Weight Management Advice

The Couch to 5K app has been designed to get you off the couch and running in just 9 weeks. Grab your trainers, download the app and follow the step-by-step instructions.

Download from: play.google.com

Download from: itunes.apple.com

The free Easy Meals app is a great way to eat foods that are healthier for you. You’ll find delicious, easy meal ideas to help get you going if you’re ever short of inspiration.

Download from: play.google.com

Download from: itunes.apple.com

Meetings, Online or a little bit of both. We’ve got options and support, whatever your lifestyle.

Website: www.weightwatchers.com

You’ll find delicious recipe and menu ideas at your local group, along with all the help you need to get started and reach your target weight.

Website: www.slimmingworld.co.uk

Injectable weight loss management options and their prescribing in Primary Care (eg Liraglutide (Saxenda), Semaglutide (Wegovy) and Tirzepatide (Mounjaro)

Injectable weight loss Liraglutide (Saxenda®), semaglutide (Wegovy®) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) are medications to help people living with obesity to lose weight, alongside a healthy diet and physical activity. Liraglutide is given as a daily injection, whilst semaglutide and tirzepatide are weekly injections. Liraglutide and semaglutide are used for up to 2 years. Tirzepatide may be used for longer. However, it is common to re-gain weight quickly after stopping these medications.  They can be delivered using a pen device normally used by the patient themselves.

How is Mounjaro Taken?

• Mounjaro is given as a once-weekly injection using a pen-like device.
• You usually start on a low dose (2.5 mg) and gradually increase to a higher dose over several months, depending on how your body responds.

⚠️ Are There Any Side Effects?

Like all medicines, Mounjaro can cause side effects. The most common are:

• Nausea (feeling sick)
• Diarrhoea or constipation
• Loss of appetite
• Vomiting

These are usually mild and improve over time.

👉 Important for women using the pill: Mounjaro may reduce how well the contraceptive pill works. You’ll need to use extra protection (like condoms) for 4 weeks after starting or increasing your dose.

Currently Staffordshire and Stoke-on-Trent ICB have strict prescribing criteria for injectable weight loss drugs and therefore their instruction is:

Injectable weight loss drugs are not permitted to be prescribed in Primary Care and cannot be taken over if started privately

Planned NHS Prescribing of Mounjaro

From Summer 2025, Mounjaro may become available through some GP practices, but only for patients taking part in an NHS-supported programme. (We have not had any information from NHS England about this yet) 

Mounjaro will first be offered through specialist NHS weight management services tier 3 (SWMS) starting in Spring 2025 (to access this tier, you will need to have completed tier 1+2 weight loss services courses)

• You may be considered for treatment with Mounjaro in the future if you:
• Are aged 18 or over, and
• Have a BMI of 35 or higher (or 32.5 or higher if you’re from a higher-risk ethnic group such as South Asian, Black African, or Caribbean), and
• Have at least one weight-related health condition such as:
• Type 2 diabetes
• High blood pressure
• High cholesterol
• Sleep apnoea
• Are willing to take part in a weight management programme, which includes:
• Healthy eating support
• Physical activity
• Ongoing lifestyle advice
• ⚠️ Please note: This treatment is not a quick fix and must be used alongside lifestyle changes.

Private Prescribing

There are many private medical and pharmacy companies who will assess patients and prescribe to those who want to receive the treatment by funding it themselves.

In line with Good Medical Practice guidance, it is the responsibility of the prescriber to make an assessment of the patient and judge their suitability to receive the prescription.

Therefore, If you access weight management support through a private provider, the provider may requested that we (your GP practice) provide medical information for them to help them make safe decisions regarding your care.

The information can safely be given to the provider via the NHS app yourself. If you are unable to do this then we can supply the same information in a computer generated summary for you to forward, although we will make it clear that this does not mean we have made an assessment as to the suitability or safety of the private provider commencing a specific treatment.

The responsibility for prescribing your weight loss treatment sits with the company you have chosen.