment through, week on Monday, £200 for hour assessment at local Priory clinic, and £100 for 40min follow up appointment if required. Actually, in grand scheme of things, not too expensive, was thinking it would be more

[pulisa]

That's very reasonable. It would be loads more in London.

[shiznit76]

Yeah, i was actually kinda surprised at price, should have done it years ago

[wantpeace]

My GP surgery has prescribed everything my private psychiatrist put me on - since 2006. Always get your psychiatrist to write to your GP. I can even drop in private prescriptions to my surgery and they'll convert them to NHS ones. I save money by buying a prepay prescription certificate. I think they're £104 for a year.

Btw, a couple of GPs at my surgery tried to move me to cheaper alternatives. I told them that basically such an action would put me in hospital - obviously a much greater cost - and very true. So I've always got what I needed.

[shiznit76]

Is the private prescription the prescription your psych gave you? Would you have to pay full price for it if your GP didn't convert it in to NHS?

MynameisTerry, what is the comparable prices at the moment for likes of Venlafaxine, Escitlaopram and Pregabalin?

[wantpeace]

Is the private prescription the prescription your psych gave you? Would you have to pay full price for it if your GP didn't convert it in to NHS?

Correct. Or take what they prescribe as a substitute and probably end up getting sectioned!

[shiznit76]

Do the alternative versions not include the same chemicals to make the drug?