Most ADHD stimulant medicines are controlled drugs, so a private prescription for them is a special paper form, signed by the prescriber and posted by tracked delivery to you or to a pharmacy you choose. Each covers up to 30 days and is valid for 28 days from the date on it, so you need a new one about once a month. Non-stimulant medicines aren’t controlled drugs, so they don’t need the special form.
In short
- Private prescriptions for stimulant ADHD medicines, which are Schedule 2 controlled drugs, are on paper forms: FP10PCD in England, PPCD(1) in Scotland, WP10PCD in Wales and PCD1 in Northern Ireland.
- In England, the Department of Health and Social Care said in January 2025 that these private prescriptions cannot be sent electronically.
- Guidance recommends no more than 30 days’ supply, and the form is valid for 28 days from the date on it. Posting time counts.
- NHS prescription charges don’t apply to private prescriptions. Each pharmacy sets its own price, so ask ahead about stock and get quotes.
- If your GP doesn’t take over prescribing, expect about 12 prescription fees a year, plus the medicine and your reviews.
What is a private ADHD prescription?
A private prescription is written by a prescriber outside your NHS care, for example in a private clinic. You take it to a pharmacy, and the pharmacy decides what to charge. Prescriptions are part of treatment after diagnosis. During titration, the months while your dose is adjusted, prescriptions may be covered by the clinic’s appointment fee. Afterwards, your GP may take over under shared care, which a GP can decline for any reason, according to the BMA. If your GP doesn’t, you keep paying a fee per prescription: see our repeat prescription service or the fees page.
Which form is used in each UK nation?
| Nation | Private form for controlled drugs |
|---|---|
| England | FP10PCD |
| Scotland | PPCD(1) |
| Wales | WP10PCD |
| Northern Ireland | PCD1 |
Pharmacies in England can dispense the other nations’ forms, according to Community Pharmacy England. A June 2026 newsletter from Northern Ireland’s Department of Health says private controlled drug prescriptions from England, Scotland and Wales can be dispensed there if they meet the legal requirements. Ask your pharmacy to confirm before the form is posted.
Why can’t a private controlled drug prescription be sent electronically?
In a written answer on 13 January 2025, the Department of Health and Social Care said private prescriptions for Schedule 2 and 3 controlled drugs in England “cannot be transmitted by electronic means” and must be on a paper FP10PCD form. Northern Ireland’s pharmacy guidance says the same about electronic prescriptions for these drugs. So the prescriber signs a paper form and posts it. Each private prescriber also has a six-digit prescriber identification number, which must be on the form.
How much does one prescription cover, and how long is it valid?
- Supply. The Department of Health and Social Care recommends limiting prescriptions for Schedule 2, 3 and 4 controlled drugs to up to 30 days’ treatment. This is guidance, not law, and a prescriber can issue more where there is a genuine clinical need and no unacceptable safety risk.
- Validity. The form is valid for 28 days from the date on it, which is normally the date it was signed unless the prescriber sets a later start date. The pharmacy must supply within that time.
Time in the post and time to find stock both eat into the 28 days. Ask your prescriber how far ahead to request the next prescription, and don’t leave it until your last day of medicine.
What if a tracked prescription is late or lost?
- Check the tracking details and any delivery card, and ask neighbours or your pharmacy whether it arrived.
- Tell your prescriber the same day, and say how many days of medicine you have left.
- Ask what they need from you. They will want to be sure a lost form can’t be used by someone else before they issue a replacement.
- Don’t ask a second prescriber for a quick supply. Prescribers need your records before prescribing controlled drugs, so a new one is unlikely to help in time.
- Contact your GP for advice if you may run out. Don’t stop suddenly or change your dose without advice.
If you feel unwell or unsafe, get help now: see our urgent help page.
How do you choose a pharmacy?
- Ask about stock first. Phone before the form is posted and ask whether the pharmacy can get your medicine and strength.
- Get quotes. Pharmacies set their own prices for private prescriptions, and they vary. NHS prescription charges don’t apply: in England an NHS prescription costs £9.90 an item in 2026/27, with exemptions such as for under-16s, and NHS prescriptions are free in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.
- Ask about fees. Check whether the quote includes any dispensing fee.
- Take photo ID. The pharmacist must establish whether the person collecting is the patient, the patient’s representative or a healthcare professional, and may ask for ID if they don’t know them. If someone collects for you, tell the pharmacy beforehand.
What if your pharmacy can’t get your medicine?
After the national shortage that began in 2023, the Specialist Pharmacy Service has lifted restrictions on new starts for several ADHD medicines. But it still lists some products as in limited supply, expects intermittent regional disruption for some, and says local availability can differ. The 28-day clock keeps running, so act quickly:
- Ask your pharmacist to check other branches or their suppliers, and phone other pharmacies.
- Tell your prescriber before the form expires. They may suggest another strength or product.
- Don’t switch products or doses yourself. Modified-release products from different manufacturers can behave differently, so any change should be agreed with your prescriber.
What do private prescriptions cost over a year?
If your GP doesn’t take over, a year of private treatment after titration looks like this:
| What you pay for | How often | Who sets the price |
|---|---|---|
| Our repeat prescription, £60 each | Up to about 12 a year | The clinic |
| The medicine | Each prescription | The pharmacy |
| Our medication review, £199 each | At least once a year, more often for children | The clinic |
So a year of repeats is up to 12 times the repeat fee, plus at least one review and the pharmacy’s price for each month’s medicine. Other clinics set their own fees, so compare before you choose.
