Private Prescriptions in London 2026. How They Work, What They Cost and When They Are the Better Option
A private prescription is a prescription written by a doctor outside the NHS, and it is dispensed by any UK pharmacy in the same way as an NHS one, with 1 important difference. You pay the pharmacy for the medicine itself rather than the fixed NHS charge, which in England remains £9.90 per item in 2026, frozen from the previous year. That makes private prescriptions cheaper than people expect for many common generic medicines, which can cost less than the NHS charge, and more expensive for branded or specialist ones, where the pharmacy's price reflects the cost of the drug. The practical reasons people need one are consistent. Their NHS GP cannot see them in time and they have run out. They are visiting from abroad, where a foreign prescription cannot generally be dispensed by a British pharmacy. They are seeing a private doctor who has recommended treatment. Or they want a medication reviewed properly rather than simply repeated. A private prescription for most medicines is valid for 6 months from the date it is written, and for controlled drugs in Schedules 2, 3 and 4 it is valid for 28 days. General Medical Council guidance requires a prescriber to have adequate knowledge of your health before prescribing, which is why a proper consultation comes first. At The Wellness you are assessed the same day, 7 days a week, and the prescription is issued in the appointment, from £59 for a mini consultation, £150 by video and £220 in person. Fees appear further down this page.
Reviewed by the medical team at The Wellness. Last updated 28 September 2026.
Get a prescription today on WhatsApp or email team@thewellnesslondon.com or call 020 3951 3429.
How a private prescription works
You are assessed by a doctor, in person or by video, who reviews your history, current medication, allergies and the reason for the prescription, and examines you where that is needed to prescribe safely.
The prescription is then issued, either as a paper prescription or sent electronically to a pharmacy of your choice, and you pay the pharmacy directly for the medicine. Pharmacies set their own private prescription prices, usually the cost of the medicine plus a dispensing fee, so it is worth asking the price before collecting, and prices vary between pharmacies.
Most prescription-only medicines prescribed privately are valid for 6 months from the date written. Controlled drugs in Schedules 2, 3 and 4 are valid for 28 days, and private prescriptions for Schedule 2 and 3 controlled drugs in England must be written on a specific form carrying a private prescriber identification number, which limits where and how they can be issued.
A private prescription cannot be converted into an NHS prescription at the pharmacy. If you want to continue a medicine on the NHS, your NHS GP decides whether to take over prescribing, and they are not obliged to, particularly for medicines they would not usually prescribe.
When a private prescription makes sense
When you have run out and cannot wait. Missing some medicines for even a few days carries real risk, including insulin, anti-epileptic drugs, anticoagulants, steroids, thyroid replacement and some heart and blood pressure medicines. A same-day consultation and prescription resolves it.
When you are visiting the UK. British pharmacies dispense against UK prescriptions, so a prescription from abroad generally cannot be filled. Send a photograph of the packaging before the appointment, since brand names differ between countries while the generic name and strength do not, and a UK equivalent is prescribed after assessment.
When the medicine is cheap. Many common generics cost the pharmacy less than the £9.90 NHS charge, so a private prescription can cost less at the counter than an NHS one, though the consultation fee applies.
When you want the medication reviewed rather than repeated. A repeat prescription is only as good as the monitoring behind it, and several common medicines need regular blood tests to remain safe.
Send a photo of your medication on WhatsApp or email team@thewellnesslondon.com.
What cannot be prescribed, or not straight away
Controlled drugs are the clearest boundary. Strong opioids, benzodiazepines, sleeping tablets such as zopiclone and zolpidem, and ADHD stimulants such as methylphenidate and lisdexamfetamine are tightly regulated, and it is generally not appropriate for any doctor to issue them at a first consultation without established records and a clear indication. We say so before you book rather than after.
Antibiotics are prescribed where they help and not where they do not. Most sore throats, coughs and colds are viral, and antibiotic resistance is a serious and growing problem, so the decision is based on examination and evidence rather than on request.
Medicines that need specialist initiation, such as some treatments for autoimmune disease, some psychiatric medicines and certain hormone treatments, are continued where your specialist has started them and the records are available, rather than started from scratch.
Prescription-only weight management medicines are prescribed only where licensed and clinically appropriate after a full assessment, including measured weight and height, never on the basis of an online form alone.
And anything where the safety monitoring has not been done. Levothyroxine needs periodic thyroid function tests, statins need lipids and liver function, many blood pressure medicines need kidney function and electrolytes, lithium and some anticonvulsants need drug levels. Where monitoring is overdue, it is arranged alongside the prescription.
Why questionnaire-only prescribing is a risk
Online services that prescribe on the basis of a questionnaire with no consultation have grown quickly, and regulators have repeatedly raised concerns about them. General Medical Council guidance on remote prescribing expects the prescriber to have adequate knowledge of the patient's health, to be satisfied the medicine serves their needs, and to consider whether a physical examination is needed.
