Thousands of severely obese patients are facing long delays in accessing the so-called ‘King Kong’ of weight loss injections, Mounjaro, due to what experts have branded a mismanaged and underfunded NHS rollout.
The drug, also known as tirzepatide, was meant to be available via GP surgeries and community services from 23 June under an agreement between NHS England and the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE). However, new research by Sky News reveals a postcode lottery: only eight of England’s 42 NHS Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) are currently providing the treatment. Many others cannot say when it will be available – including Dorset.
Freedom of Information requests show that Dorset patients, along with those in numerous other counties, have no clear timeline for when they might be able to access the jab. Some areas have also placed strict caps on the number of patients who can receive it, with at least 19 ICBs limiting first-year provision.
Dr Jonathan Hazlehurst, an obesity specialist at University Hospitals Birmingham, criticised the rollout:
“Giving people open promises and setting them up for disappointment and failure is clearly grossly unfair. That’s what the current system is doing.”
NICE guidance recommends Mounjaro for people with a BMI over 40 and at least four weight-related conditions, such as heart disease or type 2 diabetes. Around 97,500 people should be treated in the first year, according to NHS England data, but funding has only been provided for just over 22,000.
Gary, a 25-stone (158kg) Hampshire resident who qualifies for treatment, was told he might not get access until autumn – if at all.
“I was so excited when I read about this drug,” he said. “It’s not for vanity. It would be a life changer.”
With 3.4 million people in England meeting the eligibility criteria, NHS England estimates it could take 12 years to reach everyone in need. Dr Hazlehurst says such delays would never be tolerated for cancer treatments, despite obesity also being life-threatening.
“There’s a huge amount of stigma that drives things to do with obesity care all across the system,” he added.
A spokesperson for NHS England said it had “fully supported the rollout”, issuing guidance and funding in March to all ICBs to cover treatment costs and support services.
For Dorset patients, however, there is still no clear date when Mounjaro will become available, leaving many facing months – or years – of uncertainty.