NICE says ADHD medication should be reviewed at least once a year: read about the ADHD annual review. For a full worked cost table, see what to do if your GP won’t agree to shared care.
Can you travel abroad with ADHD medicine?
Often, but plan ahead, because a medicine that is legal here can be restricted or illegal elsewhere. GOV.UK’s guidance on taking medicine in or out of the UK says to:
- ask your doctor or pharmacist whether your medicine contains a controlled drug
- check the destination country’s rules with its embassy before you travel, because you could be fined or imprisoned for carrying medicine that is illegal there
- carry proof the medicine is yours: a prescription or a letter from your prescriber showing your name, the medicine, dose, strength, quantity, your travel dates and their signature and registration details
- email the Home Office Drugs and Firearms Licensing Unit for advice on leaving the UK with controlled drugs
Check the GOV.UK pages before each trip, because the details can change. If you take medication through us, ask us for a travel letter well before you go. Medicines containing controlled drugs can’t be posted to you from overseas, so don’t plan on supplies being sent. The rules for bringing medicine into the UK are covered in transferring ADHD care.
Is it safe to buy ADHD medicine online without a prescription?
No. The NHS warns that many websites sell fake medicines, and that medicine from an unregistered seller could be out of date, diluted, fake or unsuitable for you. Check that an online pharmacy is registered with the General Pharmaceutical Council, and that an online doctor service appears on the CQC’s and the GMC’s registers. Controlled drugs should only ever come against a valid prescription from a prescriber who has checked your health.
How do repeat prescriptions work with ADHD Health?
A repeat prescription with us is a request, not an appointment. It’s for people who are already stable on ADHD medication, whether you were diagnosed and titrated with us or elsewhere (send your supporting documents). Each request costs £60 and a clinician reviews it, so repeats are never automatic. Each prescription covers up to 30 days.
- Ask early. Send your request at least 5 working days before you run out.
- Your form. It’s a paper controlled drug form for your nation, posted by tracked delivery to you or to a pharmacy you choose. Some pharmacies can deliver the medicine to your home, so ask yours.
- When a review is needed. If something has changed, or a check is due, the clinician may ask you to book a medication review first. That’s a titration appointment, £199.
- Your GP. Before we prescribe, we ask your GP for a summary of your records, and we can’t prescribe if you don’t agree to this.
- Refunds. Once a prescription has been issued, that request can’t be refunded. You pay the pharmacy for the medicine.
If you live in Northern Ireland and want us to prescribe, please contact us first so we can confirm we can prescribe for you.
Next step
Need your next prescription?
Already stable on ADHD medication? A clinician reviews every repeat request before a prescription is issued. Each repeat prescription costs £60. The medicine is paid for at the pharmacy.
Common questions
Why do I need a new prescription every month?
Stimulant ADHD medicines are controlled drugs, and the Department of Health and Social Care recommends no more than 30 days’ supply per prescription. A prescriber can issue more where there is a clinical need and no unacceptable safety risk, but you shouldn’t expect it.
How early should I ask for my next prescription?
Ask your prescriber how far ahead they need. With us, it’s at least 5 working days before you run out. A clinician reviews the request, the paper form is posted, and your 28 days start from the date on the form.
Can someone else collect my prescription?
Often, yes. The pharmacist must ask whether the person collecting is you, your representative or a healthcare professional, and may ask for ID. Tell the pharmacy beforehand, and send your representative with photo ID and your details.
Will my GP know about my private prescriptions?
They should. The GMC says doctors prescribing remotely need safeguards such as consent to contact your regular prescriber, and must share relevant information with your GP. A GP who knows what you take can check for interactions and other medicines.
Can I take my prescription to a pharmacy in another UK nation?
Usually, but check first. Pharmacies in England can dispense the other nations’ private controlled drug forms, and Northern Ireland’s guidance says forms from England, Scotland and Wales can be dispensed there if they meet the legal requirements. Ask the pharmacy before the form is posted.
Sources
- UK Parliament. Written question 22612: private prescriptions for controlled drugs. Answered 13 January 2025.
- Community Pharmacy England. Dispensing controlled drugs. Accessed October 2026.
- Community Pharmacy England. Cross-border dispensing of prescriptions in England. Accessed October 2026.
- Department of Health (Northern Ireland). Pharmacy regional newsletter: private controlled drugs supplement. June 2026.
- Community Pharmacy Scotland. Procedure for dispensing private prescriptions for controlled drugs. 27 May 2026.
- GOV.UK. Take medicine in or out of the UK. Accessed October 2026.
- GOV.UK. Travelling with medicine containing controlled drugs. Last updated 11 April 2023.
- Specialist Pharmacy Service. Prescribing available medicines to treat ADHD. Accessed October 2026.
- NHS. Dangers of buying medicines online. Page reviewed 10 October 2023.
- Community Pharmacy England. NHS prescription charges frozen for the second year running. 2026.
- NICE. Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder: diagnosis and management (NG87), recommendation 1.10.1. Last updated 2025.
- British Medical Association. Prescribing in general practice. Updated 28 April 2025.
- General Medical Council. Good practice in prescribing: controlled drugs and other medicines where additional safeguards are needed. 2021.
