Severely ill children are being denied safe medicine because of guidance that led to a top paediatrician being investigated for prescribing medical cannabis.

Medical cannabis was made legal almost three years ago but is difficult to access on the NHS. It is prescribed privately but doctors have said that strict guidance by the organisation that represents child neurologists means potential recipients are missing out.

Nathan Hasson, a consultant paediatrician with more than 40 years’ experience, was reported to the General Medical Council (GMC) by colleagues last year for treating children who have epilepsy with whole plant cannabis oil.

The complaints were backed by the British Paediatric Neurology Association. The president of the BPNA claimed that Hasson was putting his young patients in danger