How to get a prescription for medical cannabis
If you need to get a prescription for medical cannabis, Curaleaf Pharmacy can help explain how to get one. Follow our helpful step by step guide.
If you want to get a prescription for medical cannabis, the first step is to see a specialist prescriber in the UK. A specialist prescriber is a qualified doctor who can prescribe medical cannabis, and they will be listed on the General Medical Council register.
Curaleaf Pharmacy works with many specialist prescriber clinics, such as Curaleaf Clinic. They’ll help you get an appointment with a specialist prescriber, and then you can decide together if medical cannabis is right for you.
1 Find a clinic
To check if medical cannabis might be right for you, you’ll need to find a specialist prescriber clinic.
There is a list of the current medical cannabis clinics on the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society (MCCS). The MCCS is a group of doctors that educates healthcare professionals and the public on medical cannabis.
If you’d like to find out more information about being eligible for medical cannabis, get in touch with us.
2 Share your healthcare records
Before your appointment with your chosen doctor, you’ll need to send your healthcare records to the clinic. You can do this by contacting your doctor’s surgery or often the clinic can get them on your behalf. This is known as a summary care of records and your GP will be familiar with this term
The specialist prescriber clinic will need details of:
- Medications that you’re taking right now
- Medications you’ve had in the past
- Letters that you’ve received from any other healthcare professionals during your treatment history
- Any other medical treatment you’ve had, including those that your doctor’s surgery does not have a record of
3 Go to your appointment with a specialist doctor
Before you’re considered for an appointment, the medical team at the clinic will review your healthcare records to see if medical cannabis might be right for you. If so, they’ll invite you to an appointment with a specialist prescriber.
Depending on the clinic you choose, your appointment can be face to face, or you can have a video call at home instead.
After your appointment, you may need to wait to wait a few weeks to get a prescription.
4 Send us your prescription
Your specialist prescriber clinic will ask you which pharmacy you would like your prescription to be sent to, such as Curaleaf Pharmacy. Then they’ll give the pharmacy your prescription each time.
If not, take a photo of your prescription and email it to us. Then send the hard copy to us in the post. We legally need the original hard copy to be able to dispense your medication.
There will be a date on your prescription, and you have to get your medication within 28 days of this date.
If your prescription expires, then you’ll need to get a new one from your specialist prescriber clinic. Give them a call to let them know, and they’ll take it from there.
5 Follow our guide to get your medication
Once you have your prescription, follow our guide on how to get medical cannabis with a prescription through Curaleaf Pharmacy.
6 Remember to request your repeat prescription
After you get your medication, you’ll need to work out how long it will last you. Then be sure to pop a date in your diary that’s 10 days before you run out.
Check with your clinic if you need to book an appointment for a follow-up with your specialist prescriber to get a new prescription, or if you can request a repeat prescription from them.
Follow our helpful guide on how to get a repeat medical cannabis prescription.
