Why Eden New Life Does Not Offer Shared Care With NHS GPs
At a Glance
Shared care can divide treatment responsibilities between a specialist and an NHS GP, but GP participation is not automatic. Eden New Life does not offer shared care because it has designed its private gender-care pathway to operate independently of GP prescribing and monitoring, reducing reliance on external specialists and providing a higher quality, more predictable treatment process.
Book a 10-min introductory chat to learn more about our gender care approach.
Shared Care with Private Providers
If you’re considering gender-affirming hormone therapy (GAHT), a shared care agreement between a private provider and an NHS GP sounds ideal. When your GP prescribes your medication through the NHS, your prescription costs are lower than paying privately.
So why doesn’t Eden New Life offer shared care?
That is because Eden has intentionally designed its gender healthcare model so it doesn’t depend on any external GP or other provider to deliver any aspects of treatment, and so reduces the risk of delay or reduced quality.
It’s not about trying to make more money from prescribing gender hormones, we are a private online service built around responsive, specialist care. In fact, we use the buying power of our community to drive down your private prescription costs. Introducing an external GP or another healthcare organisation is more likely to introduce delays and administrative complexity that neither our clients nor we can control. Such delays and complexity add cost, and so negate the potential value of shared care.
Here’s why Eden New Life has chosen a different approach.
What Is Shared Care?
Shared care is an agreed arrangement between healthcare professionals that share responsibilities for aspects of a patient’s ongoing treatment, with roles and responsibilities clearly defined. It’s usually a formal written agreement between clinicians or services that outlines how responsibility for prescribing, monitoring and specialist oversight will be shared.
How Does Shared Care Work?
Under this arrangement, a specialist may assess the patient and recommend or initiate treatment. A GP may agree to take responsibility for prescribing and agreed monitoring, while the specialist remains involved.
But this responsibility is not automatically transferred just because a gender specialist sends a letter to a GP. According to the Royal College of General Practitioners (RCGP) guidance, where care is transferred to primary care under a shared-care arrangement, the GP must first agree to accept it. Clinicians should also clearly define each other's responsibilities.
Why Do Private Gender Care Clients Ask for Shared Care?
Patients who are already paying for private consultations and specialist gender care may understandably want to reduce other costs where possible. By entering a shared-care agreement, people hope their NHS GP can issue hormone prescriptions so they no longer have to pay for medication through a private prescription. It may also be expected that the GP can arrange NHS blood tests for monitoring.
Such a shared care arrangement between an NHS GP and a private gender care provider may look ideal on paper, offering the convenience of private specialist care with some of the cost advantages of NHS treatment.
However, a private provider cannot require your NHS GP to accept shared care.
Does My GP Have to Agree to Shared Care?
Not necessarily, because GPs decide shared-care requests individually. A GP may decline shared care if they can’t safely take on the proposed responsibility, including when they lack sufficient information, competence or specialist support. They will still provide your usual NHS healthcare.
This uncertainty is one of the key reasons why Eden has chosen not to build its care approach around shared care arrangements with GPs.
Why Shared Care Isn't Always the Simple or Cheaper Option It Appears to Be
From a patient’s perspective, shared care with private providers sounds simple. Private specialists recommend gender care treatment, then the GP issues an NHS prescription and the patient saves money on prescriptions.
But it’s not as simple as this. GPs also provide care to a large patient population.
When a private provider sends clinical information about a patient’s care to a GP and corresponds further, they may not respond within the timeframe a private patient expects:
You are waiting for care, but it takes us three weeks to get an answer from your GP, so we’re unable to deliver your care on time
It takes us multiple days on the phone to simply reach your GP surgery
And when you’re paying a private provider for care, you should of course expect responsive communication and timely progression through your treatment. But a private provider can’t control another organisation’s workload or response times.
GPs may need to follow up by phone and letter
GPs may seek clarification and further information before accepting responsibility
They may even ultimately decline the shared care arrangement
These arguments don’t make shared care a lesser option. But every call, letter and follow-up by GPs adds to clinical and administrative time for private providers. For Eden New Life to take on the extra work of managing these arrangements means additional costs to its service. This could negate the savings a patient expected to make by moving their prescription to the NHS.
Keeping care within one specialist network gives our clients a more predictable experience.
Why Doesn't Eden New Life Offer Shared Care?
We understand the appeal of shared care with an NHS GP, but we choose not to offer it. These are the reasons why we don’t do shared care:
Speed and Convenience
We want clients who choose private care to receive the responsive service they expect from a private healthcare provider. We can’t guarantee a seamless service when critical milestones in your care rely on a GP answering our communications or accepting prescribing duties. Any delays in receiving necessary details or actions from the GP can also disrupt your treatment progress.
We have built a team of independent UK specialists who deliver high-quality care tailored to transgender, non-binary and intersex adults, so we can deliver all services in-house without needing to rely on any external support.
No Delays from Overburdened Services
NHS GPs manage thousands of patients and can take days or even weeks to respond. Rather than waiting for your GP, our UK gender specialists manage your care quickly and directly, without any unnecessary delays.
Is Eden’s Fully Private Gender Care Right for You?
The answer depends on what you expect from your care.
If your priority is a private provider that can enter a shared-care agreement with an NHS GP, so they can take over prescribing, Eden is not right for you.
But if you want a pathway that is designed to work independently of NHS care, you should consider Eden. That being said, you are welcome to keep your GP in the loop.
When you start care with us, expect:
Online consultations with independent UK clinicians experienced in gender-affirming care
Secure online appointments from the privacy of your home
Accessible and gender-affirming hormone therapy plans
Ongoing monitoring through regular reviews
If our approach suits what you are looking for in gender care, explore Eden New Life’s plans and pricing.
Book a 10-min introductory chat with a gender specialist to learn more about our complete care pathway. Prices vary depending on the person, and any prescription is subject to approval by a UK doctor.
