Weight Management Medication

Weight-management services update – Mounjaro

We are receiving a significant number of enquiries about the availability of the Mounjaro weight-loss drug which has been approved by NHS England for eligible patients. NHS England has set the criteria for eligibility for the drug; this is a national policy which all NHS prescribers, such as GPs and pharmacists, are required to abide by. The criteria for weight management cannot be changed by prescribers.

Although NHS England has approved the drug, all GPs are waiting for information about how the drug will be provided to eligible patients, when, and for how long. We are also awaiting guidance about how the drug should be used by patients along with other services to support weight management, such as diet and exercise.

Current guidance is that anyone with a BMI of 40 or higher, and with four or more of the qualifying comorbidities (hypertension, dyslipidaemia, obstructive sleep apnoea, cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes) will be eligible for assessment to identify their suitability for Mounjaro. Anyone not meeting these criteria will not be eligible for assessment in the first year of the drug being available.

If you are looking for support to help you manage your weight you can find useful information and resources on the ICS website at Local Weight Management services – Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, ICS.

Weight Management reminders

We are aware that GPs are also still receiving enquiries about the availability of Oviva (Wegovy) in Staffordshire ad Stoke-on-Trent; the statement about that is below.

SSOT ICB does not commission a tier 3 weight management service from Oviva in Staffordshire and Stoke on Trent.  In line with NICE and NHSE guidance, weight management injections will be made available to eligible patients through a locally commissioned service from the end of June 2025.

Weight Management Services and Pregnancy / Contraception

Women taking medicines for weight loss and diabetes should continue to use effective contraception while taking these medicines, and in some cases for up to two months between stopping the medicine and trying to become pregnant. 

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency has warned that prescribed medication, such as Mounjaro, must not be taken during pregnancy, while trying to get pregnant or during breastfeeding. Anyone who gets pregnant while using them should speak to their healthcare professional and stop the medicine as soon as possible. This is because there is not enough safety data to know whether taking the medicine could cause harm to the baby. 

Effective contraception includes oral (the pill) and non-oral (the implant, coil or condoms) forms of contraception.  

Mounjaro may reduce the effectiveness of oral contraceptives in those who are overweight. Those taking Mounjaro who are overweight and are using an oral form of contraceptive are advised to also use a non-oral form of contraception. This only applies to those taking Mounjaro, and is especially important for the four weeks after starting Mounjaro and after any dose increase. 

The full advice can be found on the regulator’s website. It comes after concerns from the UK regulator that some people are not using these medicines for weight loss and diabetes safely.