Patients left in tears as NHS GPs fail to prescribe obesity jabs
The vast majority of GPs in England are not prescribing weight-loss injections on the NHS despite the medication being approved for use, ITV News has found.
Since June, general practitioners in England have been allowed to prescribe Mounjaro to severely obese people who have related health problems.
At the time, the Health Secretary Wes Streeting described it as an "important step", bringing "revolutionary modern treatments to everyone who needs them, not just those who can afford to pay".
But exclusive research conducted by ITV News has found that only four local NHS health systems in England are making the medication available to patients through GPs.
Suzanne Hall from Southport feels let down by the NHS over the delayed roll-out of the drugs.
The mum-of-two is on the NHS waiting list for bariatric surgery, but would prefer to try weight-loss injections first.
She has managed to lose five stone in six months, through diet and exercise, but still weighs 20 stone, and her obesity is affecting her physical and mental health.
The 45-year-old has multiple health problems linked to her weight, including sleep apnoea, high blood pressure and pre-diabetes. It also worsens her ulcerative colitis.
When she asked her GP if she could try the jabs, she was told they still aren't available in her area.
"I'm just frustrated," Suzanne told ITV News. "I just need a little bit of help, but for some reason, people like me aren't getting the help and support they need."
She wishes she could buy the medication privately, but cannot afford it.
"I'm working class. We're talking hundreds of pounds. I don't have hundreds of pounds at the end of the month to go and buy Mounjaro injections."
In December 2024, Mounjaro was approved for the treatment of obesity on the NHS in England. The drug was initially only available through specialist weight-loss clinics.
From June 23 2025, GPs in England were allowed to start prescribing Mounjaro to people with a body mass index (BMI) of over 40 and health conditions linked to their obesity, such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease or obstructive sleep apnoea.
But our investigation exposes a postcode lottery.
ITV News obtained information from 33 of the 42 Integrated Care Boards across England.
In 29 of the local health systems, patients still can't access Mounjaro through their GP.
Only four areas are currently prescribing the weight-loss jabs in NHS primary care settings.
They are NHS Suffolk and North East Essex, NHS South West London, NHS West Yorkshire and NHS Sussex.
Around 29% of adults in the UK are obese.
It's estimated that weight-loss injections are used by 1.5 million people in the UK, mainly through private prescriptions.
The government's recently announced 10-Year Plan for the NHS promises to "launch a moonshot to end the obesity epidemic".
It includes a pledge to "harness recent breakthroughs in weight-loss medication and expand access through the NHS".
At the Clifton Medical Centre in Rotherham, South Yorkshire, more than 200 patients have asked for the weight-loss injections, but they cannot currently access them on the NHS.
"I've had patients in tears in front of me," Dr Matthew Capehorn told ITV News.
Around 70% of adults in Rotherham are obese or overweight, but GPs in the town can't yet prescribe Mounjaro because local health bosses say the necessary support services for diet and exercise still haven't been set up.
"We've got a medication that's approved by the NHS that can help them - and I'm having to say to them yes, it is available, but I can't prescribe it yet," Dr Capehorn, a GP and obesity expert, said.
"I don't want to be an NHS doctor saying 'sorry, but you're going to have to go out and self-fund this medication,' because it's not cheap. I want to do what's best for my patients."
An NHS spokesperson said: "Weight-loss drugs have a vital role to play in helping many more people manage their weight and lead healthier lives, and the NHS is developing and rolling out a range of lifestyle support that will be available locally and online to ensure they can be prescribed by GPs as part of holistic care.
"The NHS is fully supporting the phased rollout of tirzepatide for eligible patients, having issued guidance and provided funding to local ICBs in March.
"These represent brand new services in primary care that are being established and scaled up over time, starting with those who are in the most need – and in the meantime, eligible patients can get weight-loss support from a range of other services including the NHS Digital Weight Management programme."
A Department of Health and Social Care spokesperson said: "We expect NHS Integrated Care Boards to be making these drugs, which can help tackle the obesity crisis in the UK, available as part of the phased rollout so those with the highest needs are able to access them."
"As we shift our focus from treatment to prevention with our 10 Year Health Plan we are determined to bring revolutionary modern treatments to everyone who needs them, not just those who can afford to pay."
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