Mounjaro (Tirzepatide) access in Buckinghamshire
Non-urgent advice: Weight Loss Management
Current Status of Weight Managment Service: Service still in development (updated June 2025)
The new weight management 'Tirzepatide' medication (brand name Mounjaro®) is shortly being made available to NHS patients to support weight loss.
We’re currently in the process of establishing new community-based weight management services, which are set to launch this summer. Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire & West Berkshire (BOB) Integrated Care Board (ICB) is working as quickly as possible to make these services available across Buckinghamshire. Please note timelines are out of the GPs control. This service may be run by the GP or by a third party service. BOB Integrated Care Board is still working on the specifics.
We’ll update this page and share information as soon as the new service is active, so please check back at regular intervals. Please don’t contact the GP before we confirm the new service is available.
Availability of the drug is being made available on a phased basis, with the first group of people eligible under the national criteria being people who:
- Have a Body Mass Index (BMI) of 40 kg/m2 or more (or 37.5 kg/m2 for people from minority ethnic family backgrounds) and
- Have at least four of the following long-term conditions:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Dyslipidaemia
- Established cardiovascular disease
- Obstructive sleep apnoea
For more information, please see the FAQs below.
1. What is changing in the management of obesity?
People in England over the age of 18 living with obesity and weight-related health issues will be able to access the weight loss drug Tirzepatide (Mounjaro®).
Tirzepatide is currently prescribed for the treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus but will now also be available for weight loss purposes.
2. Can I access Tirzepatide straight away through the NHS?
This is unlikely. We are following a nationally developed staged approach that will be used to help cope with the huge demand this will place on existing healthcare services. This allows the prescribing of Tirzepatide and the appropriate support for patients to be set up in a safe way. This staged approach is also being followed by all GPs around the country.
Tirzepatide will initially be offered to individuals facing the most significant health risks related to their weight.
At present, you CANNOT gain access to Tirzepatide (or other weight loss drugs) directly from your GP. In line with the rest of England, we are making access to Tirzepatide available in community/primary care settings this summer to those eligible under the NHS England Commissioning Guidance.
Please keep monitoring this website as we will update it when your local service is open to referrals. Your GP cannot refer you for access to Tirzepatide before this.
3. Who is eligible for access to Tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) for weight loss?
The National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE) published recommendations for Tirzepatide but recognised the need for a gradual approach to prioritise treatment for patients. So, NHS England developed qualifying criteria and patient groups who should be able to access Tirzepatide first.
To be able to access the drug in the first 3 years, patients must meet the criteria we have outlined below.
| Are you eligible for Tirzepatide through the NHS to support weight loss? | |
| Cohort 1 - will start from 23 June 2025 starting later this year. | At least 4 of the 5 health conditions listed below plus a BMI of at least 40*. |
| Cohort 2 – will start from 23 June 2026 |
In addition to the patients in Cohort 1, access to the drug will also be offered to patients meeting the following criteria for year 2.
At least 4 of the 5 health conditions listed below plus a BMI of 35 to 39.9*. |
| Cohort 3 – will start from 1st April 2027 |
In addition to patients in Cohorts 1 and 2, access to the drug will also be offered to patients meeting the following criteria for year 3.
At least 3 of the 5 health conditions plus a BMI of at least 40*. |
|
Eligible conditions in cohorts 1-3 (see above).
|
|
| *Due to an increased risk of health conditions at lower BMI thresholds in these populations, the BMI applied to assess eligibility for Tirzepatide must be adjusted by 2.5 kg/m2 in people from South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean ethnic backgrounds to ensure equitable clinical prioritisation and access to appropriate treatment. | |
4. I meet the eligibility criteria above; how can I be prescribed Tirzepatide for weight loss?
Please keep an eye on this website for when this service is live. We will proactively monitor for eligible patients and update this page to advise whether all eligible patients have been contacted. Please don’t contact your GP before this date, as they won’t be able to help yet.
If you don’t meet the new NHS rules, you won’t be able to get Tirzepatide through the NHS.
5. Can my GP, or the community weight management prescribing service, prescribe the other GLP1 weight loss drugs to me (Liraglutide – Saxenda or Semaglutide – Wegovy)?
NICE has not approved these drugs for prescribing in GP/Community Settings so they are not available in our community weight loss prescribing service.
6. What if I am already using Tirzepatide?
Patients can continue taking Tirzepatide if they are prescribed it by the NHS to manage their diabetes. If you have any questions, contact a suitable healthcare professional.
If patients are using Tirzepatide bought privately, they may be able to access the medication through an NHS prescription if they meet the NHS qualifying criteria outlined in section 3. However, patients should not gain advantage over other patients waiting for NHS care. You will also be expected to engage with the wrap-around support that is mandated alongside Tirzepatide for weight loss.
It is important that your GP is aware you are taking Tirzepatide even if it hasn’t been prescribed by the NHS. It may affect your health and interact with other treatments.
7. What is Wraparound Care?
Wraparound care is the name given to the support programme that must be provided alongside Tirzepatide (Mounjaro®). This includes:
- Advice on healthy eating and nutrition
- Support to increase physical activity
- Help with making long-term lifestyle changes
You must agree to take part in this support programme in order to be prescribed Tirzepatide for weight loss
Page created: 17 June 2025