Update on Weight Management Medications – Tirzepatide (Mounjaro)
You may have seen recent news about tirzepatide, a new medication for weight management. At the moment, this treatment is not available through your GP or for general prescribing in primary care.
The local NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB) has decided that only a very small number of people who are at the highest risk from obesity will be considered for tirzepatide at this time.
To be considered for this treatment, patients must:
- Have a BMI of 40 or more
(or 37.5 or more for people from certain ethnic backgrounds – including South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean),
AND - Have at least 4 of the following health conditions:
- Type 2 diabetes
- High blood pressure requiring medication
- Cardiovascular disease (e.g. previous heart attack, stroke)
- Obstructive sleep apnoea requiring CPAP treatment
- Cholesterol problems needing treatment
These patients can now be referred to the specialist Healthy You Tier 3 Weight Management Service for assessment. If you think you might meet the above criteria, please speak to one of our clinicians during your next review or appointment.
Please note:
GPs have been instructed not to prescribe tirzepatide or similar GLP-1 medications for weight loss outside of this tightly controlled group. We understand this may be frustrating, but this is part of a national approach to ensure fair and safe access.
Further information is available on the local NHS website:
https://www.cpics.org.uk/weight-management-services
We’ll keep our patients updated as more guidance becomes available. Thank you for your understanding