📰 Tirzepatide (Mounjaro)

Posted by: jezmccole - Posted on:

Weight Management – Update for Patients in South Yorkshire

NICE has recently approved the medication tirzepatide (Mounjaro) for use in the NHS as part of a treatment approach for managing obesity in adults with a high BMI and certain related health conditions. However, access through GP practices is being phased in slowly over a 12-year period, starting from June 2025.

📌 Important Information for Patients:

  • Tirzepatide is not yet available via GP prescription in South Yorkshire. It is currently only available in specialist weight management services, and even there, availability is limited.
  • Only a small group of patients meet the NHS eligibility criteria in the first rollout phase. These include individuals with a BMI of 40 or above and four weight-related conditions, such as type 2 diabetes or sleep apnoea.
  • NHS England is currently working on setting up support services, including diet, nutrition and physical activity programmes, which are essential for anyone prescribed tirzepatide.

🔎 What This Means for You:

  • If you are interested in weight management support, please speak to one of our clinicians. There are alternative free or low-cost services available now, including referrals to local lifestyle and weight support programmes.
  • We understand that patients may be seeing news coverage about this new medication and may have questions. While we cannot yet prescribe tirzepatide in primary care, we can offer advice, support, and signposting to appropriate services.

🗂️ More Information:

The NHS has published a patient-friendly FAQ:

👉 South Yorkshire ICB – FAQs on Tirzepatide

If you are already using tirzepatide via a private provider, please let us know so we can add it to your medical record for safety and monitoring purposes.

We will update this page as the situation changes. Thank you for your understanding.