Newbridge Surgery – 17.5.2025
Weight Loss Injections
Please note, our GP’s do not prescribe these injections
We have had a number of requests from patients to prescribe weight loss injections for those struggling to lose weight and have provided some information below for your information.
What are these medications?
GLP-1 agonist medications (commonly referred to as “weight loss injections”) are a group of medications that are licensed in the UK to be used as a treatment in diabetes when sugar levels are not controlled by diet alone or when other medications for diabetes have not been shown to be effective. They mimic the action of a natural hormone, GLP1, which is produced in the gut. Brands include Ozempic, Wygovy, Victoza and Mounjaro.
More recently, studies have shown that these medications can help with weight loss in patients with and without diabetes. Some of these brands have now been licensed in the UK for weight loss under private services. They have been shown to help regulate the appetite, making it easier to eat less and can make you feel fuller for longer, helping you to eat less calories.
Can we prescribe these for you?
The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) are an independent organisation set up by Government to make decisions around new medications and design guidelines on what medication can be prescribed by the NHS and under what criteria.
NICE have reviewed the role of GLP-1 agonists in terms of its use for weight loss and produced guidelines that determine when they can be used and who can prescribe them. Under these guidelines GLP-1’s CANNOT be initiated by your GP for weight loss. These can only be initiated by what is called Tier 3 weight management services. Patients can be referred to these services if you meet their criteria. These are specialised NHS weight loss clinics for those with a very high body mass index (BMI) and/or have significant health conditions in addition to being overweigh eg heart disease, diabetes.
What else can be done?
Patients wishing to obtain GLP-1 agonist for weight loss privately can seek private prescriptions from a number of on-line and high-street Pharmacies if you have a BMI over 35. As General Practitioners, under our terms of service, we are not permitted to provide private prescriptions for these medications.
We can help in lots of other ways to support you with weight loss and would encourage you to access support from reception who can refer those patients over BMI 30 to public health run Weight Management Groups. Alternatively you can be referred via our Health Coaches; Nurses, Physician Associate as part of our wider clinical team to discuss weight loss and exercise either face to face or a telephone consultation to help support you.
Alternatively you can self refer for a weight management service by clicking on the following link via Live Well Wolverhampton Stop Smoking Wolverhampton Weight Management Live Well Wolverhampton
If you still wish to request an appointment please ring the reception team at Newbridge Surgery on 01902 751420