ADHD Shared Care for Children: Will the NHS Prescribe After a Private Diagnosis?

The short answer is that a private diagnosis doesn't guarantee NHS prescribing. This guide explains how ADHD medication works for children, who prescribes it, what shared care involves, and the NHS routes that may be open to your family.

For children, NICE guidelines recommend that medication is considered alongside other support, not instead of it. This may include:

• information and support for parents and carers
• parenting programmes focused on ADHD
• adjustments and support at school

For children aged 5 and over, medication may be offered if ADHD symptoms are still causing significant difficulties after these have been put in place. It's always a shared decision between you, your child and their specialist.

In the UK, ADHD medication for children is started by a specialist. This is usually:

• a community paediatrician
• a child and adolescent psychiatrist, often through CAMHS
• a specialist non-medical prescriber

GPs don't start ADHD medication for children. They may take over prescribing later, but only through a shared care agreement and only if they agree.

When medication is started, the specialist goes through a process called titration. This means:

• starting with a low dose
• increasing it gradually, usually over several weeks
• checking how well it's working at home and school
• watching for side effects, such as changes in appetite or sleep

Before and during titration, the specialist will check your child's height, weight, heart rate and blood pressure. They may also ask you and your child's teacher for feedback. Titration often takes a few months, and prescriptions come from the specialist during this time.

Once your child's dose is stable, the specialist may ask your GP to take over prescribing under a shared care agreement. The specialist stays involved, with regular reviews, usually at least once a year.

However, arrangements for children vary a lot across the UK:

• in some areas, children's ADHD medication moves to the GP once stable
• in others, it stays with the paediatrician or CAMHS team long term
• in Northern Ireland, children's medication usually stays with CAMHS or community paediatrics
• some local areas don't support shared care for children with private providers at all

Even where shared care exists, GP agreement is voluntary.

A detailed private report can be shared with your GP and added to your child's medical record. It can also help with support at school.

But accepting a report isn't the same as prescribing. If you'd like your child to have NHS medication, your GP may:

• refer your child to the local NHS paediatric or CAMHS service
• ask for more information about the assessment
• decline to take over prescribing from a private specialist

The NHS service may accept the private diagnosis, or may want to carry out its own assessment before starting medication. This can mean a wait, and waiting times for children's services vary widely.

If your child's medication has been started privately and you ask for shared care, GPs are more likely to consider it when:

• the assessment was carried out by a qualified children's specialist
• it followed NICE guidelines and recognised diagnostic criteria
• there's a detailed report, including information from school
• titration was completed and the dose is stable
• the specialist will continue regular reviews and give advice if needed
• local NHS policy allows shared care with that provider

Even then, it isn't guaranteed.

Whoever prescribes, children on ADHD medication need regular monitoring. This usually includes:

• height and weight, to check growth
• heart rate and blood pressure
• sleep, appetite and mood
• how well the medication is working at home and school

Your child will usually have regular reviews with their specialist, at least twice a year (dependent on age), to check whether medication is still needed and helpful.

Referral to local NHS services

Your GP, and sometimes your child's school, can refer your child to the local community paediatric or CAMHS service for assessment and treatment.

Right to Choose (England only)

In England, you can ask your GP to refer your child to an NHS-funded provider of your choice for ADHD assessment and, with some providers, medication. Waiting times can be shorter, but they vary. The provider may carry out its own assessment.

Continuing privately

If NHS prescribing isn't available, your child's private specialist may continue prescribing and monitoring. This usually means ongoing costs for appointments and prescriptions.

• Does our GP practice accept shared care for children's ADHD medication?
• Is there a local policy on shared care with private providers?
• Will the private provider continue prescribing if shared care isn't agreed, and what will it cost?
• Would the local NHS service accept the private diagnosis, or reassess?
• What happens when my child turns 18 and moves to adult services?

Raiys doesn't currently prescribe ADHD medication, so we don't offer titration or shared care agreements ourselves.

After your child's assessment, you'll receive a detailed written report, usually within 14 days. You can share it with your GP to talk about next steps, such as a referral to a paediatrician or CAMHS. You can also share it with your child's school to help put support in place.

If you're worried about your child's safety or mental health right now, please don't wait for an ADHD assessment. Speak to your GP straight away, or call 111 (NHS 111 in England and Wales, where you can choose option 2 for mental health support, or NHS 24 in Scotland). In Northern Ireland, contact your GP out-of-hours service. In an emergency, call 999.

Raiys works nationwide, offering online ADHD assessments for children and young people aged 5 to 17 across the UK. Our experienced, specialist ADHD team follows NICE guidelines and gathers information from home, school and your child, so you receive a clear, detailed report you can share with your GP and school.

Concerned about your child? Find out more about our child ADHD assessment.

Navigating medication and shared care can feel complicated. Knowing how it works can help you plan ahead and find the route that's right for your child.