Visiting the UK on ADHD medication - how to keep your prescription going

If you are about to spend a term, a year, or a long contract in the UK and you are already taking ADHD medication prescribed in your home country, you have two problems to solve. First, your UK medication options may not exactly match your home brands. Second, UK prescribing rules mean you cannot simply walk into a UK pharmacy with a US or Canadian prescription and have it dispensed.

This is a common situation and we see it often, particularly with North American students arriving in London in September and with professionals seconded to UK offices on twelve-month contracts. This article is a practical guide to keeping your treatment going without a gap.

The legal picture, briefly

You are allowed to bring up to three months of your prescribed ADHD medication into the UK for personal use, provided you carry your prescription and ideally a letter from your prescribing clinician. For Schedule 2 controlled drugs, which includes most stimulants, you may need an import licence if you are bringing more than three months' supply. Most patients in practice bring one to two months and then arrange UK continuation once they arrive.

Once you are in the UK, only a UK-registered clinician can issue a UK-valid prescription. A US, Canadian, or Australian prescription is not dispensable at a UK pharmacy.

Your medication may have a different name here

Some common US brand names do not exist under the same name in the UK. Adderall is not licensed in the UK, though the underlying medication (mixed amphetamine salts, or dexamfetamine on its own) is available. Vyvanse is sold in the UK as Elvanse. Concerta is sold as Concerta XL or in generic methylphenidate formulations. Strattera is sold as atomoxetine.

Your UK clinician will prescribe the equivalent medication based on your current dose. Sometimes a small dose adjustment is needed because strengths available in the UK differ from those in your home country.

Two ways we can help

At LoveMyLife we offer two pathways for visiting patients, depending on what documentation you have.

Pathway 1: Repeat prescription (£149 consult)

If you bring a letter from your home clinician confirming your ADHD diagnosis and your current medication and dose, we can issue a UK private prescription at the first visit. The consultation takes about fifteen minutes, either in person or by video. The clinician reviews your letter, confirms the dose is appropriate, issues the private prescription, and our pharmacy dispenses it either at Westfield or by courier.

Subsequent monthly prescriptions and reviews are £89 each, dispensed by our pharmacy at standard retail cost. You are free to cancel or move to another provider at any time.

This is the right pathway if you already have a clear, well-documented diagnosis and you are essentially continuing existing treatment unchanged.

Pathway 2: Full UK transfer (£395, first month of medication included)

If you do not have a letter from your home clinician, or if your original diagnosis was several years ago and you would like a fresh UK-based review, we can do a full diagnostic assessment using the DIVA-5 structured interview. We take over your UK care for the duration of your stay.

The full UK assessment costs £395, includes the first month of medication, and leads into our £149 per month ongoing care plan. No letter from your home clinician is required.

This is the right pathway if your documentation is patchy, if you are in the UK for more than six months, or if you would prefer a UK-qualified clinician to re-evaluate your dose and add any adjustments they think appropriate.

What to bring to your first appointment

For Pathway 1 (repeat prescription), please bring:

A letter from your home clinician confirming your ADHD diagnosis, the medication and dose you are currently prescribed, and ideally the date of your most recent review.

A copy of your most recent prescription or packaging showing dose and frequency.

Photo ID (passport is ideal).

Proof of your UK address (a university accommodation letter, tenancy agreement, or utility bill).

For Pathway 2 (full UK transfer), the same items are useful but not required. We will work from a full DIVA-5 assessment regardless.

Timing and logistics

Assessments are usually available within three working days of booking. For in-person at Westfield we can often fit you in the same week. The first month of medication is dispensed immediately - in hand at the end of the in-person consultation, or delivered next working day if you book online.

This matters if you have arrived in the UK with a short supply of medication and you are watching the bottle empty. Do not leave it to the last week. Book as soon as you know your arrival date and we can align the appointment with when you run out.

What we do not do

We do not bulk-import American-brand medication. We do not issue a UK prescription without seeing you in a consultation, however brief. We do not provide twelve-month prescriptions upfront; ADHD medication in the UK is dispensed monthly and reviewed regularly, as in most jurisdictions.

The quick answer

If you are heading to the UK with an existing ADHD diagnosis, plan to book a consultation with us in your first week. Bring your clinician's letter if you have one. We will handle the rest.

Ready to start?

If this article has made you think it is time to find out, the next step is a short consultation with one of our ADHD-trained GPs.

Begin your consultation at this link. Online in 30 minutes, or in person at Westfield London.