NATIONAL HEALTH SERVICE

The prescribing doctor must be listed on the GMC Specialist Register or prescribe under the supervision of a specialist. 

Consultations are available through the NHS or regulated private and online clinics.  

Specialists consider several factors, including: 

• your diagnosis;   

• previous treatments;   

• potential benefits and risks;   

• current clinical evidence;   

• GMC guidance;   

• and relevant clinical guidelines.   

The decision should be made jointly with the patient and fully documented. 

In most cases, yes. 

NHS guidance states that cannabis-based medicinal products are generally not considered first-line treatments. Your specialist will review which treatments you have already tried and whether they have been ineffective or unsuitable. 

Not routinely.  

Cannabis-based medicinal products are not routinely commissioned by the NHS. Depending on the individual case, individual NHS funding and approval processes may apply. before treatment can be funded. 

According to NHS England, the main barrier is the limited clinical evidence available for many conditions, rather than the law itself.  

Other factors include: 

• limited long-term safety data; 

• the lack of licensed products for many conditions; 

• clinician experience; 

• funding considerations; 

• and local NHS approval procedures.