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Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) is now available through NHS primary care services in England to restricted groups of patients.

Supply of the weekly injection in primary care was initially recommended by NICE last summer, but NHS England requested a phased rollout to avoid overwhelming GP services

Following a consultation in October 2024, NHS England developed a plan detailing which groups of patients will be offered tirzepatide in the next three years.

Its interim commissioning guidance sets out that ICBs must meet the costs of funding access to tirzepatide in primary care settings from 23 June.

The first cohort of people eligible for the jab from their GP or a community clinic will be those with:

• Four out of five of the ‘qualifying’ comorbidities: hypertension, dyslipidaemia, obstructive sleep apnoea, cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes mellitus
• BMI of 40 or over (or 37.5 for people from South Asian, Chinese, other Asian, Middle Eastern, Black African or African-Caribbean ethnic backgrounds).

In line with NICE guidance (NICE TA 1026), all patients must be provided with ‘wraparound support’ which incorporates nutritional and dietetic advice as a minimum and access to behavioural change components, as a mandatory requirement to access treatment.

Mounjaro also requires monthly check-ups for patients during the first few months of taking it, making this a labour intensive process for GP practices and clinics.

Obesity is a growing public health concern in England, with 29 per cent of adults living with obesity (BMI ≥30 kg/m²), and 64 per cent living with overweight or obesity, according to the Health Survey for England, 2022