Can a doctor refuse a consultant requested prescription?

[HowAboutNo]

I posted yesterday about my thyroid bloods. I got a call from the consultant this morning saying she wanted me on thyroxine ASAP as my tsh is 3.4 and she doesn't want it over 3 while I'm pregnant (23 wks).

The request for the prescription was faxed by my hospital over to my GP... Who is now apparently not wanting to prescribe it to me.

Just wondering if anyone has any experience with this? I thought a consultant request would override my GP but this obviously isn't the case.

I don't know about overriding each other, but when my Hosp consultant decided I needed a prescription I was given a form that could either be taken to my GP to get a prescription, or straight to hospital pharamacy to dispense.

Could you call the hospital, explain the situation and get it dispensed there if you (and consultant) really feel you need the medication?

It does seem they like to veto things and wave power about sometimes. I'm in chronic pain from SPD and can barely walk, but my GP "kindly" wanted to see me in person before prescribing me co-codamol this week that my consultant, midwife and physio, who know my full medical history unlike my GP, were all fine with.

So I had to wait for an available appointment and then struggle to find anywhere to park within a reasonable distance of the surgery and then hobble in in agony. Only for the GP to say "Yep, not a problem" without even looking at me.

GPs are weird.

Ooh this is good to know, thank you. Was just hoping that my GP wasn't the end of the line!

Crispy that is exactly the kind of bullshit I hate. I hope you're feeling a bit better now

When my Consultant wanted me on a medication for my heart she gave me a prescription herself and I had to get the tablets from the hospital pharmacy. I think that the responsibility to give you the drugs should come from the person who wants you to take them. One of my medications needed altering during pregnancy as requested by my Epilepsy Nurse but my GP wasn't happy to amend my prescription, it had to come from the Neurologist. I can understand why - afterall it's not always the GP's speciality and they might not want their signature on the prescription of a drug (especially one the patient hasn't had before) if they either don't know much about the medication or if they don't know the patient's circumstances etc.

Yep writer that sounds about right. At least I now know I can get it directly from the consultant, which was good. I just didn't want the GP to be the end of the road for me and not be able to get the meds I need. Another call to the hospital it is!

A precription is a legal document and the responsibility of the person whose signature is on the bottom of it.

A GP is unlikely to prescribe anything without clear information from the consultant and/or having assessed the patient themselves.

Also medication initiated by a consultant is often, at least initially, prescribed by them from the hospital pharmacy (and budget) and then the repeat prescriptions faxed to the GP surgery for further issue.

Thanks Sidge, I had thought as much. All sorted now, thankfully!

My GP made me bring in my letter - rather than just the email-thingy - I guess to cover her back and ensure everything was OK. She immediately gave me the medication once the letter was seen.

They are legends in their own lunchtimes sometimes. My DS was given all sorts of prescriptions for his acne most of which were rubbish. The GP didnt seem interested in this area of medicine.

Went to a consultant and the GP tried to stop it by refusing to send a referral letter. Why would they want to do that? It means the patient moves off your list and you also get a consultant looking at the case. We were paying privately for the consultant so again I really didnt understand the issue

Crispy they told me I couldnt take cocodamol!

My gp has decided to start reducing my sleeping tablets and controlled meds that the hospital consultant issued to me a while ago.now my gp is wanting to take them off me and reducing me quickly.can they take away my meds i desperatly need are they allowed to do this?
Surely the consultant overules the gp?