Weight loss injections now available nationwide on NHS for first time

Hannah Millington
Weight loss injection. (Getty Images)

Weight loss injections like Wegovy will now be available on the NHS to eligible patients from all over England who have been referred by their GP, as part of its specialist weight management programme

The major development announced by Oviva, the UK's largest weight management services provider to the NHS, aims to "offer hope" to the 4.2 million people eligible for specialist weight management support.

From today, people living with obesity will have the option to receive weight loss injections at no cost – crucially, along with diet, exercise, lifestyle and mental health support – to remove the access barriers surrounding these new treatments.

Up until now, despite Wegovy, for example, being available on the NHS, this type of medication and support has previously been difficult to access, with limited availability of only 35,000 places that are subject to a postcode lottery. Fewer than one in 100 eligible people have been able to access NHS specialist weight management treatment per year. Outside of this, only those who can afford to pay privately for weight loss injections (also known as GLP-1s) have been able to access them.

With almost two-thirds of the English population classed as overweight or obese, costing the NHS £19 billion per year, and obesity the second leading cause of cancer behind smoking, the primary cause of Type 2 diabetes, and is associated with more than 200 other conditions, the new step hopes to tackle the issue.

It is, however, important to note that not all people classed as overweight by tools like BMI are unhealthy.

FILE - Donna Cooper holds up a dosage of Wegovy, a drug used for weight loss, at her home in Front Royal, Va., on Friday, March 1, 2024.
Weight loss medicines like Semaglutide (Wegovy) work by making you feel fuller and less hungry. (Getty Images) (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

"By increasing access to specialist weight management services, we are taking a significant step towards reducing obesity and its burden on individuals, the NHS and the wider economy," says Martin Fidock, UK managing director at Oviva.

"The launch of this service under Right to Choose combats the two-tier health system that has developed, where only those who can afford to pay out-of-pocket can access these potentially life-saving medications – that is not right."

Under the NHS Constitution, patients have a legal 'Right to Choose' the consultant-led team that delivers their care.

Chantelle, 31, from Bristol has been enrolled on the Oviva programme. "I have been struggling with my weight since I was a child, and weight loss injections is the only thing that has truly made a difference. I have lost three stone in three and a half months – I am incredibly pleased," she says.

"Up until two months ago, I had been on the waitlist for two years, and I then turned to private treatment. However, I couldn’t afford to continue with private treatment, so Oviva’s support through the NHS came at the perfect time. I am so happy and feel so optimistic about the impact ongoing support will have on my life."

Very large body shape caucasian white man push his effort to exercise at home to improve his body shape and good health. Overweight man doing a body weight training at home in living room.
The new programme is taking a holistic approach, taking into account diet, exercise, lifestyle and mental health. (Getty Images) (Chirayu via Getty Images)

Oviva says its fully remote programme includes personalised dietary and psychological support centred on helping people make healthy lifestyle changes that last.

"New weight loss injections are a game-changer but are not a magic wand. If taken in isolation, they do not address the underlying factors that improve your health or well-being," Keren Miller, global clinical lead at Oviva acknowledges.

"Oviva’s holistic approach is delivered by an expert multidisciplinary team and encompasses diet, exercise, lifestyle and mental health support. This empowers individuals to make sustainable changes and achieve lasting success."

Chantelle says the medication has also changed how and why she eats. "I’ve also really enjoyed learning from the modules Oviva provides as part of the programme. It’s helping me to try new things and incorporate more nutritious foods. It’s fantastic news that all those eligible in England can now access weight management services, especially medications like Wegovy."

You may want to consider trying other approaches to lose weight for health reasons before trying injections, and be aware that they can come with risks and side effects.

To check if you are eligible for the service, you can visit the Oviva website and get advice on how to contact your GP to discuss a referral to Oviva's Tier 3 Weight Management Programme.

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