Tirzepatide (Mounjaro) for weight management in primary care

Posted by: Simpliy Primary Care - Posted on:

Who can get these injections?

There are clear rules about which patients can get tirzepatide from primary care. They have been decided by NHS England. 

Eligible groups will be phased over a time scale of 12 years.

The initial priority criteria are as follows:

You must have a BMI (Body Mass Index) of 40 plus (or BMI of 37.5 in certain ethnic groups) and four or more of the following diagnosed health conditions:

✓ type 2 diabetes

✓ high blood pressure

✓ heart disease

✓ obstructive sleep apnoea

✓ abnormal blood fats (dyslipidaemia)

Can all eligible patients be treated?

It is anticipated that the available funding will not meet the patient demand. The total time frame for all eligible patients to be offered treatment is 12 years. 

How are patients prioritised?

  • Clinically – this is done by the eligibility criteria
  • Patient engagement – not only need patients be ready to self-inject Tirzepatide but also engage with the “wrap around service” (please see under BSOP)
  • Waiting list – for patients who are keen to engage but funding is not available at this stage 

What is the BSOP programme?

BSOP = behavioural support for obesity prescribing

Our local service offers 13 sessions which are 2 hours long. These sessions are spread over a 10-month period. 

Topics discussed within these sessions are nutrition, physical activity, sleep, stress, mental wellbeing and more.

These sessions are offered as

  • Guided sessions online (via Microsoft teams) or
  • Digital self-guided programmes
  • Face to face sessions are at this stage not possible due to small numbers of eligible and funded applicants

What is if I am not keen or able to engage with BSOP?

Non-engagement with BSOP will lead to prescribing stop of Tirzepatide on the NHS. 

The prescription is linked to the BSOP engagement and places on the programme are limited. At present only one engagement per patient is funded. In view of this, people should express interest but possibly ask to be on a waiting list, if they feel that it is not a good time for them to engage in the full programme. 

How do I engage with the scheme?

If you have been invited, you please contact the surgery. 

You will be seen face to face by one of our pharmacists who is supervised by a GP in the background, and she will engage you in the local scheme. 

We will only provide enough appointments for the number of patients we have funding for to be referred to the local BSOP programme. 

We would start medication prescribing in your first consultation. 

You will be required to attend monthly the surgery for follow up appointments. 

If all appointments for funded places have been taken, we will add you to the waiting list.