Policy for Repeat Prescribing

March 2026

Introduction
ADHD Direct patients can receive prescriptions for their ADHD medications in two ways. The policy for repeat prescribing describes the two processes where patients can obtain prescriptions:
• Through a shared care arrangement between ADHD Direct and the patient’s GP
• Directly from ADHD Direct, whereby a private prescription is issued by ADHD Direct via post or using ITH Health’s services.
Repeat prescribing is an agreement between the patient or patient’s parent/carer and the prescriber. It allows for issuing prescriptions at agreed intervals whereby the patient does not need to contact the prescriber before each issue of the prescription until the date of the agreed medication review appointment.
Purpose of the Policy
The purpose of this policy is to define and describe the management and processes of the practice’s policy for prescribing medication on a repeat basis. The aim of the policy is to standardise the repeat prescribing processes and to enable staff to understand their roles and responsibilities around repeat prescribing, but also to allow ADHD Direct patients to become familiar with the processes of repeat prescribing. The policy describes the
duties of both clinical and non-clinical staff involved in the process of repeat prescribing.
Summary of Repeat Private Prescribing Process
Patients can be prescribed their medication by one of the ADHD Direct clinical staff. When that is agreed between the clinician and the patient, clinical and non-clinical staff will follow the process below:
1. A reminder is set to renew a prescription 10 days before the patient is due to run out of medication. Our prescription processing timeframes are 7-10 days.
2. On the due date, the Prescription Team will administer all necessary checks on the patient’s record, including an up-to-date review and up-to-date measurements. (If any of these are outstanding, patients will be contacted and the information requested before the prescription is issued).
3. If all the required information is on record, the Prescription Team will send the prescription request form to be completed by the patient.
4. The patient will submit the prescription request form with the correct and required information and complete payment for the prescription upon submission of the form. The patient will choose to have their prescription issued physically via post, or electronically to ITH Health pharmacy.
5. The prescription request form is passed to our Prescribers and processed.
6. i. If the patient has selected our ‘postal’ delivery method, the physical prescription is scanned onto the patient’s electronic file and the patient is notified of postage. The
Prescription Team will purchase the appropriate first-class signed-for delivery postage and the
Prescriber will affix the postage label, seal the envelope and the prescription is posted to the patient’s delivery address of their choice. The patient will then take the physical prescription to a local pharmacy of their choice.
ii. If the patient has selected to use ‘ITH Health’, an electronic prescription is issued to ITH Health. ITH Health will contact the patient regarding their medication payment invoice and delivery. Once the medication is paid, it will be delivered using DPD services.
Summary of Repeat Prescribing Process Where Shared Care Arrangement is in Place
Where a patient’s GP prescribes medication based on a shared care arrangement with ADHD Direct, patients will collect their prescriptions from their GP Practice or the GP Practice Pharmacy. It will be the patient’s GP who will issue an NHS prescription.
In the letter that the patient’s GP will receive from ADHD Direct’s clinician, the GP will be asked to continuously prescribe medication for the patient; both type and dose of the medication will be detailed in the letter. Also, an approximate date when the patient will be required to meet with an ADHD Direct clinician for a medication review appointment will be shared with the patient’s GP in the letter.
Repeat Prescribing and Regular Medication Reviews
Patients who receive private prescriptions from ADHD Direct, and those who collect NHS prescriptions from GP Practices must attend for regular Medication Review appointments. Intervals at which medication reviews should be arranged will be discussed with patients during appointments. It is required that patients who receive repeat prescriptions have regular Medication Review appointments with an ADHD specialist every 4-8 weeks until stable. Once stable and optimised on their treatment, the reviews will decrease to every 6-12 months.
Patient Prescriptions – Record Keeping
Accurate record keeping is essential for high-quality patient care. All physical private prescriptions are scanned, named, and dated, and uploaded into the electronic patient record. All ITH Health prescriptions are electronically logged on the patient’s records.
All clinical and non-clinical staff of ADHD Direct can access patients’ files at any time and if requested by the patient, share the files with the patient themselves.
Security
Blank prescriptions must never be signed by a prescriber for later completion by practice staff. Unused space should be scored out after the last drug by the prescriber, deleting the space manually. All prescription pads with blank prescriptions are stored in lockable storage. Only the prescriber or the manager can access prescription pads.
Responsibilities and Accountability
It is the responsibility of the Business Manager and CEO to ensure that prescription pads are ordered and delivered to ADHD Direct when required and to guarantee continuity of providing private prescriptions to patients.
Addressing Queries and Errors
1. Prescription Queries Raised by the Pharmacy
If a pharmacist has questions or queries related to the private prescriptions issued by ADHD Direct, the pharmacist should contact ADHD Direct or advise the patient to contact ADHD Direct with the pharmacy details and the query. The Prescription Team will arrange to contact the pharmacist at the earliest convenience.
2. Addressing Problems/Potential Errors with a Prescription
Although every effort is made to ensure prescriptions are issued accurately, prescribing errors can occasionally occur in any healthcare setting. In the unlikely event that a private prescription contains an error, patients are asked to contact ADHD Direct as soon as possible by emailing enquiries@adhddirect.co.uk. The matter will be investigated promptly and, where an error is identified, a replacement prescription will be issued and sent to the patient at no additional cost.
If an incorrect prescription has resulted in the wrong medication being dispensed, patients should again contact ADHD Direct as soon as possible. The issue will be reviewed promptly and, where appropriate, a corrected prescription will be issued free of charge.
In these circumstances, patients will usually be asked to return the incorrect medication to the clinic, provided it is unopened and unused. This is particularly important where the medication is a controlled drug, as controlled drugs must be handled, stored and destroyed in accordance with strict legal and clinical governance requirements. Requesting the return of incorrectly dispensed medication helps ensure safe destruction, prevents inappropriate use, and maintains a clear audit trail and accountability in relation to controlled medicines.
Once the incorrect medication has been returned, ADHD Direct will arrange reimbursement for the cost of the medication as well as reasonable postage costs incurred by the patient.
3. Postage Delivery Issues for the Prescription
If a prescription has been posted using Royal Mail first-class signed-for delivery and does not arrive after 7 days, patients are asked to contact us to inform us. A replacement prescription will be posted to the patient as soon as possible. If the second replacement prescription does not arrive, a third prescription will be issued but must be posted directly to a pharmacy or issued to ITH Health.
4. Prescription Expiry Timeframes
Once a prescription has been posted, patients or parents/carers of patients must present the prescription to a pharmacist or pay ITH Health pharmacy for their medication within 28 days. After this time, the prescription will expire, and a new prescription will have to be requested. The cost of the new prescription must be paid by the patient or parent/carer of the patient.
5. Prescription Renewal and Medication Review Timeframes
It is unlikely that a patient’s prescription renewal date and their medication review
date will align perfectly. It is the patient’s responsibility to inform ADHD Direct if they wish to hold off on renewing their prescription if they have an upcoming medication review appointment booked. To avoid any breaks in taking their medication, the patient can request a smaller supply of medication, e.g. 2 weeks, to tide them over before their appointment. If a prescription is ordered prior to a medication review appointment and the patient’s treatment is then altered, no returns or refunds will be provided for the previous prescription or medication issued.