The risks are practical. Interactions with other medicines that a form does not capture. Conditions that change the right choice, such as kidney disease, pregnancy or a history of eating disorder. Red flags that an examination would have caught. And no one to contact when something goes wrong.
A proper consultation, even a short one by video, closes those gaps. It is also what allows the prescription to be issued confidently and the medicine to be continued safely.
What does a private prescription cost in London
Private GP consultations in the Harley Street district cost £250 to £350 before any prescription, and some services charge separately for issuing the prescription itself. Online questionnaire services charge less but frequently without a consultation. The medicine is then paid for at the pharmacy, at a price the pharmacy sets.
At The Wellness the consultation includes the prescription, with no separate issuing fee. All figures are from prices.
Individual Membership with unlimited same-day GP consultations and prescriptions included, from £4,995 a year.
Home, hotel or office visit with prescription, daytime from £495 and evenings and weekends from £695.
Comprehensive Blood Panel for medication monitoring, with consultation and interpretation, from £495. Targeted panel from £295.
Extended 45-minute medication review for several long-term medicines, from £395.
In-person consultation with prescription, from £220.
Same-day video consultation with prescription sent to a pharmacy near you, from £150.
Mini consultation for a straightforward repeat of an established medicine, from £59.
Travel letters listing medication for customs and airlines, from £150.
Same-day appointments 7 days a week at 10 Portman Square, Marylebone, 3 minutes from Baker Street.
Why The Wellness is the best place in London for a private prescription
Because you are assessed rather than processed. Your history, medication, allergies and the reason for the prescription are reviewed, and examination is carried out where it is needed to prescribe safely, which is what General Medical Council guidance expects.
Because the prescription is issued in the appointment and sent to a pharmacy near you, including late-opening pharmacies, with no separate issuing fee.
Because the monitoring is not forgotten. Where a medicine needs blood tests to stay safe, they are arranged at an accredited partner laboratory alongside the prescription.
Because we tell you what cannot be prescribed before you book, including controlled drugs at a first consultation and antibiotics where they will not help.
And because visitors are looked after properly, with a UK equivalent prescribed after assessment when a foreign prescription cannot be dispensed.
Related reading
Forgotten or lost medication in London covers visitors in detail, running out of essential medication covers insulin, steroids and anticoagulants, travelling to the UK with medication covers controlled drug rules, walk-in doctor in London covers same-day access, and private GP membership covers unlimited consultations for a fixed annual fee.
Book a prescription appointment on WhatsApp or call 020 3951 3429.
Frequently asked questions
How much does a private prescription cost
You pay the pharmacy for the medicine at a price it sets, usually the cost of the medicine plus a dispensing fee, rather than the NHS charge of £9.90 per item in England. Many common generics cost less than £9.90 privately. At The Wellness the consultation including the prescription is from £59 for a straightforward repeat, £150 by video and £220 in person.
Can any pharmacy dispense a private prescription
Yes. Any UK pharmacy can dispense a valid private prescription from a UK-registered prescriber. Prices vary between pharmacies, so it is worth asking before collecting.
How long is a private prescription valid
Most prescription-only medicines are valid for 6 months from the date written. Controlled drugs in Schedules 2, 3 and 4 are valid for 28 days.
Can a private doctor prescribe controlled drugs
In limited circumstances, with specific requirements for Schedule 2 and 3 drugs. It is generally not appropriate to issue strong opioids, benzodiazepines, sleeping tablets or ADHD stimulants at a first consultation without established records, and we say so before you book.
Can I get a prescription from a foreign doctor dispensed in London
Generally not. British pharmacies dispense against UK prescriptions. Send a photograph of your medication packaging, you are assessed, and a UK equivalent is prescribed and sent to a pharmacy near you.
Will my NHS GP take over a private prescription
They may, but they are not obliged to, particularly for medicines they would not usually prescribe. A private prescription cannot be converted into an NHS prescription at the pharmacy.
The Wellness is a doctor-led private healthcare group providing medical care from 10 Portman Square, Marylebone, adjacent to Harley Street. All doctors are GMC-registered. Prescriptions are issued only following a consultation and clinical assessment and only where clinically appropriate. Blood analysis is performed by accredited laboratories. In an emergency call 999. This article is general information and not a substitute for medical advice about your own health.
Enquire now on WhatsApp or email team@thewellnesslondon.com or call 020 3951 3429.
References. Department of Health and Social Care, NHS prescription charges in England 2026, including the frozen charge of £9.90 per item. Human Medicines Regulations 2012 on prescription validity. Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001 on controlled drug schedules, prescription validity and private controlled drug prescription requirements. General Medical Council, Good practice in prescribing and managing medicines and devices, including remote prescribing. NHS guidance on prescriptions issued outside the United Kingdom. UK Health Security Agency guidance on antimicrobial stewardship. NICE Clinical Knowledge Summaries on monitoring requirements for common long-term medicines. Published 2026 London private GP market pricing.
