At The Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society, we’re dedicated to providing straightforward guidance, education and support for clinicians wishing to prescribe medical cannabis.

Doctors often come to us with questions about the insurance requirements for prescribing medical cannabis or have questions about their professional indemnity and insurance coverage. We know that some insurers do not include medical cannabis treatments in their coverage. Doctors have told us that they have been given conflicting information about costs and availably of medical malpractice insurance to cover medical cannabis, with some being quoted over £4,000 per year.

The Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society has teamed up with leading insurers to make medical cannabis insurance straightforward for doctors prescribing in the UK. All our members can now access exclusive insurance coverage for their medical cannabis prescribing for a fraction of the cost of other premiums available.

Not a member yet? Sign up here.

To arrange an insurance policy which covers medical cannabis work, please contact the Society for our latest recommendation.

Understanding insurance for doctors prescribing privately

In England, doctors working for NHS trusts and health and social care bodies are provided with indemnity insurance through the Clinical Negligence Scheme for Trusts (CNST). Similar arrangements are in place for Scotland, Northern Ireland, and Wales.

As medical cannabis in the UK is currently only available privately, doctors working outside of the NHS – often for the first time – have questions about arranging insurance and indemnity which covers this treatment.

The General Medical Council states that doctors working in private practice in the UK must have “adequate and appropriate insurance or indemnity arrangements in place covering the full scope of your medical practice”. This means that even if doctors are working privately within an NHS or health and social care body premises, they must still be covered.

Prof Michael Barnes, Chair of the Medical Cannabis Clinicians Society, said,

“Apart from two specific medications, Sativex and Epidiolex, medical cannabis – along with many other treatments – is at present classed as an unlicensed medicine. Doctors prescribing unlicensed products take full clinical responsibility for any consequences of the prescription and might not be covered by professional indemnity insurance. This is something that causes many clinicians concerns and prevents more widespread prescribing.

Medical cannabis is a safe treatment with often significant benefits and few side effects. Clinicians can be reassured that if they prescribe within the legal parameters, then they are very safe – although they still need insurance cover.”

Are you already insured for private practice?

Suppose you are already working privately with insurance. In that case, it is essential to check with your insurer that the changes in your scope of practice – i.e. starting to prescribe medical cannabis products – is included in your existing coverage.