There are four steps: find a specialist clinic, hand over your medical records, have a consultation with a specialist doctor, and, if they prescribe, receive your medicine from a pharmacy by post. Your GP cannot do this, and there is no NHS shortcut for most people. Here is how each step works.

The short version

Almost everyone is prescribed privately, through a specialist clinic, because the NHS route is closed to most people. You do not need a GP referral. You refer yourself, share your medical history, and a specialist decides whether to prescribe. If they do, a specialist pharmacy dispenses the medicine and posts it to you.

Step 1: Find a specialist clinic

Medical cannabis is prescribed only by doctors on the GMC Specialist Register, not by GPs, so in practice that means a private clinic, which you can approach directly with no referral. As an independent publication, we do not rank or recommend clinics. One thing to know going in: a clinic’s own “eligibility checker” is the start of its sales process, not an impartial assessment.

Step 2: Gather your medical records

A specialist needs to see your history, so you provide your Summary Care Record or similar records from your GP. Requesting these can take up to 28 working days, so it is worth starting early. Your records need to show your condition and the treatments you have already tried.

Step 3: The consultation

Some things count against a prescription, or call for extra care. Medical cannabis is generally not prescribed during pregnancy, and a history of psychosis or schizophrenia is usually a reason not to prescribe. Extra caution is taken with younger adults, broadly those under 25. A specialist will go through your history with these in mind.

Step 4: Prescription, pharmacy, and delivery

If the specialist prescribes, the prescription goes to a specialist pharmacy that handles these medicines, since a high-street pharmacy usually cannot. The pharmacy dispenses it and posts it to you, often within three to five working days. If you are prescribed flower, remember it must be vaped, not smoked.

What happens next

Most patients have a follow-up every few months to review how the treatment is working, with repeat prescriptions handled between appointments. We set out what all of this costs in [What it costs].

What this means for you: The route is: refer yourself to a specialist clinic, send your medical records (start the request early, as it can take up to 28 working days), attend a specialist consultation, and if prescribed, receive your medicine by post from a specialist pharmacy. Your GP is not part of prescribing, and a clinic’s own eligibility quiz is a sales step, not an impartial answer.

Sources: NHS, medical cannabis; GOV.UK, cannabis-based products for medicinal use; NICE guidance on cannabis-based medicinal products.

Related: Who qualifies for a prescription? · Can I get it on the NHS? · What it costs · Is medical cannabis legal?

By The Plain Line. Last updated June 2026. This is information, not medical or legal advice. The rules change over time, so we date and review our guides.