Weight loss management and support (including injections)

Weight loss injections

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommends some medications – tirzepatide (Mounjaro®), liraglutide (Saxenda®) or semaglutide (Wegovy®) – to help certain patients manage their obesity.  These weight loss medications work by making you feel fuller for longer and therefore less hungry. They come in the form of an injection which you give yourself. Your doctor or nurse will show you how to do this.

To get weight loss injections on the NHS, eligible patients will also have to take part in a programme of diet and nutrition support and increased physical activity. You will have regular guidance and check-ins to support healthy weight loss.

Access to tirzepatide (Mounjaro®)

Patients who have highest risk of ill health, or who are experiencing the most severe ill health due to living with obesity can now be prescribed tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) through their GP practice.

Access is restricted to people with the highest health risks and who meet the medical eligibility criteria.

Eligbility

NHS tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) injections are currently only available for people with a BMI of 40 or above (or 37.5 for people from South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean ethnic backgrounds) and with four of the following diagnosed health conditions:

• Type 2 diabetes
• High blood pressure that requires treatment with medication
• Heart diseases
• Obstructive sleep apnoea
• Abnormal blood fats such as high cholesterol or triglycerides

Access to Liraglutide (Saxenda®) or Semaglutide (Wegovy®)

In line with national NICE guidance liraglutide (Saxenda®) or semaglutide (Wegovy®) can only be used within specialist weight management services. You cannot get them through your GP practice.

How to get weight loss injections or other support through the NHS

If you would like to access support to help manage your weight, please speak to your GP practice in first instance.

Your GP or other healthcare professional will be able to discuss your needs with you and explain different options depending on your medical circumstances. 

If appropriate, they may discuss the benefits and limitations of using weight loss medications as part of your weight-loss journey.

If you meet the eligibility criteria for tirzepatide (Mounjaro^®) your GP can refer you into a local service that can prescribe this and can support you to take it.

Note: GPs or healthcare professionals cannot prescribe tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) directly. Patients will only be able to access it through the local service.

What happens if you are referred into a local service for tirzepatide

• A healthcare professional from the local service will check your medical history and will discuss the risks, benefits, and your expectations of treatment before making a final decision with you whether a weight loss injection is right for you.
• If you get the tirzepatide injection, you will need to take part in a nine-month healthy lifestyle programme. It will help you make lasting changes to your diet, physical activity, sleep and wellbeing, including regular guidance and check-ins to support healthy weight loss. You will need to stay on the programme to continue to have NHS weight loss injections.
• You will be reviewed regularly to check your progress and whether the injections should continue. 

Questions about weight loss injections

Can my GP prescribe tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) for weight loss that has been started privately?

If you are currently taking tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) through a private prescription, your GP or healthcare professional may assess your suitability for NHS treatment. They may refer you into the local serviceif you meet all eligibility criteria for the NHS programme. You must also be willing to take part in the nine-month behavioural support programme that forms part of the NHS service.

Weight loss support and diabetes

Whatever your BMI, if you are at risk of type 2 diabetes, you can access the Healthier You NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme. This provides nine months of face-to-face group support, or online one-to-one support to make healthy lifestyle changes which will reduce your risk of type 2 diabetes and help you lose weight if you need to.

The NHS Type 2 Diabetes Path to Remission Programme is available if you are aged 18 to 65, have a diagnosis of type 2 diabetes within the last six years and have a BMI over 27 (if you are from a white ethnic group) or a BMI over 25 (if you are from Black, Asian and other ethnic groups).

NHS Digital Weight Management Programme is available for those with diabetes, high blood pressure or both, with a BMI greater than 30. The BMI threshold is lowered to 27.5 for those from South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean ethnic backgrounds. NHS staff do not need high blood pressure or type 2 diabetes to access the programme.

Specialist weight management services

These community services provide tailored support from a team of specialists, including:

• dietitians
• physical activity specialists
• psychologists.

Eligibility for these services, the support offered and how you access them are different according to where you live.

If you live in Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes

Local council public health teams in Bedfordshire and Milton Keynes provide free weight loss support through the ‘Choose You’ service. You can refer yourself into the service at any time. The Adult Healthy Weight Service is a free 12-week programme that provides support for people with a high BMI (30 or more) who looking to achieve a healthy weight.

Note: this service does not prescribe weight loss medication.

If you live in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough

The Healthy You service provides tailored weight management support you to achieve a healthier weight and improve your overall well-being. A community intensive weight management service is available for people with a high BMI (30 or more) who need extra medical care to support their weight and health following a referral by a GP or other health care professional.

If you live in Hertfordshire

In Hertfordshire, an adult weight management service, My Healthy Weight, is provided by TBC Healthcare for people aged 18 and over who are registered with a Hertfordshire GP and who have a high BMI. You can be referred into a service by a GP or healthcare professional, or you can self-refer after going through an online eligibility check.