Obesity
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, whether he has had discussions with the Chancellor of the Exchequer and the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions on establishing a cross Government obesity strategy that treats modern obesity treatment, including GLP-1 medications and digital wraparound support, as an investment with ring fenced, long-term funding; and if he will publish any modelling his Department holds on the potential savings to the NHS and welfare budgets from such an approach.
Answered by Mrs Sharon Hodgson
The 10-Year Health Plan for England, published in July 2025, set out the decisive action the Government is taking to tackle the obesity crisis and ease the strain on the National Health Service. This included a commitment to expand access to GLP-1 medicines.
The NHS is one of the first health systems globally to provide population level access to GLP-1 weight loss medicines through a publicly funded service. Rollout of access through primary care is being phased in, with an initial focus on prioritising those with the highest clinical need, while ensuring services can expand safely and sustainably. From 2026/27 new general practice incentives will support more consistent identification and treatment of patients with obesity in primary care.
Every NHS patient prescribed tirzepatide for obesity in primary care should also be offered structured wraparound behavioural support. NHS England has centrally commissioned wraparound behavioural support for eligible patients, which it is currently re procuring for a further multi-year period.
There are currently no plans to publish modelling on potential savings to the NHS and welfare budgets.
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