NHS England and NICE have approved the use of Tirzepatide, which you may also know as Mounjaro® or ‘the weight loss drug’, from primary care. You may well hear that Tirzepatide is available from primary care from 23rd June 2025.
However, in the first two years entry criteria have been set by NHS England to a very small number of people. This is to allow safe entry of this repurposed medicine into the health system.
We’d like to explain how Whaddon Healthcare will be offering this medication and who may be eligible, following national NHS guidelines.
Who can get Mounjaro?
To begin with, only people with the greatest clinical need will be able to access Mounjaro through the NHS. This is to make sure the rollout is safe and manageable, and to give healthcare teams time to build up knowledge and experience with the medication.
The NHS will take a phased approach over the next three years. During this time, a review will be carried out to consider who might benefit next.
What health conditions are considered?
To help prioritise those who need it most, the following weight-related conditions are being considered:
- Hypertension - Established diagnosis of hypertension and requiring blood pressure lowering therapy
- Dyslipidaemia - Treated with lipid lowering therapy, or with LDL ≥4.1mmol/L or HDL <1.0mmol/l for men or <1.3mmol/L for women or fasting (where possible) triglycerides ≥1.7mmol/L
- Obstructive Sleep Apnoea - Established diagnosis of OSA (sleep clinic confirmation via sleep study) and treatment indicated i.e.: meets criteria for continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) or equivalent.
- Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease (ASCVD) - Established atherosclerotic CVD (ischaemic heart disease, cerebrovascular disease, peripheral vascular disease, heart failure)
- Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus - Established Type 2 Diabetes
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Cohort
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Comorbidity requirement (from list above)
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BMI requirement
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Cohort 1 (Year 1)
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At least four of the five health conditions above
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Greater than or equal to 40
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Cohort 2 (Year 2)
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At least four of the five health conditions above
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35 – 39.9
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Cohort 3 (Year 3)
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At least four of the five health conditions above
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40
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Access to the medication goes hand in hand with behavioural support and wraparound care.
Those who gain access to tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) on the NHS will also be referred onto a diet and exercise support programme. The structured wraparound care support focuses on good nutrition to support health and increasing physical activity. This support is designed specifically for people receiving tirzepatide (Mounjaro®) to help them get the most out of their treatment and enhance their ability to achieve and maintain healthy weight loss.
How will I know if I am eligible?
If you meet the current criteria, our team will contact you and offer a GP appointment to talk about your options.
Please be aware that Mounjaro is only available to be prescribed by the specialst weight loss clinic at the Luton and Dunstable Hospital. Patients would need a referal from Whaddon Healthcare to this clinic.
If you haven’t been contacted, that means you’re not eligible at this time based on the NHS guidance.
Where can I find more information?
You can find more information about weight loss injections by clicking here
