ICB Update for General Practice on weight loss drugs
The ICB recognises that current service capacity of weight management services is inadequate and we are prioritising the expansion of Tier 3 Specialist Weight Management Services in local NHS providers.
This has been identified as a clinical priority and is referenced in the Clinical Conditions Strategic Plan. These services are developing clinical models that include consultant physicians, surgeons, dietitians, clinical psychologists, physiotherapists, healthcare wellbeing coaches and lifestyle support workers.
We are working with all acute FT providers to ensure they are able to prescribe suitable pharmacological therapies where it is appropriate for patients. Currently this is only Semaglutide (Wegovy) and Liraglutide (Saxenda).
Quoted by the BBC, NICE chief medical officer Professor Jonathan Benger says NICE will recommend that Mounjaro should be made available to people with a body mass index (BMI) of more than 35 and at least one obesity-related health problem from March 2025, alongside advice on diet and exercise. He acknowledged that it could be a long time before it is more widely available, due to the need to protect NHS services.
We understand that practices are extremely busy and we are doing our best to manage public demand. It's likely that you will receive a high volume of queries from your patients about access to these medicines, and we would encourage you to highlight the statement available on the ICB website.
Published on 13 January 2025