Before the appointment
Check the consultation fee and what the appointment covers. Have prescription evidence, medicine lists and monitoring ready.
Prescription essentials
Charges, validity and follow-up—made clear.
The practical details around a private prescription: what you pay for, how long it can be used, who supplies the medicine and how ongoing care stays connected.
A consultation does not guarantee medicine. The doctor may recommend advice, pharmacy care, tests, examination, follow-up or another service instead.
GMC-registered doctorsIndependent prescribing decisions
CQC-registered serviceCare within a regulated setting
Pharmacy hand-off explainedSupply and charges kept clear
Check the route
Is this the right starting point?
Prescription requests can look simple but still depend on diagnosis, records, monitoring and the urgency of the situation.
Before pharmacy supply
Ask the pharmacy for availability, total private price, collection or delivery timing and any identity requirements.
Before the next request
Know who is responsible for monitoring, when review is due and whether relevant information has reached your NHS GP or specialist.
Clinical decision
What the doctor considers.
A private prescription is one part of a care plan. The safest service makes the clinical fee, pharmacy cost, validity, monitoring, information-sharing and next review explicit before they become urgent.
The clinician is responsible for every prescription signed and may need to change, delay or decline the requested plan to keep care safe.
01
Clinical charge
The fee covers assessment and professional decision-making. It does not buy a guaranteed prescription or include pharmacy supply unless explicitly stated.
02
Pharmacy charge
A private pharmacy price can include the medicine, dispensing and delivery. It is separate from the NHS prescription charge and can vary by pharmacy.
03
Validity and dispensing
Most UK prescriptions are valid for six months; prescriptions for most controlled drugs are valid for 28 days. Directions or legal requirements may create a shorter practical window.
04
Follow-up and communication
The doctor explains monitoring, review, side-effect advice and—with appropriate consent—relevant communication with your NHS GP or other clinician.
Prepare once
Give the doctor the full picture.
Accurate details reduce delay and make it easier to decide what is safe. Share clinical information only through the route provided for your consultation.
Have ready
- The appointment fee information shown at booking
- Your preferred pharmacy details and a backup option
- A current medication and allergy list
- The date and result of any required monitoring
- Your NHS GP and specialist details for continuity of care
Important limits
- NHS prescription exemptions do not set a private pharmacy’s price
- An uncollected or expired prescription may require a fresh clinical decision
- A pharmacy can contact the prescriber before supply if anything needs clarification
- Your NHS GP makes its own decision about continuing treatment within NHS care
- Seek advice promptly for side effects or deterioration; do not wait for a routine repeat request
A joined-up route
From request to next step.
The prescription is one possible point in the pathway—not the whole service.
Confirm the clinical fee
See the price and appointment format before booking the assessment.
Understand the decision
If medicine is prescribed, confirm dose, duration, warnings, monitoring and what happens if it does not help.
Confirm pharmacy costs
Ask the pharmacy for the total supply price and timing before collection or delivery.
Plan the follow-up
Record who will review the medicine, when monitoring is due and how to request help or the next supply.
Useful answers
Before you book.
Clear expectations help the appointment focus on the decision that matters.
Is the cost of medicine included in the GP fee?
No. The GP fee covers the consultation and prescribing decision. The pharmacy charges separately for the medicine, dispensing and any delivery.
How long is a private prescription valid?
Most UK prescriptions are valid for six months from the date they are signed. Prescriptions for most controlled drugs are valid for 28 days. A pharmacy may still need clarification, and the treatment plan may require earlier review.
Can my NHS GP turn it into an NHS prescription?
Your NHS GP must make an independent clinical and prescribing decision within NHS rules and local arrangements. A private prescription does not require the practice to issue the same medicine on the NHS.
Will Allhours GP tell my NHS GP?
Relevant prescribing information can be shared with your consent to support safe care. The doctor will discuss communication, particularly for new, ongoing or higher-risk treatment; safety or legal duties can sometimes require sharing.
What if I get a side effect?
Read the patient information leaflet and contact the prescriber or pharmacist for advice. Use NHS 111 for urgent concerns and 999 for a life-threatening reaction. You can report suspected side effects through the MHRA Yellow Card scheme.
Arrange an assessment
Start with the GP conversation.
Use the appointment route for a clinical assessment. For a practical question, email your name, contact details and the type of prescription review you need. Please do not put symptoms, medicines or other medical information in ordinary email; we will explain the secure route.
Prescription enquiries
Questions about the appointment or prescription hand-off.
Emailinfo@allhoursgp.com
Address22 Oxford Court,
Manchester
Manchester
Medicine supplyArranged with a pharmacy
Official guidance used for this page:
GMC prescribing and medicines guidance ↗NHS prescription charges and validity ↗NHS emergency prescriptions ↗MHRA Yellow Card scheme ↗
General information only. Follow the directions on your prescription and medicine label, read the patient information leaflet and ask the prescriber or pharmacist if anything is unclear.