NOT a day goes by without fat jabs hitting the headlines – but when the NHS announced that they would be made more widely available to Brits earlier this year, interest hit fever pitch.
But two months on and a stark postcode lottery is emerging with just 18 out of England’s 42 local health boards actually delivering the fat-busting jab Mounjaro to patients. Our interactive map reveals if your area is one of them… as experts warn of a dangerous knock-on effect to the sluggish rollout.
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The NHS is bungling the rollout of Mounjaro with most areas failing to offer it and cash only available to prescribe the drugs to 22,000 patients, an investigation has found.
Patients are trapped in a postcode lottery as just 18 out of England’s 42 local health boards say they have got prescriptions up and running.
All were supposed to have plans in place for GPs by June.
An investigation by the British Medical Journal found that even areas offering the jabs often cannot afford to help everyone who is eligible.
NHS bosses admitted they will only cover the cost of 22,400 patients in the whole of England this year.
It means they are botching even their cautious 12-year rollout of the blockbuster slimming drug, which is supposed to reach 220,000 by 2028.
Meanwhile, more than a million people are buying Mounjaro privately and now being hammered by huge pharmacy price rises.
Experts warn desperate Brits might turn to the dangerous black market if squeezed between huge NHS delays and rocketing private fees.
Dr Ellen Welch, of Doctors’ Association UK, said: “These figures confirm the fear that the roll out is not fit for purpose.
“There is a huge discrepancy between national messaging and what patients are actually being delivered on a local level.”
Figures from the BMJ show that, when polled in the summer, just one out of the five health boards in London confirmed they offered Mounjaro through GP practices.
No health boards in the North West offered it and just two out of 11 in the Midlands did.
Coverage was better in other regions, with two out of six areas in the East, two out of four in Yorkshire, four out of six in the South East and four out of seven in the South West.
The findings mean millions of Brits live in areas where they cannot get Mounjaro, known as tirzepatide, from a local GP.
People like me aren’t getting the support they need
Suzanne Hall
Suzanne Hall, from Southport, Merseyside, was told by her doctor that Mounjaro is not available in her area.
The mum of two, 45, lost some weight by improving her lifestyle but is still suffering physical and mental health problems due to her size, while waiting for weight loss surgery.
She told ITV News: “I’m frustrated.
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“I just need a little bit of help, but for some reason people like me aren’t getting the help and support they need.
“I don’t have hundreds of pounds at the end of the month to go and buy Mounjaro injections.”
The BMJ investigation found Cheshire and Merseyside Integrated Care Board to be one of the 24 areas still failing to roll out the jabs.
The BMJ also found only nine areas in England confirmed they have enough money to offer injections to the target number of patients.
That means many who are eligible and live in an area that offers the jabs still might not get them because there is no funding.
Dr Jonathan Hazlehurst, from the University of Birmingham, said: “NHS England is talking about treating 220,000 patients in the first three years but the funding for year one only covers approximately 10 per cent of that.”
Health Secretary Wes Streeting has urged the NHS to roll out Mounjaro faster and said this week: “I know I’ve got more work to do to make sure that people who would benefit from these jabs can access them via the NHS.”
Can I get Mounjaro on the NHS for free instead?
You CAN get Mounjaro on the NHS, but it will be tricky.
Most people buy their jabs – otherwise they could be waiting years.
That’s because the rollout is slow, even for those who meet the strict criteria.
The current criteria for getting treatment on the NHS are:
BMI Requirement: 40 or greater, or 37.5 or greater if from a Black, Asian, or other minority background
Age Requirement: Over 18 years old
Health Conditions: Must have at least four confirmed diagnoses from the following conditions:
- Type 2 diabetes
- Hypertension (high blood pressure)
- Dyslipidaemia (unhealthy levels of lipids/fats in the blood)
- Cardiovascular disease
- Obstructive sleep apnoea
A Department of Health spokesperson added: “We expect NHS boards to be making these drugs available.”
The blow comes as private paying Mounjaro patients were hit with hefty price rises this month.
Manufacturer Eli Lilly ramped up its wholesale costs on September 1, threatening to price many patients out as the cost of the highest dose rocketed to more than £300 a month.
An NHS spokesperson said: “The NHS is fully supporting the phased rollout of tirzepatide for eligible patients.
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“These represent brand new services in primary care that are being established and scaled up over time, starting with those who are in the most need.
“In the meantime, eligible patients can get weight loss support from a range of other services including the NHS Digital Weight Management programme.”
