Weight Management MEDICATIONS

Weight Loss Medications - Key Messages 

• Weight loss medications are only available on the NHS for people who meet specific criteria.
• Access to treatments is being introduced in stages.
• Having a high BMI alone does not automatically mean you will be eligible for treatment. Eligibility depends on a range of factors, including other health conditions and the relevant NHS criteria
• Weight loss medications should be used alongside lifestyle and behavioural support.
• Not everyone who is interested in treatment will currently be eligible.
• Patients do not need to contact their GP specifically about future eligibility groups or developing pathways. Updates will be published on this webpage. 

Weight loss medications are only available on the NHS for a limited number of people who meet specific clinical criteria. Weight loss medications are not a cure for obesity. They are one part of a broader treatment approach and work best when combined with healthy eating, physical activity and behavioural support. Individual results vary and not everyone will lose the same amount of weight.

Like all medicines, weight loss medications can cause side effects. Common side effects include nausea, vomiting, diarrhoea and constipation. A healthcare professional will discuss the potential benefits and risks before treatment is started.

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Mounjaro (tirzepatide)

Mounjaro (also called tirzepatide) is a weight loss medicine that makes you feel fuller for longer and therefore less hungry. It comes in the form of an injection which you inject yourself, once a week.

Mounjaro is also used in the management of Type 2 diabetes as it can help to improve blood sugar levels.

Dr Ramadani, a GP at St Wulfstan Surgery in Southam, Warwickshire, explains how the weight loss medicine works:

Who is eligible for Mounjaro?

The NHS is rolling out Mounjaro in stages. Under current guidance, eligible patients include those who meet the following criteria:

• A BMI of 35 or higher (adjusted for ethnicity*), and

Four or more of the following defined weight-related health conditions:

• Type 2 diabetes
• High blood pressure
• Heart disease
• Obstructive sleep apnoea
• Abnormal blood fats (dyslipidaemia)

* Due to an increased risk of health conditions at lower BMI thresholds in these populations, the BMI applied to assess eligibility for Mounjaro will be adjusted by 2.5 kg/m2 in people from South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean ethnic backgrounds to ensure equitable clinical prioritisation and access to appropriate treatment.
 

What should I do if I am eligible?

We ask for your patience as we continue to work with local GP practices on the best way to ensure we have appropriate access for patients who are eligible. 

Please do not contact your GP practice to ask for Mounjaro for weight loss at this time. GP practices are very busy and handling extra enquiries will take up time that could be used for patient appointments. Eligible patients will be contacted directly by their GP practice when access to the medication becomes available.

If you have not been contacted and think you meet the eligibility criteria above, including four or more of the listed health conditions then please discuss this with your GP or healthcare professional at your next appointment. 

Meeting these criteria does not guarantee that Mounjaro is suitable for you. Your GP or healthcare professional will assess your individual circumstances and discuss the most appropriate treatment options.

What if I am eligible but my GP tells me they are not able to prescribe Mounjaro? 

GP practices are responsible for delivering the national programme locally as part of nationally commissioned GP services.

The ICB understands that the Quality and Outcomes Framework (QOF) is a voluntary scheme. This means GP practices can decide which sections of the scheme they take part in and which targets they focus on. Regardless of their participation in QOF, all GP practices must continue to provide appropriate care and support in line with their NHS contractual responsibilities. Decisions about whether to actively deliver QOF Obesity Indicator 005 are made by each individual GP practice based on their professional judgement.

There is currently no separate ICB-commissioned NHS prescribing service that provides an alternative route to access Mounjaro where a practice is not participating in the programme.

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Alternative weight management medicines 

There are other weight management medications available, including Wegovy (semaglutide) and Foundayo (orforglipron). These medicines are not currently available through routine NHS GP prescribing pathways in Coventry and Warwickshire. To find out more about each medication and how it may be accessed, please select the relevant tile below.