What is the difference in coming to you as private or NHS Right to Choose patient?

The biggest difference that we think our clients need to be aware of relates to ongoing prescriptions after you have left our service, and the time it takes to go through our service.

Ongoing prescriptions

If you are referred under the NHS (through Right to Choose or otherwise) and go through our medication initiation service for 12 weeks, you are entitled to NHS prescription charges after you have been through our clinic. Many people receive free prescriptions, or if you pay, then the NHS charges £9.80 per prescription (so likely £9.80 per month for people needing ADHD medications each month).

If you are a private patient, you will need to purchase your prescriptions from a private pharmacist. The medications typically cost between £80-£150 per month to purchase privately, depending on your dose. Care ADHD has a reliable private pharmacy partner who we put you in touch with, but this is an entirely separate service and we do not make any money from it.

Waiting times

NHS referrals typically take a bit longer to process initially. It may take 6-8 weeks to process your referral, and then to send you your welcome pack to start completing your questionnaires. We are working on a number of measures to reduce this.

People who pay privately, will usually get their welcome pack to commence the pre-assessment work within 1-2 working days of payment.