Obesity: Drugs
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, what assessment he has made of variations between integrated care boards in access to weight-loss injections such as tirzepatide for weight management; whether the funding provided to integrated care boards is sufficient to offer treatment to all patients meeting the current nationally prioritised eligibility criteria; and what steps he is taking to ensure equitable access to that treatment in Hampshire and the Isle of Wight and across England.
Answered by Department of Health and Social Care
In December 2024, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) recommended tirzepatide, also known as Mounjaro, for managing obesity.
In anticipation of the expected demand and the need to deliver treatment safely in primary care, NICE agreed a phased implementation approach, which meant access being prioritised first for people with the greatest clinical need. NHS England subsequently supported all integrated care boards to put in place access routes for the nationally prioritised groups, through which approximately 220,000 eligible patients across England are expected to gain access to tirzepatide to by the end of 2027/28.
NHS England has provided over £85 million in 2026/27 to support the obesity pharmacotherapy programme. This covers both the medicines and the clinical support needed to provide treatment safely and effectively. NHS England is also committed to further investment in 2027/28 to support the phased rollout. In Hampshire and the Isle of Wight, all general practices can prescribe tirzepatide to eligible patients in line with NHS England’s interim commissioning guidance. NHS England continues to work with integrated care boards to support consistent and equitable access across England.
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