The soaring demand for weight loss drugs in the UK is straining the NHS. The launch of the GP rollout of Mounjaro in England from June signalled a positive step, but strict criteria, limited access, and a lack of holistic care are restricting its impact. The rollout will only be effective when combined with consistent wraparound care and support from private providers, through programmes such as the £85 million obesity programme government partnership with Eli Lilly. Eli Lilly’s price hike last week is set to push more Mounjaro patients onto GP waiting lists as they look for an affordable prescription. The National Pharmacy Association (NPA) has warned that this GLP-1 demand is unsustainable, so critical questions must be raised about where patients will turn when these NHS prescriptions are inaccessible, delayed, or lacking wraparound care.
According to Juniper’s recent survey, a third of NHS GPs, pharmacists and nurse prescribers say weight loss medication alone isn’t enough. The real challenge lies in building a holistic, scalable care system to keep patients safe and away from the black market.
‘Postcode lottery’ for NHS GLP-1 access
There is currently a ‘postcode lottery’ at play in accessing obesity care through the NHS; the GP Mounjaro rollout only applies to a very small cohort of patients, and there are regional disparities in accessing medication and support, meaning some areas face limited and unclear options.
Despite the June NICE deadline, only 8 of 42 NHS Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) are providing comprehensive GLP-1 treatment. Juniper research shows that over half (55%) are rolling out Mounjaro through GPs on a delayed, pending or phased basis. This highlights the growing imbalance between patient demand and safe clinical pathways.
Why holistic frameworks are essential
Obesity treatment with a lasting impact requires more than medication; it demands holistic, ongoing support, including regular check-ins, nutritional advice, psychological care, and tailored exercise programmes. 100% of NHS clinicians surveyed by online digital weight loss platform, Juniper, agree that additional support services are critical to allow this rollout to take real effect – 86% warn that without support, patients are likely to discontinue treatment early, and 89% express concern about weight regain without healthy habits.
However, with the current limited rollout, this level of wraparound care is rarely available. In fact, most ICBs are yet to confirm their capacity to provide wraparound care services essential for a sustainable weight loss programme alongside the medication.
With the vast majority of clinics unable to offer the full spectrum of wraparound care, urgent questions must be asked: what additional support can the NHS incorporate into its weight loss strategy to bridge this gap and provide patients with the comprehensive care they need to succeed? Without addressing these shortfalls, many patients will be left without the critical behavioural and medical support required to sustain effective, long-term weight management.
The risks of uneven supply
The strain on supply and access to care is already causing problems. If patients are unable to access weight loss drugs safely via the NHS or if their provider is not offering a financially viable option to switch to an equivalent dose of Wegovy, like Juniper, many will have to restart their weight loss journey from the beginning. This will inevitably lead them to search elsewhere – creating serious risks.
Rising demand has also fuelled a market for counterfeit drugs. Fake ‘weight‑loss’ pens or vials sold via social media or unverified websites can contain the wrong drug or dose, be contaminated, or be stored outside the cold chain, posing serious health risks. This places patients at risk of anything from allergic reactions to organ damage and death. These counterfeit products rarely contain the labelled dose, causing treatment failure and undermining patient trust.
Those with access may begin stockpiling, micro-dosing or abandoning their treatment course prematurely. This behaviour worsens shortages, limiting access for others, and raises the risk of using expired or improperly stored pens, which reduces potency. Without consistent, proper dosing and medical supervision, the benefits of the medication are severely compromised, jeopardising both individual health and broader public health goals.
These risks strike at the heart of the UK’s broader efforts and investments to combat obesity, threatening to derail progress just as momentum is building and resources are being deployed to improve outcomes nationwide.
The benefits of integrating private providers into NHS weight loss management pathways
Continuous digital support, including regular remote check-ins, has been shown to enhance patient outcomes by offering pastoral care and enabling dosage adjustments. Juniper’s research shows that 87% of NHS clinicians would support the use of digital tools like telehealth and health apps in weight management pathways to improve the safety and reach of GLP-1 rollouts. Remote monitoring, digital consultations, and educational resources would provide valuable pastoral care and enable timely medication adjustments, easing pressure on special weight management services in the NHS.
Online drug providers will play an increasingly important role in bridging support gaps and supplying legitimate medication to those unable to access public channels. Improved coordination, as encouraged by DHSC and Eli Lilly’s new obesity programme promoting collaboration between ICBs and private providers, will help reduce the NHS burden.
Deploying digital health solutions is already extending expert care to more patients. By not expanding on the current innovation taking place, patients risk inadequate treatment and weight gain. Investment in strong digital infrastructure or partnerships with digital providers is key to maximising benefits for both patients and clinicians.
The rollout of Mounjaro is a major step forward in obesity treatment, but its effectiveness relies on more than just the medication itself. Sustained success requires wider access and integrating medications with comprehensive wraparound care that offers ongoing behavioural support, medical supervision, and lifestyle guidance to help patients build and maintain healthy habits. The NHS must prioritise investment in scalable support frameworks and digital tools to keep pace with these supply issues and their inevitable, knock-on effects.
Juniper’s research shows readiness among patients and clinicians for hybrid care models integrating digital innovation with clinical oversight. Without urgent action on holistic support, many patients risk falling through the cracks and turning to illegitimate sources for these drugs, undermining the potential gains of this important treatment rollout.
By Kevin Joshua, Clinical Lead at Juniper
