Supporting Patients
At Sapphire Medical Foundation we aim to support patients with fairness and compassion. We provide grants which provide financial support to cover the costs of a prescription for medical cannabis for one year of therapy.
We recognise that the financial costs of cannabis based medicines restrict access to potentially life-changing medications. For those patients in most need this can mean making difficult decisions between their health and other financial and social responsibilities.
In addition to the financial support provided we work with grant recipients to help reduce the reliance on charitable support to continue a prescription for a cannabis-based medicinal product. This benefits grant recipients directly and increases the number of people we can help.
Applying For Help
In order to protect patients, those shortlisted for a grant will undergo a free clinical assessment that is made in accordance with NHS England and General Medical Council guidelines with our partner to ensure that we support the correct therapy. At the end of one year patients will be asked to reapply and their case will be reconsidered with all other applications at the time of re-application. We welcome applications for grants from all patients using our grant application form, available on 20th January 2020.
Grant Making Principles
The foundation exists to relieve hardship and distress caused by sickness, infirmity, disability or any medical condition that may be alleviated by cannabis-based medicinal products by providing financial assistance for the costs of medications. To ensure that the grants are appropriately awarded to the patients for whom it would be most beneficial all applications are means-tested.
To make a decision, evidence is needed of all income, savings and capital, and all outstanding liabilities for all members of the household. This information is used to get a picture of your full circumstances and therefore your needs. Without it we cannot understand the full picture and so won’t be able to make a decision on what help we can provide.
Our grant-making principles can be seen in full here.
Apply For Help
We rely on the generous donations and fundraising of our supporters to enable us to provide financial assistance to those with greatest need.