Become A Medical Cannabis Patient

Start Your Journey

Here is a short guide on how to become a medical cannabis patient in the UK and what you need to know. Any further questions please get in touch with us or a clinic from our directory.

Key Steps To Starting Your Treatment

Qualifying Condition

You must have a condition which can be treated with CBPM

See Here!

Exhausted Treatments

Some clinics ask that you have tried two forms of treatment, medication and/or therapy

Medical Record

You will need a brief summary of your medical records, called a ‘Summary of Care Record’

Access To Internet/Telephone

There is no need to attend a physical clinic for appointments, most consultations are done via video call or over the phone.

ID

You will need a proof of ID when registering with a clinic and pharmacy. Consult with a clinic if you do not have photo ID.

Registered Address

Medication is delivered to your address by courier service. You may be able to request deliveries sent to your local pharmacy.

Clinic Application

Select a clinic that is affordable to you and treats your condition. (Contact the clinics for more information)

Complete an online registration, where you will be asked to give permission for the clinic to obtain your medical records from your GP (in some cases it is faster to obtain your own Summary of Care Record directly from your GP).
After screening of your application, you will either be rejected or accepted for a consultation with a specialist doctor. (Being accepted at this point doesn’t mean you are a registered medical cannabis patient just yet!)
If you are accepted, you will need to book an appointment with a specialist. You can choose the time and date that best suits you, and some clinics allow for you to select a specialist that you would like to see. You will be required to pay for the initial consultation when booking.
Now it’s your consultation. Don’t worry you are free to discuss any illicit use of cannabis with your clinician, they are always welcoming even if you do not have any previous experiences with cannabis. At this stage you will be required to verify your identity, so you may need to show a proof of ID. With your doctor you will discuss your medical history, previous medications, if any personal history with cannabis, and mental health questions. If the clinician is confident with prescribing you medical cannabis they might let you know or you may ask. If so, some clinicians will discuss available products/prices and you can arrange your prescription, pending a review from the MDT (multidisciplinary team).
After your consultation the doctor will discuss your case with the clinic’s MDT, who will then decide whether to accept you for a medical cannabis treatment at their clinic. (If you are rejected by one clinic you may be accepted at another). They will then get in contact either by phone or email to confirm you are in receipt of a medical cannabis treatment, this will include your clinical letter (which you will need to keep a copy of). You Are Now A Legal Medical Cannabis Patient!

Getting Your Medical Cannabis

You will be required to book a consultation each time you wish to change the products you are prescribed. A hard copy of the prescription has to be sent from the clinic to the pharmacy which typically takes 1-2 business days, this is a requirement of all pharmacies when dispensing controlled substances.

You will be contacted by the pharmacy your medication is being dispensed from. They may require you to register with them and may require you to upload a copy of your ID. This may add a little extra time before you can receive your medication.
Once your dispensing pharmacy has received the hard copy of your prescription and verified your identity, you will receive an itemised invoice and be required to pay online, by phone or by bank transfer.
Some medications may take extra time for delivery (this will be noted in any email from your dispensing pharmacy), check the lead time of your medication and always order repeats or book follow ups in advance to prevent gaps in your treatment.
Different pharmacies use different couriers, check which courier they are using as some offer apps and services to track your package. In some cases you may be required to sign for the delivery.

NOTE: Each clinic has its own processes. Some may require follow ups for any changes to your medication, restrict your maximum quantity or variety, have additional charges and some may not even prescribe products available in the market. Please check reviews for each clinic when applying.

Patient Access Schemes

Initially for the first 1000 patients who signed up the Curaleaf Clinic's Access Scheme, now it has no capacity yet stated. This scheme is run to help expand the study on the benefits of medical cannabis and to provide patients with reduced consultation costs for their contribution to the UK’s Medical Cannabis Registry and Real World Evidence data platform.

Curaleaf Clinic also provide support to patients with their Sapphire Medical Foundation, where patients can see their treatment paid for with sponsorships.

Curaleaf Access Scheme

In collaboration with leading UK clinics, Grow Pharma have launched the Grow Open Access Initiative, a patient access programme, focused on providing patients with a simpler, faster, and more affordable access to cannabis medicines.

Patients on low income/means tested benefits or served in the armed forces will see a capped price on Grow Pharma Dried Flower products and discounts on Grow Pharma Oil products. They will also have a free initial consultation and reduced costs on follow-ups and repeat prescription fees.

Grow Access Project (GAP)

This study, performed by Drug Science, observes patients in receipt of a medical cannabis treatment in the UK and gathers data on the benefits of medical cannabis on patient's treatment. Patients who apply to this study can receive medical cannabis products which are on the Project Twenty21 formulary at discounted prices.

Only certain clinics run this study so please check with the clinic you wish to receive treatment from.

Project Twenty21 (T21)