ASK THE DOCTOR

Doctor Dawn Harper answers all your questions

- DAWN HARPER

CAN I GET CBD ON THE NHS?

Q For the past few months, I’ve been using CBD oil from my local health food store to manage my anxiety and feel it is really helping. A friend told me I could get this on prescription on the NHS, but that I would need to see a specialist. Is this something my GP could arrange for me?

A CBD and medicinal cannabis are not the same thing. Medicinal cannabis is available on the NHS, but only for specific conditions. These include nausea in patients receiving chemotherapy, intractable epilepsy and muscle spasm in patients with multiple sclerosis. Medicinal cannabis can only be started by a specialist, but it is not licensed for treating anxiety.

HAS HE GOT FLAT FEET?

Q As a young woman I had plenty of operations on my feet as I was born with a club foot. My grandson is five and I notice he has very flat feet. His GP isn’t worried, but given my experience, I am mindful that I want to do everything I can to avoid surgery for him. Should he at least see a physio?

A If you have flat feet, then when you stand, the whole of the foot will be flat on the ground with no arch. This is actually very common in young children. The arch usually forms by about age six, which is why your grandson’s GP isn’t concerned. Flat feet rarely cause long-term problems. However, if this persists, it may be worth seeing a podiatrist, who may recommend using insoles to support his feet and advise on foot exercises.