Statement from South West London NHS

The NHS is gradually making new weight loss medications (such as tirzepatide, also known as Mounjaro) available to a small group of patients who meet strict national criteria.

Please do not contact your GP practice about this: if you are eligible, you will be contacted directly. 

Please also note that GP’s cannot prescribe this medication outside of national guidance and have no discretion to make exceptions.

Who is eligible?

At this stage, the medication is available only to patients who:

• Have a Body Mass Index (BMI)* over 40, and
• At least four weight-related health conditions (e.g. type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, sleep apnoea, or cardiovascular disease

Tirzepatide medications (also called Mounjaro or a GLP-1 analogue) support people to achieve a healthier weight. Roll-out of the new medications is happening in a phased way to ensure fair and safe access across South West London (SWL) and the rest of England.

This rollout is happening in phases to ensure fair and safe access across South West London and the rest of the country. Eligibility will be reviewed annually, and any updates will be published online

Other support available now:

There are a range of local weight management services across SWL, including:

• Local weight loss groups
• Healthy eating support
• Physical activity programmes.

Check out the NHS South West London Integrated Care Board website for details

Maintaining a healthy weight lowers your risk of serious illness, and we encourage everyone to access the support already available.