Mounjaro Weight-Loss Injections
On 5 December 2024 the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published draft guidance in relation to Tirzepatide (Mounjaro™) which is a new drug for obesity management.
This news has created a lot of interest, and we’ve been getting many questions about it.
What is Mounjaro?
Mounjaro is a new injection designed to help with weight loss. It works by making you feel full, so you eat less. In trials, people using Mounjaro lost up to 20% of their body weight.
The NHS plans to make this injection available for people who:
Have a Body Mass Index (BMI) over 35.
Have at least one obesity-related health problem, like Type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease.
However, at first, Mounjaro will only be available to patients in specialist weight-management services. The wider rollout, which may include GP practices, is expected to start later in the year.
When will it be available?
Introducing this new treatment to NICE’s estimated 3.4 million eligible patients requires the NHS in England to develop a completely new service, and many healthcare professionals will need to be trained to deliver it. A staged approach to introducing this treatment will help manage demand on existing healthcare services. This is necessary to ensure Tirzepatide can be prescribed safely and the appropriate support for patients is available.
The injection will be offered to those with the highest medical need. Over the next three years, about 220,000 people are expected to benefit from it.
Newcastle North PCN is now offering a weight loss injection (mainly Tirzepatide/Mounjaro®) for patients with the greatest clinical need, such as those with a BMI of 40 or above and several health conditions. If you are eligible, the PCN team will contact you directly. Please do not call the surgery to check your eligibility – we’ll reach out if you qualify.
Eating well while taking Mounjaro
For patients who have been contacted to start Mounjaro or are buying privately, this leaflet offers advice about how to eat well to support healthy, sustainable weight loss and manage diet related side effects.
Click here 👉 view/download leaflet.
What we offer right now
We know how important weight management is for your health. While Mounjaro is not yet available through our surgery, we can connect you with NHS programmes that focus on healthy weight management.
- Everyone health Staffordshire
This service offers weekly sessions that include 45 minutes of exercise and 45 minutes of nutritional advice, where you can learn more about eating healthily.
Staffordshire residents (excluding Stoke on Trent) aged 18 or over and who have:
- a BMI of 27.5+ with a long-term medical condition or people with Black African, African-Caribbean and Asian family background OR
- a BMI of 30+ without a long-term medical condition
are eligible for this service. You can find further information and contacts on their webpage below.
Weight Management – Everyone Health Staffordshire
- NHS Digital weight management programme
The NHS Digital Weight Management Programme could help you if you are living with obesity and also have diabetes, high blood pressure, or both. If this is you, you could benefit from this 12-week programme. It’s free and easily available via a smartphone, tablet, or computer.
How to start the programme
To start your journey to a healthier lifestyle, you need to speak to your GP practice or a local pharmacist who can refer you to the programme.
You can find further information about this on the following webpage
NHS England » How to access the programme
- Other sources of information
NHS resources: https://www.nhs.uk/better-health/lose-weight/ this link contains self-help information including recipes, exercise videos etc.
You may also find these videos helpful: https://patientwebinars.co.uk/condition/weight-management/
If you are looking for support to help you manage your weight you can find useful information and resources on the ICS website at Local Weight Management services – Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent, ICS.
