The Government has confirmed that GP practices in England will receive financial incentives to prescribe weight loss jabs such as Mounjaro and Wegovy, as part of a £25 million NHS funding package.
The move, announced this week by the Department of Health and Social Care (DHSC), aims to widen access after it emerged that some surgeries are not yet offering the injections, despite the national rollout beginning last summer.
Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the new GP contract changes are designed to ensure access is “based on need, not ability to pay”, amid concerns that wealthier patients are turning to private clinics.
The announcement matters because obesity costs the NHS and the wider UK economy an estimated £11 billion each year. Yet access to these NHS-funded injections remains tightly restricted and uneven across the country.
Why Is the NHS Offering Financial Incentives for Weight Loss Jabs?
The Government says not all GP practices currently prescribe weight loss jabs, despite national approval and funding. The new incentive scheme aims to:
- Encourage GPs to prescribe to eligible patients
- Improve referrals to NHS weight management services
- Standardise access across England
- Reduce private market reliance
The NHS began its phased rollout of weight loss injections in summer 2025, targeting people with severe obesity and additional health conditions such as type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, or heart disease.
However, uptake has been slower than expected.
According to DHSC figures:
- Around 220,000 patients have been prioritised in the first three years
- Over 3 million people could eventually qualify
- An estimated 2.4 million people in the UK already use weight-loss drugs, mostly via private prescriptions
If 70% of eligible patients started treatment in year one, NHS England previously warned that it could absorb up to 18% of GP appointments, placing “profound” pressure on primary care.
What Did Wes Streeting Say About Fair Access?
Speaking about the expansion of weight loss jabs, Wes Streeting said: “Weight-loss drugs can be a real game changer for those who need them. I’m determined that access should be based on need, not ability to pay.”
He also warned about the risks of the private market: “We’ve seen those who can spare the cash buying privately, and the proliferation of rogue prescribers peddling dangerous unlicensed drugs that are putting patients at risk.”
The Government argues the new GP incentives reflect NHS fairness principles and form part of a broader public health strategy.
How Will the NHS Rollout of Mounjaro and Wegovy Work?
The key drugs include:
Both are once-weekly injections that help regulate appetite and blood sugar levels.
Under current NHS rules, patients must:
- Have severe obesity (BMI thresholds apply)
- Have at least one obesity-related condition
- Engage with lifestyle and behavioural support
The rollout could take up to 12 years, according to NHS planning documents.
Are GPs Concerned About the Extra Workload?
The Royal College of General Practitioners has raised caution about widening access too quickly.
Professor Victoria Tzortziou Brown, Chair of the RCGP, said: “GPs are prescribing within national parameters. Decisions about eligibility, rollout, and resourcing are not made by practices.”
She added: “Widening the rollout could increase workload in a way that may not be sustainable, and risk raising unrealistic expectations among patients.”
GP leaders have repeatedly warned that general practice already faces staff shortages and rising demand.
Should Pharmacies Be Involved in Delivering Weight Loss Jabs?
Henry Gregg, chief executive of the National Pharmacy Association, argued that community pharmacies could ease pressure on GPs.
He said: “The NHS rollout remains very slow and only a handful of patients are being treated. In some parts of the country, it has hardly begun at all.”
He suggested pharmacies, around 6,000 independent sites nationwide, could provide wraparound care and lifestyle advice alongside prescriptions.
Who Is Currently Accessing Weight Loss Jabs in the UK?
Recent research suggests that:
- Women dominate private prescriptions
- Middle-class patients are more likely to access treatment privately
- NHS access remains geographically uneven
This has intensified debate around health inequality.
Outside the NHS, private prescriptions for Mounjaro and Wegovy can cost several hundred pounds per month, placing them out of reach for many households.
