Does the NHS provide cannabinoid treatment?
While medical cannabis is legal in the UK, it can be challenging to access, and many people wonder if they can get it through the NHS. The short answer is yes, it is possible to access medical cannabis through the NHS.
However, according to data released by the NHS in January 2021, there were only 18 prescriptions for unlicensed cannabis-based products dispensed in England between March and June 2020.
The reason for treatment via the NHS typically only occurs in extremely severe cases to support rare cases of epilepsy, nausea caused by chemotherapy or certain cases of muscle stiffness associated with multiple sclerosis. For those looking to explore medical cannabis, self-referring to a private clinic is the easiest way to obtain a prescription.
How does a private medical cannabis clinic work?
To be eligible for medical cannabis, all patients need to have tried two or more types of medicine, treatment or therapy as prescribed by a licensed professional, a GP or a specialist doctor for the condition they are referring to the clinic for. Patients also need to have no prior history of schizophrenia or psychosis.
At Mamedica, we offer the option for patients to check their eligibility for free via our online form available here. If patients are eligible for treatment, they have the option to book an online initial consultation directly with a specialist doctor or request a call back from our clinic team if they have any questions.
Prior to an initial consultation, a patient will need to upload their summary care record onto the Mamedica patient portal or enable access for our clinic to ask their GP on a patient’s behalf. A form of ID and an evaluation form will also need to be uploaded.
