Shared Care Agreement
Shared Care Agreement (SCA) is a formal arrangement between a specialist (such as
MHWS), your GP and yourself.
Once you have completed the titration period and are stable on medication, SCAs enable GPs to accept a responsibility for the safe prescribing and monitoring of ADHD medication.
While the GP takes over prescribing, we remain involved and available for consultation if needed.
What is MHWS’s role in a Shared Care arrangement?
If appropriate, confirm the diagnosis and start prescribing medication, providing you with information regarding the medication.
Continue to prescribe and monitor the medication until the dose is stable (aka titration).
Write to the GP and request an SCA on your behalf.
Prescribe and monitor medicine while waiting for the GP to confirm your shared care agreement.
Review the medicine at regular intervals (6-12 months) to make sure it is still safe and effective.
Make any changes to your prescription, this will be done at MHWS, not at your GP’s
What is the GP’s role in a Shared Care?
To review specialist requests for shared care of medication.
If accepting Shared Care, prescribe and monitor the medication as set out in the specialist’s instructions and in the SCA.
Report any known serious side effects to the specialist.
To make sure the patient is given appointments for monitoring the medicine.
What is the patient’s role in a Shared Care Arrangement?
Take the medication as prescribed by your clinician(s).
Request repeat prescriptions from your GP in advance, allowing enough time for your request to be processed.
Attend follow-up monitoring appointments with the GP and MHWS service.
Provide up to date observations (blood pressure, pulse and weight) at all appointments.
Report any of your medication to us
Report to us any changes related to the medication including any suspected side effects or if you feel the medication is no longer supporting your needs.
Report to us if there is a medication shortage and you can no longer obtain the medication on your repeat prescription. Your GP will not be able to make changes to your
prescription, but we can.