If you’re having difficulty getting or keeping erections strong enough for sex then you could benefit from erectile dysfunction treatment. A lot of treatments are covered by the NHS, but is erectile dysfunction one of them?
If you’re looking for erectile dysfunction treatment then you might think the NHS will give you the best deal, but it helps to check against the alternatives.
Getting erectile dysfunction treatment on the NHS works as follows:
What treatments are available? – at the moment, there are three types of medical ED treatment available with an NHS prescription:
The NHS prescription range is limited by cost – the medications offered on NHS prescription are all unbranded. There is less choice offered on NHS prescriptions for erectile dysfunction treatment because branded medication is more expensive.
On private prescription – if your GP agrees, you can get wider range of medications on the NHS with a private prescription, but then you won’t necessarily be saving money compared to buying through another service. These medications include:
NHS treatments that don’t involve medication include:
Who can get an NHS prescription for erectile dysfunction treatment? – you will only be considered for an NHS prescription for most medications if you have one of the following health conditions:
You can also get an NHS prescription if you are considered to be experiencing ‘severe mental distress’ as a result of erectile dysfunction. Your GP will refer you to a specialist to assess this. ‘Severe mental distress’ includes:
What if I can't get an NHS prescription? – you could still be able to get your preferred treatment, but your GP would give you a private prescription instead. This just means you would pay full price for your medication instead of the NHS paying for part of it.
Can I get a private prescription instead? – you might be able to. Just because you can't get an NHS prescription doesn't mean you can't get treatment. You can get a private prescription for erectile dysfunction if you meet the following criteria:
The NHS may not be the cheapest option for most people – Viagra is only cheapest on the NHS if you are eligible for an NHS prescription. Unbranded medications, such as Sildenafil are prescribed for people without having to adhere to the same treatment criteria. For most people who receive a private prescription for erectile dysfunction treatment, they will need to compare prices to find the cheapest way to get treatment.
The NHS may not be the quickest or easiest way to get treatment either – in order to get assessed for erectile dysfunction treatment you need to book to see your GP. For many people this means waiting for an available slot at their local surgery. Also, once you’ve received a prescription from your GP you would need to go to a pharmacy afterwards to get you medication.
It is possible to get assessed much faster online and have your medication dispensed and delivered to your door for you using a service like and online doctor service.
NHS treatment won’t be the right option for everyone – it’s important to find treatments and services that work for you so the NHS might not be the one that suits you best.
NHS treatment can be right for people who:
NHS treatment might not be right for people who:
If you don’t think NHS erectile dysfunction treatment is right for you, there are other options – to avoid some of the downsides of NHS treatment, you could try using an online doctor service. Ours works as follows:
Some of the advantages of using an online doctor service include:
It used to be very restricted – the first restrictions on medical ED treatments on NHS prescription were published in 1999. Since then, medical treatments for ED (like Viagra) were only available in very specific circumstances. This is why it used to be so hard to get ED treatment on NHS prescription.
Restriction were relaxed only when cheaper medication became available – Viagra lost its patent protection in 2013 in the UK. After that, in 2014, the NHS changed its prescribing restrictions for the medication. This means that cheaper, unbranded (or generic) versions of the erectile dysfunction treatments have now become available.
The NHS doesn’t subsidise more expensive treatments – although there are advantages to other branded erectile dysfunction medications, the NHS will only offer medications that come in the generic form.
The government has made it easier to get erectile dysfunction treatment – a new prescription-free form of Viagra, Viagra Connect, is now available April to make it easier for more men to get treatment.
Clinical Knowledge Summaries (2014). Erectile dysfunction. NICE. [online] Available at: https://cks.nice.org.uk/erectile-dysfunction [accessed 25th January 2018].
General Practice Notebook. Eligible groups for NHS funding for erectile dysfunction (ED). GPnotebook. [online] Available at: https://www.gpnotebook.co.uk/simplepage.cfm?ID=x20100325172209261069 [accessed 25th January 2018].
NHS choices (2017). Erectile dysfunction (impotence). NHS. [online] Available at: https://www.nhs.uk/conditions/erection-problems-erectile-dysfunction/ [accessed 25th January 2018].