Obesity: Health Services
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what steps he is taking to help ensure that Integrated Care Systems provide a range of weight management services.
Answered by Ashley Dalton
Local authorities and Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) are responsible for providing local weight management services, taking into account their population needs and relevant guidance. Weight management services range from behavioural programmes to specialist services for those living with obesity and associated co-morbidities.
Local authorities are able to fund behavioural weight management services from their Public Health Grant. Additionally, NHS England commissions the NHS Digital Weight Management Programme nationally, which can be accessed via referral from general practice or community pharmacy.
ICBs are responsible for commissioning NHS specialist weight management services. Until recently the newest obesity medicines have only been available via the NHS through specialist weight management services. One of these medicines, tirzepatide (brand name Mounjaro®), is now available in primary care, with access currently being prioritised to those with the greatest clinical need. ICBs are developing new care pathways to ensure that patients can access these medicines via general practice.
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