to want to medicate DD’s ADHD but don’t know how to?

[MigraineMarnie]

Long and short of it is that DD is massively struggling in secondary school and we have finally decided medication may be the best route to go down.

How do you find a private GP to prescribe?

She had her assessment in another country ( my home country ) as the NHS lists were approx 3 years but now I’m going to really struggle getting my hands on the so needed medication.

Can anyone help?

Have you explained to the GP that this is a matter of urgency? If she is under 16 she can be referred to a paeds consultant who can prescribe. Do you know which drug you want to use? (I wouldn’t recommend Ritalin, but there are other very good drugs available).

It's scaremongering to say you don't recommend ritalin, methylphenidate is usually the most effective treatment for ADHD in under 18s, though it doesn't suit everyone. Anyway nobody should be recommending anything except for a qualified doctor with the child's medical info in front of them.

Paediatric consultant sounds like good info though. I wouldn't have thought you need to go through the waiting list for diagnosis if you've got the paperwork from her previous diagnosis. It might be helpful if it could be translated if not in english.

Yes and the GP said that as it’s not an NHS assessment, they cannot assist.

She would have to begin the entire assessment again with a waiting time of approx 3 years. Awful.

We had to go private: CAMHS had a three year waiting list.

It cost about £4k but we got medication within about 8 weeks.

We've got an NHS assessment and been told child can't be medicated for adhd, so it might not be worth the wait.
But, as she's approaching the age of adult services she will jump some of the queue.

You might be better off trying privately if you can afford the costs.

Unfortunately it's very difficult. GPs don't have to accept an assessment done outside of the NHS. I was diagnosed privately and am just starting to go through titration privately. My consultant today told me that my NHS is entitled to refuse to take over whatever prescription I might finally end up with and that she has never known a NHS GP in Scotland or Wales accept, and that in England it's very variable.

It's basically an appalling mess.

@BertieBotts I’m qualified. There is some good research regarding the longer term effects of Ritalin.

You need to get her on the nhs waiting list and in the mean time pay for a reputable private asessment (and private prescription).

It’s a specialist area so a GP whether private or NHS won’t initiate and tut rate treatment. You either need an nhs referral or if you want it quicker a private consultant. Lots of people want adhd meds so there are lots of private providers.

You need to go on the waitlist and wait or pay privately through a private company for the meds. You might need reassessed.

I paid for an online private gp last year for an appt I needed quickly. Could you get a prescription that way? It was only about £70.

If you can go private, you can get seen within weeks not months (or years). Depending on whether the report from your home country is acceptable, your DD may have to do a new assessment. I used Clinical Partners and it was around £1000. They do assess children.

I have changed insurance provider (employers choice, little notice) and need to be reassessed by the new providers preferred clinic before I can access medication so I understand your frustration.

My (adult) son is in the same position. We have paid for a private assessment, and are hoping that adult mental health will accept it and take over prescribing, as the GP won't enter into a shared care agreement with a private clinician (who also works for the NHS, but hey).

Titration is £225 a month, for hopefully no longer than 3 months. After that the prescription is £75 and the meds cost £80/ month, plus £6 courier fee. So under £200 a month which is an awful lot but hopefully will enable my son to get a job and pay towards the cost.

I can share the private clinic we use. If you are in England they are an approved 'right to choose' clinic, which means you can request to be seen by them and the NHS will foot the bill (that is my understanding. We don't have that option in Wales, so apologies if I'm.wrong).

@Blueroses99 we also used clinical partners. Does your private insurance pay?

A GP, whether private or NHS can't prescribe ADHD medication.

@FirstTimeNameChanger insurance only paid for the assessment. After that I’m on my own. They don’t cover the costs of medication or follow up appointments. Not sure who I’ll have the reassessment with under the new insurance provider.

Contact a private psychiatrist who is able to both assess and prescribe.

We used Clinical Partners, but my dd's psychiatrist then moved to Psychiatry UK.

They may agree to simply prescribe, based on the existing diagnosis, but, they may insist on re-assessing before agreeing to medicate.

If so you should know better then to give medical advise online to strangers.

The NHS doesn’t prescribe adhd meds for kids? Really? That is just untrue. Read the Nice guidelines they are very reassuring on medication and especially Ritalin which is about the safest and most researched drug out there.
OP we saw a private psychiatrist, the process was extremely thouroigh involving school
and extensive tests and questionnaires.
we went through titration privately and then switched to shared care with the GP. Don’t let them refuse if they do change Gp.
medication has been totally life changing for us.

If so you should know better then to give medical advise online to strangers
It’s absolutely no different to a person with experience of medicating their own child. I’m giving an opinion, not a prescription.

Yes please!

I'm in Scotland and my GP undertakes shared care to issue our prescriptions. In fact they were not keen at first and the private consultant called them because she had never had a GP take issue with it before!

@NotMadeOfStone that gives me hope!

What’s the issue with long term Ritalin?

I think their issue was the sheer amount of ADHD meds being prescribed privately and there being no proper ongoing monitoring in place.

But we have very regular nurse appointments; plus I had a suicidal child on my hands so wasn't really keen on accepting their reasons tbh.