Record numbers of people in the UK are unable to work because of long-term illness, creating personal hardship and costing the economy billions. Our latest research suggests that expanding NHS access to medical cannabis could help — reducing hospital admissions for those who are eligible and supporting people back into work.
Commissioned by Curaleaf Clinic and carried out by the Centre for Economics and Business Research (Cebr), the study combined economic modelling with polling of more than 3,000 UK adults, including 1,000 currently out of work due to illness.
The findings show that while private prescriptions have already delivered measurable benefits, wider NHS access could unlock much more — adding up to £13.3 billion to the UK economy over the next decade through improved health and increased workforce participation1. At the same time, many patients say they’ve exhausted traditional treatments3, and public backing for fairer access is strong4.
The case for change is clear — a few key figures highlighted in the report show the scale of the opportunity:
- 2.8m people currently out of work due to long-term illness 2
- £283m gross value add (GVA) already attributed to the UK economy through current access routes since 20181
- £4.5bn potential boost to the UK economy over the first five years through expanded NHS access1
- £13.3bn over 10 years1
- 28% fewer hospital admissions for eligible patients each year1
To read the full report, head to: Back to Work: Why Expanding NHS Access Matters for Patients and the Economy | Curaleaf Clinic