So little cash has been put aside by the NHS for the rollout of the Mounjaro weight-loss jab in GP surgical procedures that as few as one in 5 individuals with life-threatening weight problems is prone to get therapy, new analysis reveals.
The NHS estimates that round 220,000 individuals dwelling with weight problems will probably be eligible for therapy by their GP over the subsequent three years.
However Freedom of Info requests by the British Medical Journal revealed that funding from NHS England has fallen effectively brief of what’s wanted for the rollout.
Simply 9 out of 40 Built-in Care Boards (ICBs) in England mentioned that they had sufficient funding to deal with the 70% of eligible sufferers who’re anticipated to return ahead.
4 ICBs – which plan well being providers in native areas – mentioned NHS funding coated simply 25% or fewer of their eligible sufferers.
Coventry and Warwickshire ICB mentioned funding would solely stretch to deal with 21% of its sufferers.
Ellen Welch, Medical doctors’ Affiliation UK (DAUK) co-chair, instructed the BMJ: “These figures confirm the fear that the rollout is not fit for purpose.
“There’s a enormous discrepancy between nationwide messaging and what sufferers are literally being delivered on an area stage.”
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How a lot will Mounjaro worth rise by?
5 ICBs admitted they’re already contemplating additional tightening the prescribing standards or rationing the therapy past the plan agreed by the NHS.
Any change would successfully transfer the goalposts for individuals who thought they certified for NHS therapy.
Birmingham and Solihull ICB acquired funding to cowl simply 52% of its eligible sufferers. It admitted: “Difficult decisions are having to be made to ensure money is spent in the most effective and efficient way possible and for the greatest patient benefit.”
Dr Jonathan Hazlehurst, an weight problems specialist and researcher on the College of Birmingham, mentioned NHS England has solely supplied funding for simply over 22,000 sufferers within the first 12 months of the rollout.
“NHS England says that obesity costs the NHS £11.4bn per annum as a pure NHS cost.
“But we won’t even afford to correctly fund the rollout of a life-changing drug in 12 months one. That simply does not make any sense.”
An NHS spokesperson mentioned: “The NHS is fully supporting the phased rollout of tirzepatide for eligible patients, having issued guidance in line with the NICE guidance, and provided funding to local ICBs to support patient care in March 2025.
“These signify brand-new providers in main care which are being established and scaled up over time, beginning with those that are in essentially the most want – and within the meantime, eligible sufferers can get weight reduction help from a spread of different providers, together with the NHS Digital Weight Administration programme.”
