Obesity: Drugs
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, which professional groups are currently included in NHS clinical pathways for patients prescribed weight loss medications; and what guidance his Department has issued on clinical oversight for those pathways.
Answered by Mrs Sharon Hodgson
Weight loss medicines are available through National Health Service specialist weight management services and, from June 2025 tirzepatide, brand name Mounjaro, is being made available in primary care through a phased approach.
In specialist services, patients receive wraparound care from a multidisciplinary team providing nutritional, psychological, and medical support, tailored to individual need. In primary care, clinical oversight is provided by general practitioners and other prescribing healthcare professionals, with behavioural support delivered through locally commissioned services or via the national Healthier You: NHS Behavioural Support for Obesity Prescribing service.
NHS England does not routinely hold information on the specific professional groups included in local clinical pathways. National guidance to support prescribing and clinical oversight includes:
- the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) Technology Appraisal 1026 Tirzepatide for managing overweight and obesity;
- NICE’s Practical guide to using medicines to manage overweight and obesity; and
- NHS England’s interim commissioning guidance.
Integrated care boards are responsible for ensuring robust clinical governance of these pathways.
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