Family doctors in England will be offered financial incentives to prescribe weight-loss jabs, as part of a government push to speed up the NHS rollout and ensure equitable access.
The Department of Health and Social Care confirmed that not all practices currently prescribe the drugs, leading to disparities. Health Secretary Wes Streeting said the medication should be available based on need, not ability to pay.
The new incentives, backed by £25 million, are included in the latest GP contract and aim to encourage prescriptions and referrals to weight management services. The move follows concerns from GPs about increased workload when the programme launched last summer.
Mounjaro, a once-weekly injection, is initially available only for severely obese people with other health conditions. NHS England has planned a phased rollout over up to 12 years, but even eligible patients currently struggle to access the drug.
An estimated 2.4 million people in the UK are taking weight-loss drugs, most privately. Streeting warned that private access has led to rogue prescribers and unsafe products. The government sees the incentives as part of a wider public health package to tackle the £11 billion obesity burden on the economy.
