With a private prescription you will need to pay for the full cost of the medicine plus a dispensing fee, which covers the pharmacy’s costs. The pharmacy will calculate the total cost, and this is paid by you or your medical insurance company. The total cost can vary at different pharmacies, so it is worth asking more than one pharmacy how much they will charge you to provide the prescription. Sometimes private prescriptions cost less than the NHS prescription charge. With an NHS prescription you pay an NHS prescription charge per item (a fixed tax) unless you are entitled to free NHS prescriptions.

It is important to consider all potential costs when using a private consultant and this includes medicine costs. If your GP is unable to prescribe the medicine on an NHS prescription for one of the reasons documented, you should speak to the clinician that issued you with the private prescription to discuss what to do next. This may include them recommending an alternative less costly medicine or one which may be prescribed by your GP on an NHS prescription.

There are a few rare circumstances where NHS healthcare professionals may issue private prescriptions to their NHS patients. These are:

• Malaria prophylaxis for protection when travelling abroad or medicines only needed in case there is an illness or injury when travelling abroad.
• Treatments that may be needed whilst travelling are not considered suitable for prescribing on the NHS. The traveller should pay the cost of these treatments.
• Travel vaccines that are not allowed on the NHS, such as yellow fever or rabies vaccine. Some vaccines for travel are not allowed on the NHS and therefore travellers needing these vaccines will need to pay for them privately.
• Items which are blacklisted or not available for specific conditions on the NHS.
• In very rare circumstances, your healthcare professional may think that an item not available for prescribing on the NHS is suitable for you and with your agreement may need to issue a private prescription for this item. Your healthcare professional may charge you a fee for writing a private prescription.

Book a GP appointment: Schedule an appointment with your GP. You may need to see them in person, or they might offer a private GP service through which you can get a referral.
Discuss your condition: Explain your symptoms, how long you’ve had them, and any relevant medical history.
Request a referral: Ask your GP to write a private referral letter for your insurance company. The GP will only write a referral if they believe it is clinically appropriate.
Provide necessary information: You may be asked to provide details about the specialist or clinic you want to be referred to.
Receive the referral letter: The GP will create a referral letter that formally refers you for further assessment or treatment. This letter will be sent to you, usually by email.
Contact your insurance company: Once you have your referral letter, contact your insurance company to start the claims process. You may need to provide them with an authorization number and details of your policy.
Important things to know
Review your policy: Your insurance company may have specific requirements for referrals, such as a pre-approved authorization number or a specific claims process.
Pre-existing conditions: Insurers may not cover conditions that existed before you took out the policy.
Private vs. NHS: Your GP will be writing a referral for private treatment. Be aware that the cost of specialist consultations, treatments, and any private prescriptions will be your responsibility unless covered by your insurance.
Open referrals: You can ask for an “open referral” which allows you to choose from a selection of specialists and avoids the need for a second referral if your first choice is unavailable.