Right to Choose is free and gives you NHS care. A private assessment is usually faster but you pay, and your GP may not agree to take over prescribing afterwards.
Side by side
| Right to Choose | Private | |
|---|---|---|
| Cost to you | Free (NHS pays). Normal prescription charges may apply. | You pay for the assessment, and usually for titration and private prescriptions. |
| Wait | Varies by provider and by your area's annual limits. | Often shorter. |
| Referral | Needs your GP. | You can usually book yourself. |
| Prescriptions afterwards | Provider prescribes; your GP may take over through shared care. | GPs often decline shared care after private diagnosis, so you may keep paying privately. |
Which to choose
- Choose Right to Choose if you can wait and want free, ongoing NHS care.
- Consider private only if you need help urgently and can afford ongoing private prescriptions if your GP won't share care.
- Ask before you pay. Ask your GP practice whether it accepts shared care after a private diagnosis.
Already diagnosed privately? Some Right to Choose providers accept GP referrals for NHS treatment after a private diagnosis. Ask the provider directly.
Sources: NHS England patient choice guidance; Londonwide LMCs: Right to Choose and shared care 2026.
Related guides
- Right to Choose ADHD in Leicester, Leicestershire and Rutland
- Right to Choose ADHD in Bristol, North Somerset and South Gloucestershire
- Right to Choose ADHD in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight
- My GP refused a Right to Choose referral: what now?
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