UK HCPs Unprepared for Medical Cannabis Legislation, Says New Online eLearning Platform, The Academy of Medical Cannabis
The Academy of Medical Cannabis eLearning platform launches to fill the educational gap
The Academy believes at least one million people in the UK could benefit from medical cannabis
LONDON, Nov. 1, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- The UK's only HCP medical cannabis online education platform The Academy of Medical Cannabis (www.taomc.org) launches amid concerns that HCPs in the UK are unprepared for the new medical cannabis legislation that is introduced today (November 1).
The Academy of Medical Cannabis estimates that at least one million people in the UK[i] could benefit from the rescheduling of medical cannabis, yet healthcare professionals lack the information needed to talk to their patients about this new treatment option.
Hon. Professor Mike Barnes, Academy Director of Education and one of Europe's most highly regarded experts in medical cannabis and related policy said, "We estimate that at least one million people in the UK have conditions that could benefit from medical cannabis and, from November 1 we expect a large proportion of them to visit their GP or specialist and ask about medical cannabis treatments. Our concern is that healthcare professionals are unprepared for this influx, having received no formal training about medical cannabis as a treatment option."
"Official NICE guidance is not expected until October 2019, which means it's down to The Academy of Medical Cannabis to deliver a deep and thorough learning platform for all doctors, ensuring that patient needs are met as quickly and safely as possible, as part of a functional medical cannabis system," continued Professor Barnes.
Featuring a series of 'bite sized' modules, the platform offers all GPs and specialists the information they need to not only talk about but also, where appropriate, to prescribe medical cannabis safely, effectively and with confidence.
Hertfordshire-based GP Dr Leon Barron believes The Academy of Medical Cannabis is a vital tool in ensuring the profession can offer practical guidance to patients about medical cannabis. He says, "I thoroughly expect that many of my patients with conditions like chronic pain will want to discuss medical cannabis as a treatment option and it's critical that I'm able to speak to them about it in a straightforward way, without stigma. The information available on The Academy of Medical Cannabis platform will not only enable me to do this but also ensure I make the appropriate specialist referral."
The 12 educational modules are available to any UK and Ireland physician with an interest in medical cannabis and feature video lectures, animations, interactive illustrations and short tests with each of them featuring a different aspect of medical cannabis prescribing. Subjects include a background to the human endocannabinoid system, the plant and its medical uses, from neurological indications through to mental health and GI disorders. Participating authors include Dr Edmund Bonikowski, a consultant in rehabilitation medicine, who is a medical cannabis expert and has held acute and community based NHS posts in neurological rehabilitation, along with other medical experts in specific therapeutic areas. The platform is independent and free for all medical professionals to use.
Medical cannabis (also known as Cannabis-Based Medicinal Products) is available on prescription from November 1 2018 when the UK government reschedules cannabis-based medical products from Schedule 1 to Schedule 2 of the Misuse of Drugs Regulations 2001.
For more information about The Academy of Medical Cannabis visit www.taomc.org.
Both Professor Mike Barnes and Dr Leon Barron are available for interview.
[i] Data on file
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