AQW 25132/22-27
Miss Nuala McAllister
Alliance Party
North Belfast
Tabled Date: 26/03/2025
Answered On Date: 17/04/2025
Priority Written: No
Question:
To ask the Minister of Health (i) why patients have had their ADHD medication withdrawn by their GP following the cancellation of their shared care arrangements; and (ii) whether his Department will seek to change this policy to enable patients who were already receiving the medication through shared care to continue to do so.
Answer:
The legacy Health and Social Care Board issued correspondence on a number of occasions to private providers and general practice, most recently in June 2021, regarding requests for HSC prescriptions following private consultation. The purpose of this correspondence was to remind both sectors of their clinical responsibilities in relation to prescribing of medications, including Red-Amber list drugs, to patients under their care. In particular, the limitations with regards to requests to GPs for transfer of ongoing prescribing of medication which for the patient’s GP may not be clinically acceptable. This guidance has not changed. To further facilitate appropriate shared care arrangements, my Department issued ‘Private (non-HSC) Prescribing Requests Guidance for Primary Care in September 2024. This guidance (Microsoft Word - SPPG guidance - Request to prescribe following private consultations September 2024 FV) provides a reminder that the legal responsibility for prescribing lies with the prescriber who signs the prescription, and it is the responsibility of the individual prescriber to prescribe within their own level of competence and scope of practice. Whilst there is no obligation on GPs to prescribe, in instances where a GP considers that the medication being requested is clinically appropriate, falls within their area of competence, does not breach the terms of their contract or indemnity cover, and is in keeping with the General Medical Council (GMC) guidance on Good Medical Practice, then they may choose to prescribe. If a GP makes the decision to end a shared care arrangement, best practice would suggest that the GP discusses this with the patient to outline the rationale for the decision. As clinical and legal liability associated with a prescribed medication falls to the doctor who issues and signs the script, a GP must be confident in the diagnosis, support and guidance given to them and the patient, by the recommending specialist. My Department does not intend to issue new or amended guidance, clinical decisions remain that of medical professionals.
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